There are more and more health studies piling up showing the powerful effects of Resveratrol. As we noted over 3 years ago (The Human Elixir), there are companies, such as Sirtris, in existence specifically to synthesize this molecule into an anti-aging drug. Supposedly Resveratrol helps the production of more efficient mitochondria, whereas most antioxidants only neutralize free radicals in the system. This is like creating a more efficient engine that pollutes less vs. sequestering carbon. Beyond this, there have been numerous tests showing Resveratrol’s ability to kill forms of cancer, help with caloric restriction, increase life expectancy through diminished probability of contracting diseases like Alzheimer’s and diabetes, and many say it is the reason for the famous French Paradox. As a result of all this press and consumer awareness, the market is flooding with Resveratrol pills and supplements, claiming to extend life and end all ailments.

However, interestingly enough, there is evidence that suggests that it is not the Resveratrol that gives red wine its health benefits…

There is supposedly such a small quantity of Resveratrol in red wine that it couldn’t have any type of significant impact, not to mention that the bio-availability is even smaller, meaning that most of the Resveratrol consumed is not absorbed into the blood stream. So where do the health benefits come from?

Roger Corder, professor of experimental therapeutics at the William Harvey Research Institute in London, has been studying the health benefits of red wine for 15 years and has written an interesting read called The Red Wine Diet. He proposes that it is not the Resveratrol, or even the anti-oxidants or alcohol that give red wine its magical benefits, but rather another set of special molecules called procyanidins. These procyanidins are showing to be powerful inhibitors of Endothelin-1, which is known to constrict blood vessels and lead to a build up of artherosclerotic plaque. Thus, a consistent diet of procyanidins will keep your body clean and functioning well. Most importantly, it is found that certain red wines produced from grapes grown in certain natural environmental conditions contain enough procyanidin to give you the powerful health benefits (such as those outlined in the French Paradox) in only 1 or 2 glasses of wine a day!

This is fantastic research continuing our alchemical pursuit of the elixir of life… and remember, it isn’t about living forever, it’s about living well. More research to come…

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A good Italian, yet affordable, is going to come under the names Nero d’Avolo, Dolcetto and Primitivo. Key regions are going to be Sicily, Sardinia, Puglia, and Umbria. This is the perfect time to try something new. France? You can drink from there as well, but same thing applies; try something new. Draw yourself towards Loire, Rhone, Provence, and Alsace. These are the more affordable areas but of course you may come upon more expensive prices mixed in. Stay away from these. You can’t afford them. A general and fun rule that I suggest you follow is: if the label doesn’t make sense and it’s under $12 then buy it. Turn drinking into an adventure.

A friend of mine has a rule that she sticks to, an expensive one, but smart at the same time. The first bottle that she drinks is always a more expensive nicer bottle. If you have to get it out of your system then do it, and then buy cheaper ones after that. Also remember that everyday is not a holiday or occasion to be celebrating. If you believe that everyday is well then learn how to do it on a budget or invite me over. Little known fact about me, I do enjoy a good celebration.

It’s hard to drink American cheaply right now. For that I suggest you try something else that is in that price range and home grown: Beer. Microbreweries in the United States are really starting to produce great ales. Like all things, baby steps are required. Flying Dog, Dogfish, Rouge, Magic Hat, Brooklyn, Sierra, these are just a few suggestions. Go to your local beer distributor and follow that same rule, never heard of it, then buy it. If you are one of the many out there that believes that beer doesn’t have a flavor profile, then stop yourself now and start drinking ales. You are going to get that same old bland taste in a lager. Leave the lagers to drinking games. I’m not a huge fan of the Budweiser family beers, but the new American Ale that they are producing is good and possibly a stepping-stone for the masses.

Just because our nation is broke doesn’t mean you have to particularly live like it. When we stop having fun and laughing is when I leave the country (again). So run to your local beer distributor or wine store and Wine (or Ale) Your Diet.

