Health Benefits Of Red Wine

It is now common knowledge that drinking a little bit of wine can improve the health of an individual, but before you go drinking a bunch of wine, it's vital to understand just exactly what those benefits are so you can actually experience those benefits. If you take for example the differences between red and white wine, the whites are not going to give the same sorts of health benefits that you will get out of red wine, which is the one that is truly beneficial. I'm not saying here that whites are completely bad for you by any stretch, but when individuals talk about benefiting from drinking wine, they're talking about the benefits that they gain from the reds.

The Benefits
There are an abundant amount of benefits to consuming red wine in moderation, including the fact that studies have shown that it can actually help to prevent heart disease. These studies have gone on to show that if a woman drinks one glass of wine a day, and for men, two glasses per day, they can actually lower their chance of having a heart attack by as much as 30 to 50% when they are in the midst of their life. That is truly quite an amazing figure for the individuals that are in that age group.

Some additional benefits to drinking red wine in moderation include its uncanny ability to lower an individuals LDL-cholesterol, which is the bad variety of cholesterol that has a tendency to build up in older folks, and that is absolutely proven to be true. So this particular benefit of drinking red wine is going to work in your favor by reducing the risk of having any type of blood clot development in your veins as a result of fatty deposits that may have built up.

It really can't be emphasized enough that an individual is only going to gain these benefits when they consume the red wine in moderation. It's important that you always exercise caution with such things because they can be habit-forming and lead you to overindulgence which is never a good thing. Just because a little bit of something is good for you doesn't mean that drinking a bunch of it is going to increase those benefits. For example, if you drink too much the red wine you'll have a higher chance of developing other types of health issues such as high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, and a higher build up of cholesterol.

Benefits of Consuming Red Wine
Red wine happens to be a very good supplier of antioxidants which are an essential component of a person's diet who wishes to maintain a healthy and clean system. All of these antioxidants will work within your bloodstream to prevent plaque formation, or blood clots which have a tendency to build up on the walls of your circulatory system. These antioxidants help to decrease your chance of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. Another healthy substance that red wine contains which is known to raise the levels of your HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) is resveratrol.

All of the research and studies that have been done on the benefits of drinking wine have shown that it can be quite healthy when consumed in moderation, but it also needs to be noted that in order to experience the most benefits, an individual needs to embark on healthy lifestyle as well. Drinking red wine isn't going to be a cure-all for all of your ailments by any stretch of the imagination, and the best benefits from drinking red wine are always going to be achieved from an individual who combines it with an active and healthy style of living.
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What is Rose Champagne?

Rose Champagne is essentially any pink or blush champagne. Although I have said “pink” champagne, it can actually vary in colour much like a typical rose wine, from orange, to pinks, purples and even reddish in colour.

As with all white champagnes, rose champagne gets its name from being produced in the French region of Champagne. This is where the most famous and elegant of sparkling wines are produced.

The same methods are used elsewhere in the world but they aren’t able to adopt the champagne name as they are not produced in the region. These wines are simply named sparkling wines. It can also have a different name depending on what country it is produced in. In Italy, they have a sparkling wine called Prosecco, in Spain, they produce Cava.


How is it made?

Rose champagne or sparkling rose wine is made just like any other champagne. First of all, a still rose wine is produced by either blending white and red wine together to get a pinkish colour or a method called ‘Saignée’ which is when the wine is allowed to stay in contact with the grape skins longer than would normally be used to produce a white wine but a lot less than a full red.

This still wine is aged as usual in a wooden cask or in steel depending on the winemaker. The wine is then bottled with a mixture of yeast and sugar and left to age again. During this aging process, the yeast reacts with the sugar, converting it to alcohol. As the yeast does this, it produces carbon dioxide as a by-product. As there is nowhere for the gas to go, it is dissolved by the wine, creating bubbles.

The yeast is then removed. If left in, it would leave the champagne or sparkling wine cloudy.

First, the technique remuage (riddling in English) is used to move the yeast to the neck of the bottle by slowly rotating and tipping the bottle. This was once done by hand but is now mechanically done.

