All American Grilling Wines

As a proud flag waver for America’s own grape, Zinfandel, Zin epitomizes California. Known as the quintessential California grape variety.  Much of the appeal of this American treasure comes from the grapes complexity. At the same time, Zinfandel tends to be very approachable and a shoe in for casual summer gatherings. 

Style And Stylish - 

This uniquely American fine-wine grape has a history of moving in and out of fashion. Classic red Zinfandel has fruit aromas of dark cherries, plums, raspberries and blackberries and can range dramatically in style. These stylistic variations influence how the wine will likely pair with food. The styles you may encounter include:

• Medium-Full Body; expressive fruit with some barrel age; often spicy
• Full Body; ripe, higher alcohol, often more tannic and oaky
• Late Harvest; dessert style, sweet, port-like, high alcohol

All About The Food - 

Unlike many other reds, Zinfandel is very compatible with food and especially loves the grill. Food pairings that work well include: 

• Heartier dishes that have been grilled, braised or smoked. 
• Many salty dishes as Zin is better then most reds due to its forward, sweet berry fruit.
• Fruit based sauces particularly those with berry fruits.
• Sharp cheeses like Manchego and washed rind cheeses like Taleggio.  

A Few Zin’s To Try - 

I recently participated in a 2009 Sonoma County Zinfandel tasting (yes, it was fun) and here are my top picks:

• Seghesio Family Vineyards Home Ranch
• JC Cellars St. Peters Church 
• Carlisle “Carlisle Vineyard” 
• Ridge Vineyard Pagani Ranch 
• Ravenswood Sonoma County

Red, White and Green Wine?

Can there be Green wine? The Green wine category showcases the wines and wineries that use sustainable, organic and/or biodynamic practices - both in the vineyard and/or winemaking process. As we look back on Earth Day 2012, I hope you'll be interested in discovering a few eco-friendly wine styles to toast the planet!  

Biodynamic

This particularly intense school of agriculture has both organic and spiritual aspects. Biodynamic agriculture views the farm as a single organism, with the plants, animals, crops, soil, air and celestial influences, such as the moon and stars, all interconnected. By balancing these elements, the farmer, in theory, makes his property self-sustaining, thus eliminating the need for artificial nutrients or pesticides.

Natural 

A small, strict, mostly French movement, "natural" winemaking uses organic grapes that are farmed and picked by hand, and are fermented with native (not manufactured) yeasts. No sulfites or other additives go into natural wine.

Organic

The use of the term organic is defined by the USDA: For a wine to be labeled organic, the vineyards from which the grapes are picked must be farmed without synthetic fertilizers, conventional pesticides or genetically engineered plant material. In addition, sulfites cannot be added to the wine as a preservative. 

Unfortunately, wines made without sulfites can re-ferment or oxidize in the bottle. That’s why many winemakers who use organic grapes also add sulfites. If their wines contain less than 100 parts per million, they are still permitted to label their wines "made with organic grapes."

Sustainable

Although there are no government standards for sustainable agriculture, practitioners generally promote both ecological and social responsibility by avoiding pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, and by enriching soil with cover crops and composts.

What does it all mean?? Wine drinkers who really care about how a wine is made need to get to know its producer. After all, it’s the integrity of the winemaker that matters more than any certification process. And when you find a winemaker with both talent and integrity, you’ll probably find the best wines, natural or otherwise. 

What’s in Your Easter Basket

Easter is almost here and families everywhere will be gathering around the dinner table to feast with friends and loved ones. This may not sound like the best time to think about serious food and wine pairings, but if your family is anything like mine the end of Lent is one of the happiest of days. Chocolate, red meat, coffee or even (gasp!) wine, whatever you may have given up for the last 40 days, it’s time to reintroduce yourself. The Easter meal should be a happy occasion, and what better way to enjoy good company than with a little vino at the table? If your family celebrates Passover, wow the crowd with a tasty kosher wine.

The Easter Ham

Ham is often prepared with glazes or toppings that are sweet and can balance the inherent saltiness of the actual meat. Well-paired wines can accomplish the same objective. If I had to choose but one wine to accompany an Easter ham, I know what I’d choose in a heartbeat. Unfussy rosés are bursting with red fruit flavors and pair with a variety of holiday foods especially Easter ham. Rosé’s flavor profile has enough sweet fruit to balance the salt in the ham and enough acidity to support the combination without compromising the flavor in either the ham or the wine.

Rosé 101

Rosé wines are made from red wine grapes fermented just a short time with their skins. Colors range from light salmon to bright pink to medium-deep rose. The length of time the juice is in contact with the crushed skins determines not only the final color of the wine, but to a certain extent the amount of tannin extracted from the skins and seeds as well.