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With Mills’ poems that have religious flair, I’m not going to lie, I was a bit freaked out at first. Growing up in a Irish Catholic family, going to Catholic school for thirteen years I can appreciate things that have a religious tone to it, be it music, movies, or literature, but at the same time I would not want to read a collection of poems that are all spun that way. And then I came upon Bibiana, the Patron Saint of Hangovers, “I bet it is also annoying that so few of us pray to her by name; instead we try to go right to the top or moan supplications with no address”. Now that I know her name I believe we will be good friends.

Then the second half of the book deals with Life and Relationships. In Introductions Made Easy, Mills simply puts how much easier life would be if people came with labels such as those on wine bottles. You would be able to find out their background and see if that person is to be enjoyed in the moment or if they will improve with age. Dating would be so much easier. And then finally in Opening Up, Mills, though the visual of a dinner party shows how each person approaches wine in a different matter, the same that we all approach people differently. “If we’re lucky/ as the years unfold/ we open up/ until we reach a point/ we can appreciate/ one another’s complexities/ and even the tart irony/ of finding yourself/ at the table’s next seat,/ taking seriously,/ so many of those things/ you once mocked.”

And that’s what wine is, subjective to the individual. Mills does a good job exploring his passion, though I would not recommend this to non-wine lovers. It’s fun, and that’s what it’s suppose to be, take it in stride, grab a glass of wine and continue to Wine Your Diet.

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I chose this wine because with the unofficial start of summer Alsace is perfect. The white wines here are well known with the Rieslings and Gewurztraminers, and their sparkling wines prosper as well. Another key point is these wines are not expensive at all. Alsace is respected but it doesn’t have the same prestige as Champagne, Burgundy, or Bordeaux. This is great for you. In the US a typical bottle will be between $12 to $20.

This wine is from Rene Muré, a Cremant d’Alsace. On the nose is a wave of fresh pears and peaches. Keeping with the farm stand pattern it’s granny smith apples that take over the palate. This wine is a Brut, so it’s going to be dry, but with a slight sweetness upfront. Overall it is fresh and bright.

Now if anyone was wondering, yes, Cremant does taste delicious with Cassis Liqueur or perhaps orange juice. Did someone say Mimosa? I could swear I heard someone say it. Well either way, this is a fantastic way to liven up Sunday brunch and to Wine Your Diet. It’s light, refreshing, an excellent source of calcium, and one way to stay cool in the hot sun. There is one problem with Mimosas though; they go down way to fast. Pace yourself, there is something called too much calcium.

From Pars I say au revoir, but soon I will be greeting you from New York in hopes of bringing back pride to Long Island wines. For now go grab any bottle of sparkling wine, it doesn’t even have to be from France, pop it, enjoy it, and as always don’t forget to Wine Your Diet.

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When I first arrived in Paris I thought it would be fun to go to a wine tasting. I had basic knowledge of French wine, but I was starting to read my French wine books and decided that a bit of reinforcement wouldn’t be the worst thing. Ô Chateau conducts different wine tastings in English. In a non-intimidating environment the speaker, who was born in Burgundy and lived and worked in Napa Valley, put you at ease and spoke about wine in a way that no matter what level you were at you would understand. We tried seven different wines ranging from Alsace and the Loire to the Rhone and Bordeaux. There was one region that stood out the most for me, Languedoc Rousillon. Located in the south of France, it is south of the Rhone and to the west of Nice. There was incredible body to this wine and developed on your palate to no end. I was in love.

I’ve had a few good experiences with this region, so let’s try it again. I had the 2006 Collioure, Appellation Collioure Controle. Collioure is as south as the region gets, as it breezes by the coast. Unusual for a French wine to have information on the back, this one told me it was made from Grenache Noir. Fantastic, this is sounding good already. On the nose there were strong earth tones. Initially I could even smell the sand from the beaches, then the wind came in and ripe berries were pulled through. I was extremely excited to drink this wine, but unfortunately sometimes you can be fooled by your senses. First reaction I was ready to spit it out. I’m a reasonable person so I gave it another chance. It was just too dry and harsh, not well balanced at all.

I remembered what someone in Burgundy told me about decanting. Old wine should never be decanted because you will age them and loose their essence. Young wines on the other hand, decant away because you are now helping it achieve what the winemaker had in mind. I’m renting a furnished apartment and as the French love their wine, they don’t equip all their apartments with decanters. I poured a glass and let it sit for about an hour. It wasn’t that tempting, I really wasn’t that excited to drink it again.

