Tag: Wine

Reaping Red Wine Benefits Without the Alcohol – Resveratrol Capsules

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The interest and attention given to the health benefits of red wine is not the alcohol part but the antioxidant part of it, the anthrocynadins, polyphenols and resveratrol. Resveratrol particularly has been shown to be a very powerful antioxidant, around 50 times as effectual as Vitamin C alone. Anti-clotting effects, anti-cancer, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties are few of the many properties that this particular compound boasts of.

While alcohol doesn’t have any health benefits in the body and only introduces harmful toxins in your body, you might want to separate the alcohol part of wine and remain with the resveratrol to reap the benefits. Well, you can reap the maximum benefits of red wine and more without the alcohol. The experts have made this vital compound available in its natural form as a capsule supplement, with high concentrations of resveratrol to help you reap the benefits of red wine minus alcohol.

The best part of this is that the resveratrol capsules are available at a tiny fraction of what it would cost you to derive the same quantity when got from a good quality red wine. Actually, the cost of a monthly dose of resveratrol capsule might be equivalent to a single quality red wine bottle. The recommended dosage of resveratrol capsules is one or two in a day. If however you still want to take the red wine or any other alcoholic beverage, trust resveratrol capsules to counter the alcohol intoxication effects. 

One notable advantage of resveratrol capsules among many others is the instant energy that they provide. The body gets tired because the tissues and cells are burdened with the work of damage repair. But due to the potent antioxidant properties of resveratrol, you’ll feel young, and more gigantic and energetic because these capsules will introduce antioxidants that will fight free radicals, do the damage repair work thus free your cells and tissues.

History of Wine Making

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The history of wine can be classified into four periods: the Ancient Times, the Dark Ages, the New World and the Modern Days.

Ancient Times

Mesopotamia. Evidence of grape cultivation and wine production were found dating as far back as 6000BC.

Egypt. Egyptians made first records of grape harvest and wine making. Wine was regarded a measurement of one’s social status and is used for religious rituals.

Greece. Wine played an important part in the religion of ancient Greece particularly attributed to the god Dionysus. It was also regarded as a social drink for the privileged upper class.

Rome. Wine making technology was considerably improved and wine became available even to the common people.

China. The Chinese initially used wild grapes for their wine, cultivation of grapes didn’t start until after Zhang Qian’s exploration to Western Kingdoms where he acquired vines. Wine from grapes was therefore considered exotic and were reserved only for the Emperor’s consumption.

Dark Ages

Following the decline of Rome, the Christian Church became a staunch supporter of wine necessary for celebration of the Catholic Mass while Muslim chemists pioneered the distillation of wine for medicinal purposes.

Middle East. Alcoholic drinks were prohibited, but alcohol production particularly wine, have thrived. Egyptian Jews leased vineyards from the Fatimid and Mamluk governments and produced wine for sacramental and medicinal use. Christian monasteries in Levant and Iraq cultivated grapes and distributed their vintages to taverns located inside monastery grounds. Zoroastrians in Persia and Central Asia also engaged in wine production, though not much is known regarding their wine trade. However, they are known for their taverns.

Medieval Europe. Benedictine monks were one of the largest producers of wine in France and Germany, followed closely by the Cistercians. The Templar, and Carmelite orders were also notable wine producers.

New World

New World wines came to a rise and challenged Old World wines in the 19th century.

The Americas. Grapes were brought to what is now known as Latin America by Spanish conquistadores. Succeeding waves of immigrants imported grapes from France, Italy and Germany.

American wine was generally looked upon as inferior to European product until the latter half of the 20th century; New World wine began to gain respect after a surprising showing at the 1976Paris Wine tasting.

Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Until late in the 20th century, Australia exported mostly to the United Kingdom while New Zealand kept most of its wine internally and South Africa was closed off to much of the world market due to apartheid.

Modern Days

Wine making developed greatly in terms of scientific background therefore allowing a lot of things that were once impossible to be accomplished. Wine makers of this day are now able to gain total control of every stage in wine making. The challenge now for wine makers is to produce wine for a much larger market without losing the character and distinct flavor of their wines. More and more countries are now producing more varieties of wine and advances in technology will ensure that such trend will continue.

How to Attend a Wine Tasting

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Of course, we’re talking about wine-tasting as something you go out and do, whether it’s on a winery tour, at a friend’s house, or some catered event.

If attending at a winery, do take the time first to find out about the winery’s history. This might involve a tour of the place, with the summer help giving you a little walk-around and five-minute speech. Read the brochures. Studying the history of a place is part of appreciating the romance and magic of wine; you’ll always learn something new and fascinating.

In the actual tasting, progress through the wines in order from lightest to heaviest. In fact, whenever you’ll be sampling several wines in a row (or even when you’re serving them), follow the general rule:

* Young wines before mature ones.
* Light wines before heavy ones.
* Chilled wines before chambered wines.
* Low alcohol before high alcohol.
* Dry wines before sweet wines.

If you don’t know which is which, ask the winery staff, who will only be too happy to point them out. They will understand that part of the purpose of wine-tasting is to learn more about wine, so don’t be shy if you want to ask questions.