The second technique called dégorgement is then used to actually remove the yeast from the bottle. The neck of the bottle is cooled until the yeast is frozen. The lid of the bottle is then opened, the frozen yeast is slipped out and the bottled is then quickly resealed with a cork held in place by a small amount of wire.

Rosé wine on the up!

Probably one the most significant trends within the wonderful world of wine in the last couple of years has to be the increase in recognition, popularity and demand for rosé wines.

There are several reasons for this. Rosé wines can vary in colour, from pale to vibrant, ranging from orange through pink or sometimes even purple. These colour variations can be very eye catching and striking. This could be one of the reasons why rosé wines are more popular today.

Rosé wines can also be very refreshing due to their fruity taste and are usually served chilled. This makes them easy to drink and a great introductory wine for people new to drinking wine or has only been drinking wine for a short period of time. This used to mean that they were described as a more summer wine but now people are drinking them all year round and used for many different occasions. The rosé wine is winning over fans from both the red and white wine sections.

Another factor in the rising popularity of these rosé wines is that they can be quite flexible when pairing up with food. Rosé wines have great versatility and can match up with variety of foods and compliment many different meals. This makes it a great wine to serve at the dinner table if each diner has a different dish or if several courses are being served. The reduced tannin levels compared to their red wine counterparts make rosé wines an ideal match for dressed salads, seafood dishes, grilled meats and can even be a great wine used at barbeques.

Many of the well known wine makers have recognised this increasing popularity in rosé wines and are looking to find a place for themselves in an increasingly lucrative marketplace. This can only be a good thing as it means that the quality of rosé wines will keep improving when some of the best wine makers in the world are using their unique and well established wine making techniques to produce these wines. Gone are the days when a simple mixture of red and white wine was used to make rosés or blush wines.

Rosé wines are readily available today. You can find good value wines in your local supermarket or alcohol retailer from wine makers such as Gallo Family Vineyards or Blossom Hill. If you are looking for something a bit more special, there are several rosé wine specialists shops out there or online. If you are really looking to splash out, you could spend around £60 on a bottle of Chateau D’Esclans, Garrus from renowned winemaker Sacha Lachine which is regarded as one of the most expensive and best rosé wines on the planet. This wine is available at Rose-wine.com or on Wine-searcher.com.

The history of Mouton Cadet

Since 1930, Mouton Cadet has been renowned for its setting a marker for wines with its dedication to produce the highest quality wine. This comes from the excellent fruit grown in the area and also the passion led by Baron Philippe de Rothschild (1902-1988) and then continued by his daughter Baroness Philippine de Rothschild. Over the years Mouton Cadet has consistently combined quality, prestige and know-how in an expressive, seductive wine. Today, Mouton Cadet has become the leading producer of wines from the Bordeaux region.

Determined to maintain the quality and prestige of Chateau Mouton Rothschild at the highest level, Baron Phillippe de Rothschild decided that the wines produced in 1930 should not bear the Chateau label. In 1932, he decided to sell it under the name Mouton Cadet (Baron Phillipe was a younger son – cadet in French).

Mouton Cadet was originally started in Pauillac. In 1931, due to its growing reputation, the harvest from the estate soon became inadequate to meet the demand. Grapes had to be bought in from vineyards in the neighbouring areas. Soon even this wasn’t enough and sources of supply were extended to other Bordeaux appellations in a constant quest for the best grapes and Mouton Cadet became a Bordeaux AOC.

In the 1950’s, Baron Phillipe toured the United States to promote his wine. The tour was an instant hit. In 1960’s, Mouton Cadet’s reputation continued to grow, spreading through Canada and then Britain. Mouton Cadet gained recognition as a sophisticated brand and popular wine worldwide Encouraged by this reception, Baron Philippe de Rothschild created Mouton Cadet White in the 1970’s. Fruity and rounder than the usual Bordeaux whites around at the time, it became instantly popular.

