Monday, August 25, 2003

Red wine, greenlight.

Great news about red wine: one of the natural substances found in red wine, reseveratrol, may activate a survival reflex in humans, and act as a fountain of youth. It apparently mimics the life-extending effect that reduced-calorie-intake diets have. (Added bonus: it makes your cells more resistant to radiation blasts, in the event of nuclear attack.) It's found in the skins of grapes for both red and white wine, but is more concentrated in red wines because of the extended contact that reds have in the manufacturing process. Different wines have different levels of reseveratrol: pinot noir has a higher level than cabernet sauvignon, and wines made in regions that are cooler or have more stress on the vines (they cite New York or Burgundy) have higher concentrations than wines made in hot, dry climates (like California or Australia).

Great! A reason to drink pinot noirs! And to celebrate, tonight I'm having a 2001 Twin Islands Pinot Noir, from the Marlborough region of New Zealand.

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