A Rosé By Any Other Name

Rosé spans the style spectrum. Because rosé refers to the color of the wine, as opposed to a specific grape variety, the wine can be made from a variety of red grapes and their blends, including Mourvédre, Sangiovese, Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. With the variety of grapes used to make rosé, the character of the wine ranges from light and fruity to medium bodied with hints of tannin. Try rosé wines from California or Italy, but especially from Spain or from Provence, France.

I’m happy to bring in spring with a glass of rosé, and as rosé becoming more popular people will discover the joys of drinking pink.

A Natural Pair

Wine and cheese are friends from way back. Both are the product of fermentation and both can express terroir, or the taste of the place they come from. In the case of cheese, the taste of terroir emerges from the different milk-giving animals; which can range from cows, goats, sheep and even water buffalos – my favorite cheese of all times.

Wine & Cheese Pairing Tips:
The first rule of thumb is that white wines usually pair better with cheese than red wines do – sorry red wine lovers. White wine’s acidity cuts through cheese’s butterfat beautifully. The creamy and nutty flavors in cheese can also bring a white wine to life by contrast. Along those lines, some consider Sauvignon Blanc the overall cheese-friendliest wine. Among red wines, the easiest to pair with cheese are the light and fruity varieties. Terroir-inspired combinations, wine and cheese coming from the same region, are almost always winners.

Pairings that Please:
• White or bloomy rind cheeses such as Camembert and Brie are the trickiest to match; safe bets include soft, fruity reds such as Merlot, Pinot Noir or Beaujolais-Villages.
• Hard cheeses such as Cheddar, Parmesan and Manchego go with the widest range of wines; safe bets are medium to full bodied reds without too much tannin such as a softer style Bordeaux or good quality Cotes du Rhone-Villages. A buttery, medium bodied Chardonnay is a surprising star as well.
• Blue cheeses can be troublesome partners for any wine apart from the classic partnerships of Roquefort and Sauternes or port and Stilton. The salty with sweet principle prevails here.
• Strong, pungent cheese offers no safe bets. Sweet or fortified wines are likely to pair well or try an aromatic white such as the classic combination of Munster and Gewurztraminer.
• For Goat milk cheeses, Sauvignon Blanc is a good match especially with young soft cheeses; the more acid in the cheese the more acid the wine should have.
• Sheep milk cheese can handle a robust red made from Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache or Tempranillo grapes. Or try countering the cheese’s saltiness with a little sweetness in the wine.

Strategies for Harmony:
When planning a cheese platter, try adding walnut bread and a selection of dried fruits to create a more wine-friendly match. When serving a selection of cheeses, try to choose three or four which all pair well with a particular style of wine. Highly-oaked and super-tannic wines can be difficult to pair with cheese so be careful!

Pairing up cheese with wine can work like a charm. Just say cheese please and discover a delicious new dimension to your wine-drinking pleasure.

Warm Up

When winter weather swirls in, nothing could be cozier than a toasty mug of mulled wine. Mulled wine, the vine’s version of a classic hot toddy, is a traditional treat in many Old World countries and has been warming people for centuries. These are wines that have been sweetened, spiced and slightly heated - offering a delightful alternative to traditional coffees, ciders and toddy’s on a cold winter's night. Mulled wine is one of my favorite winter drinks because it is hot, sweet and possesses a very special power – it makes you beautifully warm inside.

Pick Your Potion
While red wine and apple cider are the most traditional of the spiced winter warmers, you can also use white wine, hard cider or ale. The primary spice combinations for mulled wine almost always include cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Nutmeg, star anise, allspice berries, cardamom pods, slices of fresh ginger, orange slices and lemon zest are also good additions. The trick to infusing the wine without making it cloudy and gritty is to use whole spices rather than ground versions.

Mix it Up
The mixture should be brought to a very gentle simmer over low heat and should not be boiled – that would cause the spices to turn bitter and make the alcohol evaporate. And, gee, that is the last thing in the world we want, right? To really allow the flavors of the spices to infuse into the wine, allow the mixture to simmer on the stovetop for at least half an hour.

Mulled Wine Recipe
1 bottle of dry red wine (Merlot can stand up to heat and the zing of spices)
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cinnamon sticks (plus additional sticks for garnish)
3 whole cloves
1 star anise
1 Tablespoon honey

Pour wine into top of a double boiler and warm over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients and stir until honey dissolves. Reduce hear, cover, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally. Ladle into mugs and serve, garnished with an orange slice or cinnamon stick.

