Vitality shows not only in the ability to persist, but the ability to start over.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
It’s the early 2000’s and I am in the Burgundy region of France on my first vacation abroad that involved a wine region. The morning after a full day of wine fuelled tours/tastings, I hesitantly opened my eyes and was expecting a throbbing head, queasy stomach, and general hangover malaise. I didn’t feel any of this and so I waited for it to hit with vengeance that day and the following ones…except it never did! And this was my first inkling that wine and the way it is made can make a real difference in our well-being.
Fast-forward to 2016 to my time studying in Italy at the Slow Food University where I was living in one of the world’s most special wine regions, Piedmont. It famously produces Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, and Moscato d’Asti from grapes such as Barbera, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Moscato, and Arneis. This is also when I was exposed to natural wine and it was love at first sip. Natural wine producers minimally intervene in how they make their wine (no pesticides/herbicides, hand picked grapes, minimal sulfites, no added sugars/cultivated yeasts) and celebrate the Old World techniques. Living there made me recognize that wine is an agricultural product and I learnt that due to its popularity, grapes are one of the most widely cultivated fruit in the world.
Nowadays, I am mindful of what I put into my body because of my health journey and alcohol is no exception. Are wine and wellness compatible? For purists, they are not! Strictly speaking, there’s truth to that (water is the only beverage we technically need), however, wellness for me is about balance.
So, how do you choose a wine when you are health conscious? There are so many wine options that it can be overwhelming and at times even intimidating. Health as an additional consideration can make it downright perplexing because there are no required ingredient lists or additive regulation! Personally, I have had a full circle moment with natural wine and it works best for my health. I am a fan of its unpredictable nature and the unique flavors in each bottle. After all, control is an illusion, so why not let our palate have a taste of freedom?
I encourage others to start at their local wine shop (or web browser) and ask these questions about a specific wine bottle:
- What’s the sugar content?
- What’s the alcohol content?
- How was this wine made?
- What additives are in it?
- What about it is natural?
Using these as primers will help navigate you toward wines that not only match your palate but also make you feel good about consuming them. Share your experiences below and cheers to your health!
(This week’s blog on ‘wine and wellness’ is beautifully penned down by an amazing friend of mine. Shilpa is a passionate gastronome, a wayfarer, a wine enthusiast and a curator of experiences. Our love for wine brought us together. Follow her journey on her Blog Page )
THE WINE WOMBAT 
Beautifully written with all details.
Makes me feel that I should head to a winery soon!
Thank you.
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A winery visit sounds wonderful 🙂 Love your reaction to my post…thank you!
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Absolutely wonderful article! It’s very important to take the negative stereotypes of alcohol and focus on the positive aspects of having measured quantities of wine. Good work, keep educating. Cheers!
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Focus on the positive…always! 🙂
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