Guy says to his doctor...

"Doc, if I give up wine, women and song, will I live longer?" The doctor replies, "No, but it'll seem that way". In a world of ever-changing opinions on diet, health and consumption from a wide range of "experts", what are we now to believe? I recently read that bacon and whole milk are now considered good for you. As well as pure lard, whole eggs, buffalo meat and nuts, but alas, not carbonated water, caffeine or zero-calorie artifical sweeteners. Well, it is good to know that instead of a belly-busting Sunday morning breakfast of yogurt, wheat germ and fish oil capsules, I can now enjoy good old-fashioned bacon and eggs again. But what about wine?

A glass a day keeps the doctor away

There's been alot of talk about the benefits of wine since the lankmark 60 minutes episode in 1991 on the "French Paradox" - the theory of how the French can drink wine and eat high fat foods copiously on a daily basis and have a lower rate of heart disease that we do in America. It has continued to spawn a great deal of research and opinions from the brethren of health experts across the globe. Most recently, the focus has been on resveratrol, which is a component of the many powerful antioxidants in wine. This magic elixir is said to have all sorts of benefits for us, from fewer wrinkles on our faces, to lowering LDL cholesterol and living longer. At least until another study suggested that the amount of resveratrol in wine it would take to truly have these benefits would be far outweighed by the damage of over-consumption. Still, wine in moderation is considered by most to be a tremendous health benefit. One benefit is that alcohol has a positive effect on blood platelets and, in theory, helps protect against plaque buildup in the arteries by keeping the platelets more viscous, an effect that lasts for about twenty-four hours. So the theory is, drink in moderation but daily.

So what is moderation

I remember visiting my father years ago, about a month after he had coronary bypass surgery. I had given him some big Riedel wine glasses awhile before that which can actually hold a whole bottle of wine each. I walked into his apartment one day and he had one filled to the brim. I said, "Dad, you just had surgery. What are you doing!!?" He replied wryly, "Well, the doctor told me I could only have one glass of wine a day..."

Moderation standards set by the American Medical Association recommend that (depending on one's size and weight) for females, one-two glasses a day is considered moderate and, for males, two-three glasses (a glass being four ounces). I remember when a glass was considered six ounces and then five ounces, so it seems they're still working this out - but maybe not. It's kind of like the old joke about the pizza guy saying, "Would you like that cut in eight slices or twelve?" and the guy says, "Eight, I'm not very hungry". So if they keep going like this, a healthy standard might end up being a two ounce pour, but at least then we'll be able to have four-six glasses a day without feeling guilty.

Wine is food

While just about everyone is trying to eat more wholesome foods these days, I believe wine should be considered in the same way. I want my wines to be wholesome and food-like in and of themselves. The combination of food and wine has a life-enriching quality for me and makes meals with family and friends so much more special. This is why so many people are moving towards wines made with more natural processes. For me, the less a wine is processed, the more wholesome it will be, as well as interesting and unique. I also love to have different wines all the time. I could never make wine a "Coke or Pepsi" choice because that would then take away its magic and singular experiences.

So whether you're already a wine lover or new to wine based on doctors' recommendation for better health, there is certainly abundant proof that through moderation, wine can be a healthy part of our diets. I still haven't caught wind of a study advocating the affirmative health benefits of burgers, fries and onion rings - though I do remain hopeful - but with wine, there can be little doubt. Just remember to pour them low and drink them slow.