Come in from the cold to the warm aroma of mulled wine. It’s simple, fragrant and beyond delicious. If you’ve never tried it before, you definitely need to. It’ll make you happy on a cold night!

A New Year's Toast

If your New Year's resolutions include: eating better, exercising more and getting healthy. The next time you raise a glass of wine to toast a friend's health, you may be doing more than expressing goodwill. For some of the same reasons "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" a glass of wine a day may set you on your way to wellness.

I'll Drink to That
Now is a great time to enjoy the pleasures of wine, especially since science is discovering the potentially powerful health benefits of drinking the fruit of the vine. A great number of studies have been done to determine the therapeutic and disease-fighting powers of wine, both red and white. When it comes to protecting the heart, red—not white—wine has always been the hero. We've all heard that red wine is good for us, but how good it is depends on who you are and how much and how often you drink it.

A Votre Sante (To Your Health)
When it comes to health, all alcoholic beverages are not created equal. While all may have the power to relax us, only red wine contains a lot of polyphenols, heart-friendly antioxidants that help inhibit plaque buildup in the arteries. Studies suggest that the polyphenols, or tannins, which derived from grape skins and seeds giving red wine its color also act as protectors against cell damage caused by nasty molecules called free radicals, produced by sun, pollution and cigarette smoke; all believed to be culprits in the aging process. Wine, however, is not the only source of polyphenols: they are also abundant in a wide variety of foods, including tea, chocolate and many fruits and vegetables.

The Art of Living Well
Wine has played an integral role in everyday life, religious ceremonies, celebratory events and the enjoyment of meals by societies throughout history and continues to do so. While some of the recent studies concerning wine and health are more conclusive than others, many of them offers a good reason to make wine part of your daily life.

Gifts with Taste

Would you like to make some spirits bright this holiday season? If you are still looking for a gift idea for the wine-lover or budding wine-lover in your life, here are a few ideas sure to satisfy. Wine is always in style and always a perfect gift for friends, family or colleagues. That does not mean it's always easy to pick out the right wine gift. You want the wine to match the occasion, the season, and the recipient's personality. Whatever your fancy, there is something to fit the wine-lover on your gift list.

Say it with Bubbles
This season, give the gift of bubbles. I'll use any excuse to pop a bottle of bubbly as there's nothing quite like the magical sound of a Champagne pop during the holidays. Bubbles in the glass represent celebration, fun and holiday cheer. Whether you're heading to a party, want to say thanks for being a great boss, or congratulations on anything and everything, you cannot go wrong with bottles that sparkle. With that said, it's hard to get good Champagne for less than $40 a bottle, so if you want European sparkling wine on a budget, look to France's neighbors, Spain and Italy. Spanish Cava and Italian Prosecco are delicious and affordable alternatives to French Champagne.


Wine Clubs

If you don't want to say it once, but instead what to be remembered all year long, a wine club membership is the way to go. Wine clubs are a wonderful way to introduce wine lovers to new and different wines or help aspiring collectors to build their wine cellar. Whether they are starting from scratch or have been tasting for years, clubs are the perfect way to explore an array of new and different wines delivered right to your doorstep from vineyards all around the globe.

Just Desserts

If you're looking for the perfect wine present, consider a sweet treat. To enjoy one of the world's greatest sweet wines is a decadent pleasure. One we don't often allow for ourselves, which makes sweet wine the perfect gift. Great dessert wines are truly remarkable – they offer a unique balance of sugar and acid and combine the nuances of fine wines with a decadent treat for your sweet tooth. Today, a new generation of high-quality dessert wines are being made with the same complexity of table wines. From Port to Bordeaux's Sauternes and Australia's sticky Muscats, dessert wines deliver rich flavor and pure pleasure!
Gifts for the Cellar
Feeling generous this holiday season? Gifts for the cellar are wines worth splurging on. It is often said that 99 percent of the world's wines are made to be enjoyed within a year or so of their release. Wines worth aging make up the other one percent. This handful of the world's wines will develop and gain in complexity and texture over a period of years and even decades. Some wines are classic collectibles – Bordeaux, cult Cabernets from California and top Burgundies. These wines are ideal for anyone who appreciates quality, patience and age in their wine.

The shopping days are dwindling so whether you're looking for an affordable stocking stuffer or a bank-breaking indulgence for your sweetheart, spread a little holiday cheer with any of these tasteful recommendations and give the wine-lover on your list a reason to celebrate.

Cheers!