Between wines, it is customary to either rinse with water or nibble on a piece of bread or pastry to cleanse the palate. Some wineries or events will give you a small sample – almost a “shot” – and others will let you have a glass or two of one wine if you fancy it. Do try to restrain yourself! Several wines in a row can build up alcohol levels unexpectedly fast. Sip small amounts of each one, and by all means take your time.

Now you get to find out one of the mysteries of wine: why do they use those funny-shaped glasses? Well, when you get a new glass of wine, swirl it around gently just like you see the aristocrats do. Now hold the glass still. Watch the edge of the liquid as it stops moving; do you see little tendrils of wine clinging to the sides of the glass? Those are called “legs”, and the more legs a wine has clinging to the sides of the glass after you swirl it, the more alcohol it contains.

A second purpose to the swirling motion is that this allows the wine to “breathe”. So after it’s settled a little, inhale with your nose over the glass. About half of how a wine tastes is tied up with how it smells, and the aroma of wine is an intended part of the experience.

And you thought they were doing that just to look like sophisticated show-offs!

Now you’re ready for a taste. Sip a little less than a mouthful, and roll it around on your tongue. Hit every taste bud you have with it, even under your tongue. Let the vapors from it permeate your sinuses. Now swallow – don’t spit, as that’s only something that judges do and even then they’d rather swallow if they think they can get by. Let the aftertaste come to your palate. Now’s the time to voice your reaction: how was it? Don’t be shy about your opinion; every taster can tell the staff something new about their wine.

If you’re tasting several wines, take a break every now and then and stroll around. The property of most wineries is worth a walk just to soak up the scenery and atmosphere. If it’s a social occasion, all the more reason to pace yourself as you socialize. At a winery, there will usually be a time at the end of the tasting where they give you the opportunity to buy something. By all means, feel free to fall in love with a bottle or two and adopt it!

By the way, would you believe that there are people who do this for a living? There are people blessed with “perfect pitch” in tasting, who take courses and get a diploma and everything, and then wineries hire them to give their expert opinion about the wine. How’s that for the life?

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Homemade Wine Making Facts

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Wine is more popular than ever in the United States. There are almost 3000 vineyards in the US, with at least one winery in every state. Most US wine production occurs in the west, with the states of California, Washington and Oregon leading the way.

Here’s something you may not know. More and more people are discovering the fascinating hobby of making their own homemade wine. If you’ve ever thought about making your own wine at home, there’s no better time to start than right now. Let’s take a look at what’s involved to get started making your own wine.

First of all, you really don’t need a lot of space to get begin. All the wine I’ve made, a couple thousand bottles, has been produced in my 10 X 15 foot kitchen. And all the equipment you’ll need can be hidden away in a hall closet when it’s not in use. So for most folks space is not an issue.

Time is a factor for most people these days. Homemade wine making need not be labor intensive. When using wine making kits, the absolute easiest way to get started, the total time you’ll spend from starting a batch to carefully putting the last drop into the bottle will be approximately 4-5 hours, spread over a one month period.

Money is another factor for most folks these days. A basic wine making equipment kit will cost approximately $ 100 to $ 140 depending upon where you’re shopping. This equipment can be used over and over again, so the initial investment will eventually pay for itself.

Ingredient kits can cost $ 60 to $ 150, putting your cost per bottle in the $ 2 to $ 5 range. This is a bargain for the high quality, delicious wines that are being produced by homemade winemakers.

Wine making is a fun and fascinating hobby. You can begin with the basics and stay there, producing high-quality wines that you and your friends and family will enjoy. If you have a creative side and love to explore new things, you can take your wine making hobby as far as your creative desires will lead you.

Wine making is fun, economical, and easier to do than you think. Begin your wine making journey today!

Take Resveratrol Supplements Or Simply Keep Sipping Red Wine Instead?

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The hype about resveratrol supplements are not just due to effective marketing campaign: resveratrol is indeed scientifically proven as the topmost health- and longevity- promoting phytoalexin in the food supplement/antioxidant pharmacology. They are found in red wines (white wines have a small quantity), peanuts, soy, Itadori tea, and Japanese knotweed.

The next question now is whether to take resveratrol in natural form or in capsule supplement form.

Resveratrol do not occur in high concentrations in natural form. You can drink all the red wines you want without damaging your liver or eat soy products to the brim without increasing the resveratrol concentration in your blood. The best way to take just the correct amount of the acclaimed phytoalexin is to take it in capsule form.

The right resveratrol supplements can raise the phytoalexin level in your blood equivalent to drinking 1,000 bottles of fine red wine a day. And, to think that this natural plant antibiotic is found in highest concentration in red wines, you can just imagine how many kilograms of peanuts or soy products you have to eat just to get the right amount of resveratrol.

Don’t be alarmed if the supplement you find in pharmacies and specialty stores are taken from Japanese knotweed also. Japanese knotweed is a perfectly good and economical source of resveratrol in pharmacology business today. In fact, the best supplements sold in the market are from these long-living and seemingly useless weed: looks like weeds have good use after all.

In the same token, you should not totally dismiss eating and drinking natural sources of resveratrol. After all, how else could you explain the famous “French Paradox” if the French are not known to consume the largest quantity of red wines per year? If you’re not French but you still want to take advantage of the many resveratrol benefits, then where to get your dose is clear to you now.

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