Wine Sex, Beauty in the Bottle

There's been lots of news on resveratrol in red wine that influences our health. Hooray for the grape! Of course to reproduce the results in animals we'd need to drink an amount of wine that would kill us. The reported health potential includes delaying or preventing "Oldtimers," lowering our risks for heart disease and cancer, and it's said to even make women's memory better.

Incredible BUT and..... are the health benefits only due to the molecules in wine? Could it possibly be the social situations in which we share wine that contribute to our well-being?

My idea about wine's contribution to health is that the community aspect is a major component. To explain the difference between French and American health we might just consider the social situations around meals, drink, and relaxation.

To add to my learning, when do you drink wine, is it usually alone or with other people?

Happy new year and may this be a vintage year for all of us.

I know this is supposed to be a wine blog so that also means a blog for the senses.

And speaking of senses, I enjoyed the most sensual ice cream on New Year's Eve - Lavender ice cream from Mashti Malone. Even cold it offered the scent of lavendar before the creamy dessert touched my lips. One teaspoon satisfied me, it was so full-bodied.

They make very unique ice creams and sorbets - from roses, saffron, pomegranates - sold at Whole Foods and other gourmet and healthy food shops.

Now to see which wine complements this, though the ice cream itself was intoxicating. A delicious treat to eat.