Wine Types Demystified

I’ve come up with a list of terms my students often want to know about regarding the world of wine. Many of these are simply terms that you might hear in any polite conversation about wine. I have avoided almost all wine-tasting terms, which are a whole column in their own right.

Ready? Here they are, in alphabetical order.

Bordeaux. French region best known for classy reds made primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Burgundy. French region best known for reds made from Pinot Noir and whites
made from Chardonnay.
Cabernet Sauvignon. Red-wine grape responsible for famous Bordeaux wines and many California “cult wines.”
Cava. Spanish sparkling wine.
Chablis. French region (part of Burgundy) making special, seafood-friendly wines from Chardonnay.
Champagne. French region making outstanding sparkling wine from Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes.
Chardonnay. Great white grape of Burgundy. No. 1 “varietal” wine in America.
Chenin Blanc. Fine grape for dry and sweet wines. Sometimes used in U.S. to mean “cheap white,” but sometimes a fine varietal.
Gewurztraminer. Peppery white wine that’s a specialty of the Alsace region of France.
Merlot. Bordeaux blending grape. First bottled as a U.S. varietal in 1972 by Louis Martini. Top red varietal in the U.S.
Muscat. Honey-like grape grown all over the world to make slightly sweet to very sweet wines.
Nebbiolo. Great grape of Barolo and Barbaresco in the Piedmont region of Italy.
Pinotage. Spicy, unusual red wine of South Africa.
Pinot Grigio. Italian wine — same grape as Pinot Gris — that recently became the most popular imported wine in the U.S.
Pinot Noir. Great red grape of Burgundy. Specialty of Oregon.
Riesling. Great white-wine grape at its best in Germany.
Rioja. Spanish district best known for woody red wine.
Sangiovese. Great grape of Chianti.
Sauvignon Blanc. White grape that makes grassy dry wines all over the world. Also used in dessert wines. Same as Fume Blanc.
Shiraz. Australia’s signature red-wine grape. Same as Syrah.
Varietal. Wine named for a grape type, like Chardonnay. In U.S., a wine must be at least 75% of a grape type to be called that.
Zinfandel. U.S. red grape (originally from Croatia). White Zinfandel, with juice allowed a little skin contact for color.

Remember, you don’t need to memorize this list to enjoy a delicious glass of your favorite wine. Cheers!

Celebrate California Wine Month

Break out the Pinot - September is California Wine Month, and that makes it a perfect time to enjoy a glass of California wine.  California Wine Month celebrates the state’s ideal climate for wine, and its importance to the California economy. Did you know that California is the fourth largest wine producer in the world and makes 90 percent of American wine? In celebration, learning about wine can be one of the easiest and most fun things you do all month.

Here’s my Top Ten list of ways to make wine more accessible all month long:

1. Open A California Sparkler For No Reason - There are so many reasonably priced bubblies that they can be a better bargain than many still wines. Put a bottle in the fridge and open it for dinner.

2. Drink More White Wine With Cheese - I've discovered that white wine generally tastes better with most cheeses than red. The acidity in white wines is what does the trick.

3. Take A Flight - Try a wine bar you have never visited and order a flight of wine.

4. Take Notes - You'll find that the wine will change with time, air and warmth. When you go back over your notes, you might be amazed at the changes.

5. Stop Holding Back Bottles - I'm as guilty as anyone of saving wines instead of enjoying them. Without waiting for a special occasion, invite friends over and open some of those gems you've got stashed away.

6. Visit A Local Winery - You’ll be amazed at the diversity of wines and styles in your own neck of the woods.

7. Try Different Wines - There are more than 5,000 grape varieties in the world, but many of us drink the same one, or ones, week after week (the equivalent of eating chicken every night).

8. Try A Wine You Think You Don’t Like - Are you sure you don’t like Riesling? Things change, including your taste.

9. Order the Least Expensive Wine On The List - This takes courage, but I've found that many restaurant wine buyers work hard at finding great deals. Why not take advantage.

10. Enroll In A Wine Appreciation Class - Taking a wine class can be a fun and un-intimidating way to learn more about wine. Whether you take a class on the basics or one with a narrower focus, you'll learn something new and have fun in the process.

Hope to see you soon.

Got A Wine Question?

In addition to writing about wine, I teach wine appreciation classes and one of my favorite things about teaching is answering students’ questions. During my wine classes, we take a non-intimidating attitude to learning about wine, and focus more on wine discovery. My hope is that these commonly asked questions encourage you to pull many corks in the quest for higher knowledge.