After the death of Baron Philippe, his daughter took over the running of the estate. Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, found new ways to promote the Mouton Cadet brand worldwide. Mouton Cadet began to appear in sport, fashion and even cinema. In sport, Mouton Cadet sponsored the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, golf’s Lancôme Trophy and the Roland Garros and Monte Carlo tennis tournaments. In fashion, it was a sponsor of the New York Young Designer Award and in 1992 became the official partner of the Cannes International Film Festival.

In recent times, Mouton Cadet has moved towards a rounder, fruitier style, even adding a rose wine to the range. Its look has also changed too. An icon has been created, a combination of a bunch of grapes and a ram, evoking nature’s generosity (the quality of the grapes that goes into every bottle) and work of human hands. The wine is delivered in more simple and refined packaging. Selling over 12 million bottles a year in over 150 countries, Mouton Cadet is the world’s most widely available wine brand. Today, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild continues to pursue her father’s ambition and philosophy of making Mouton Cadet a fine Bordeaux wine accessible to all.

Mouton Cadet wines are available at Rose-wine.com or on Wine-searcher.com.

Pairing wine and cheese

Pairing wine and cheese can be quite daunting. There are so many combinations out there; it boggles the mind but not to worry. There are not set rules when it comes pairing wine and cheese, it’s really all about experimenting and finding what works for your taste buds.
Here are a few combinations that could start you off:

Salty with Sweet
Salty flavoured cheeses such blue cheese goes well with the sweet tendencies of dessert wines and vice versa. Stilton compliments Port especially well.

Rich and Creamy with Sparkling
The pairing of rich and creamy textured cheeses with champagne or sparkling wines is definitely a combination that should be tried. Would go down well at a reasonably decedent party. A cheese such as Brie or Gruyere would be a good start.

Local Pairings
Another easy place to start when pairing cheese with wine is to try pair up a wine and cheese produced in the same region or state. It won’t always work but is a good starting place and worth a try.

A break from the norm!

Just because the wine is a pretty pink colour, it doesn’t mean to say that rose wines aren’t serious wines.

The standard of rose wines being produced is very high. Not so long ago, rose wines were perceived as a “ladies fun wine” or “summer wine” but how times have changed.

This is down to consumers being more adventurous and some of the biggest and best winemakers in the world have taken an interest, using the techniques & knowledge gained from years of making red and white wines and using them to make quality rose wines.

These wines being produced are also very versatile when it comes to the dinner table, being able to pair well with a wider variety of food. This dedication, versatility and value for money are helping to transform the reputation of the rose wine.

There are plenty of fantastic rose wines being produced and you will find a great selection on the shelves of your favourite wine shop or supermarket. So be brave and swap your normal red or white for a bottle of rose.

Chateau Leoube Rosé

Domaine de Léoube is situated in a beautiful coastal location within the Cotes de Provence appellation in France, near the St. Tropez. Here, they grow the fruit used to make their wines and olive oils. The 560 hectares site has 65 hectares dedicated just for its vineyards and another 20 for an olive grove.

The conditions at Domaine de Léoube, with the proximity of the sea, the sea breeze and cool nights make it an ideal climate for growing grapes.  These grapes are used to make all Chateau Léoube wines including “Chateau Léoube – Cotes de Provence rose”.

Only once vines are aged 22 years, are they used to make this rosé wine. A mixture of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvédre grapes are harvested manually to make sure that only the highest quality grapes make it to the wine. These grapes are then transported to the winery where they are pressed directly, making sure the grapes are as fresh as possible. The juice extraction is slow and delicate to take care that the grapes aren’t bruised or discoloured and is then put in stainless steel tanks rather than wooden casts to ferment. This helps to make the resulting wine fresher and gives it its pale amber glow.

All the care taken during the production results in a refreshing bright rosé wine that is clear and delicate in colour. The initial taste is dry then mellows to dry to medium, with a blend of fruit and light spice flavours coming through. A great wine for every occasion, as an aperitif or accompanying lighter foods such as salads or grilled fish.

This wine is available at Rose-wine.com or on Wine-searcher.com.