Time passed and it helped. This still wasn’t the wine that I fell in love with, but there were definite improvements. It wasn’t as attacking on the palate, but there was a bit of bite. Oh well, you can’t win them all. Please don’t let this deter you from trying wines from Languedoc Rousillon because there are really some great wines being produced here. If I let every bad California wine get in my way then I would have given up on it a long time ago. Also, I found that pairing food helps. It won’t ruin your meal, but if you’re doing something simple like pasta then you really can’t ruin it. Who ruins pasta? If you know anyone that does then please give me their name, I’d like to help. In conclusion, Languedoc Rousillon wines are delicious, so go out and grab a bottle and don’t forget to Wine Your Diet.

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I recently traveled to Reims, Champagne and to Dijon and Beaune in Burgundy. Reims and Epernay are the two big cities in Champagne that attract tourists. Reims was an enjoyable city to walk the streets with cafes lining pedestrian only walkways and a glass of Champagne in hand. The cellars were informative but you certainly don’t have to continue from one house to another, you will be receiving the same information at all. For most houses you need an appointment, which gave me the feeling of not being welcomed. Wine should not just be for a certain group of people that can fit the schedule. We were able though to get an appointment at Pommery and then we continued to Taittinger where there were no appointments necessary.The two tours if combined would have been spectacular, but where one lacked energy the other lacked information. After the tour you are given a glass of Champagne, well actually you paid for it with admission. Most houses are 10 euros, so put a few tours together in one day that will tell you the same information, then you have just wasted a lot of money. Instead I would recommend going to one house and then heading over to a café and popping a bottle and just enjoy your surroundings.

The next stop on the trip was Dijon in Burgundy…
Dijon was filled with friendly faces that knew each other and just enjoyed being. With their cobblestone streets and medieval appeal, it was refreshing to be here. In one restaurant they have a mock guillotine set up with different types of meats hanging from it. The server explained where we were, Place Emile Zola, was the location of guilloting, so they were incorporating history with the dining experience. The people were friendly, the atmosphere relaxing, and then history was alive.

One more place to go before heading back to Paris: Beaune. Beaune was a twenty-minute train ride south of Dijon. When we arrived we walked through the marketplace and picked up cheese and meats from sellers who would happily cut a sample for you before buying. Then of course, being in the land of mustard we had to include it in our picnic we were building. Once that was in order we had to make a decision, should we be tourists and stay in town and go to the houses and only sample the minimal and not really connect with the wine or do we rent bikes and head out into the vineyards and meet with the people who create them? Of course we rented the bikes. We went to Bourgogne Randonnées, right by the train station and the owners mapped out a route for us including vineyards to stop at.

We stopped at a few vineyards but one stood out strong, Château l’Ange Gardien (www.chateu-langegardien.com). We pulled up and it seemed like a scene in a movie. The husband and winemaker, Pierre was just pulling out to go to the fields and his wife Nicole was sitting at a picnic table enjoying her lunch with flowers and trees surrounding her. She immediately came over to us and brought us in to taste her wines. I can honestly say there was not one wine I didn’t enjoy. And then to finish it off she gave us a Kir Royal made with Cassis Liquor, that they also produced, as well as a fantastically refreshing bottle of Crémant.

I could have spent all day and all my money there but we had to move on to our next destination. When we go back into Beaune we dropped off the bikes and café hopped, having a different glass of wine at each. It was the perfect end to a perfect day. Beaune had the friendly appeal of Dijon, but there was something about being there that made you never want to leave. Actually, the woman from the bike shop was originally from Canada and came on vacation to Beaune. Then eighteen years later she never left.

While visiting Château l’Ange Gardien, I learned that there is a natural element in Pinot Noir that aids with digestion. I think the French are on to something here. Go grab a bottle of Burgundy and pair it with something delicious, but don’t forget to Wine Your Diet.

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I was recently at a wine bar in Paris with friends for dinner. When it came time to order our wine, I was looking at the reds, and by accident I ordered a Cotes-du-Provence thinking it was red. The server came back with our drinks. We had a rainbow of wines sitting on our table, one ordered white, another red, and apparently I ordered a rosé. A bit reluctant at first, I considered sending it back, but quickly remembered the French customer service policy…

I should take the time here to fill you in on the astonishing practice of the French customer service. In France, as with most of Europe, tips are included because the servers and bartenders are receiving hourly wages. Without having to worry about tips you can be a bit more honest with your customers, I guess. The French take it one extra step; they are never wrong, even when they are wrong actually they are not. In the U.S. it’s the customer is always right, well in France the customer is always wrong.

In my situation I was wrong, but why annoy my server because she did smile when I ordered, there must be something good here. In turn, I accepted my fault and drank the wine. There are some mistakes in life worth making. I never knew springtime could be more enjoyable until I started drinking rosés. I later learned that in Paris it’s hip to drink pink. There is nothing like getting the seal of approval from your server when ordering a wine, for me at least, I’m more excited. That smile I received was her way of telling me that I would not regret my decision.

Rosés are made in every region in France, but the South is more known for their winsome, approachable wines, in particular Provence. I am drinking a 2006 La Ferme Blanche from Cassis. The color on it is an orange pink, it is young, but generally best drank that way. On the nose is a slight tangerine and apricot fruit profile. Here is a good example of a rosé; it’s light, dry, not complex, well balanced and extremely enjoyable. The only way I can think to describe what I’m experiencing on my palate is lifesavers. This wine is the white lifesaver. There is flavor there, but it’s not as strong as the orange, green, or red. The white lifesaver is the subtle flavor; it doesn’t over power. I have had rosés with fish dishes, as well as meat dishes, though I would stay away from heavier meats.

While I write this I feel the urge to go to a restaurant by the water and order up a dozen oysters. Seeing that I’m in Paris, perhaps I’ll just take the rest of this bottle down to the Seine, have a picnic, and watch the sunset. This is a perfect springtime and summer wine and a great way to Wine Your Diet.

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For those of you not familiar with Muscadet, it is a region within the Loire Valley in North West France. The grape is Muscadet, but if outside of this area will go by Melon, such as Melon de Bourgogne. This wine can be both white and red. Though the name is similar to Muscat, it is not related.

If you are looking to eat something with this, I would go with something light such as seafood. This is great wine with cheeses, possibly with contrasting characteristics, a strong nutty flavor, or a creamy rich cheese. I am eating hummus and crackers right now and it tastes delicious, but I also have a hummus problem and it would taste great with anything, but I’d rather not discuss that right now. If you are used to drinking sweet wine this is a great contender to transition yourself into a new world of wine. But get out there are try new wines, new grapes, and Wine Your Diet.

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As I was watching the Paris Marathon last Sunday I couldn’t help but think about this horrible rumor I had heard, that wine slows down the metabolism. Just the thought of it sends my mind spinning in twenty, that’s right, twenty, different directions. Let me take this time to set the record straight. As a medical professional, which I am not, I can honesty tell you that the enjoyment of wine does not slow down your metabolism.

We have red wine, say a delicious Côtes du Rhône, which is excellent for the heart. It’s a scientific fact; trust me. The heart is in control, the “boss” of the rest of the body. I think we all know that if the boss is happy then everyone else is going to work efficiently, including metabolism, who is the one in the office that’s usually late all the time, everyone likes him, but he also gets on everyone’s nerves. At this point if you don’t know what I’m taking about, then I’m sorry but you’re metabolism. If the boss doesn’t have her wine, then we all know how the boss acts and then everyone works differently as well.

I think the real lesson here is to make sure your boss is drinking on the job. But I know what you’re thinking, what about white wine? I too asked this question. I’m really glad we’re on the same page here. Well wine, as we all know comes from grapes. And grapes are fruit, which we need a daily intake of for a healthy lifestyle. So drink away, it’s good for you. Say goodbye to those fad diets, don’t milk your diet, but Wine Your Diet. It’ll sweep the nation just you wait. I’ll be on Oprah by the beginning of the summer.

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