Q: Does the temperature at which wine is served matter?
In a word, Yes. The temperature at which you serve your wine will affect its aroma, taste and presentation. The volatility of wine's flavor compounds are important, so getting it right will improve the drinking experience. Wine should be chilled to 50-55 degrees for white and rose wines, and just below room temperature for red wines, about 65 degrees.

Q: What’s the best way to store opened wine?
I don’t face this problem often but know that if you’re going to drink the rest of the wine within a day or two, simply recork it and store at the temperature at which it’s normally served - see answer above for more on this. Exposure to oxygen makes the aroma and flavor of wine deteriorate, so if you want to keep it longer, pour the leftovers into a smaller bottle – the less air space, the longer the wine will continue to taste good – and store in the fridge.

Q: What does the term terroir mean?
Terroir is the French term for soil, often used as a comprehensive term to describe the characteristics of a vineyard’s soil and microclimate and the resulting flavor profile of the wine made from its grapes. All of these factors contribute to giving the wine its specific personality.

Q: What does Malolactic Fermentation do to a wine?
Secondary fermentation is otherwise known as Malolactic Fermentation – MLF for short. MLF converts tart-tasting malo acid, naturally present in grape must, to softer-tasting lactic acid. MLF tends to create a rounder mouth feel and a creamy texture in wine.

Q: What does the pucker you might feel in your mouth when tasting a red wine come from?
Tannins, chemical compounds in grape skins let loose into the wine by extended skin contact. Additionally, during the aging process oak barrels infuse tannin into the juice. Tannins are a natural preservative and also give wine structure, texture and provide an important flavor dimension in wine. Tannins are good!

Q: Do all wines get better with age?
The short answer is NO. Some wines are meant to be consumer while they are young, and bad wines never get better.

No matter where you stand on the learning curve, even the most expert oenophiles agree: For those who are willing to learn, wine is a teacher for life.

Wines that Pack a Punch

In July with the mercury still rising, there is nothing more refreshing then a pitcher of sangria. For most people however, the word "sangria" brings to mind a blend of bargain wine, cheap spirits and soggy fruit. This classic Spanish red wine punch has been through some hard times. But making outstanding sangria is simple, and the combinations are endless and delicious.

Traditionally the punch, which gets its name from the Spanish word sangre, meaning blood, is made by infusing red wine with a splash of brandy and fresh fruit then serving it over lots of ice. The Spanish brought the centuries-old recipe to the 1964 World's Fair in New York. Today you can create your own version of this uncomplicated summer drink by mixing red, white, sparkling or rosé wine with quality spirits, exotic fruits and aromatics for a sangria you can be proud to serve.

Tips for the Perfect Sangria
You can follow the basic formula or create your own twist on the classic recipe; either way, the goal is to create a flavor-forward concoction with just the perfect balance of fruit and acidity.

Pick Your Wine Carefully
The sangria formula is a simple one. For a classic red sangria, use a Tempranillo wine from Spain. Pinot Noir is also a good choice, either way make sure the wine is not too tannic. For white sangria, try a crisp, dry white wine like an unoaked Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. For a spritzy sangria, use a sparkling Spanish cava. Keep in mind that the heavier the wine, the heavier the sangria will be on the palate -- and likely, the less refreshing.

Look for Market-Fresh Seasonal Fruits
There is no set rule about which fruits to use. Don't be afraid to experiment because part of the fun is choosing the best mix of what's fresh and what goes best with the wine and any food you're serving. Look for mangoes, pineapples, peaches, strawberries and at least one citrus fruit for some zip.

Select a Sweetener
In addition to wine and fresh fruit, some recipes call for a sweetener such as honey, orange juice and sometimes a small amount of added brandy, triple sec or other spirit. Another way to go is to make a simple syrup by dissolving 1 part of sugar in 1 part of simmering water. Cool completely before adding to the sangria.

Let the Sangria Hang-Out
The key to a sensational sangria is to let it sit overnight, refrigerated, so that the flavors meld. If sangria is made right before it's served, the flavor of the fruit will be distinct from the flavor of the wine. By steeping the fruit in the wine overnight an okay sangria becomes an excellent one.

A well made sangria is a perfect summertime pick-me -up so raise a glass to sunny days and picture perfect nights with a sip of something cool and refreshing.

Cracking the Code: Wine Labels Part 2

Say you're in the wine store and you want to buy something new. You have nothing to go by outside of the label. Will the label tell you anything you should know? Welcome to the second part of a two-part series exploring the news you can use on a label of wine. Here are a few helpful definitions:

Vintage Date: This is the year in which all or most of the grapes in the wine were harvested. Some vintages are better than others within a given region, and the best age at which to drink a wine can vary by grape, region, and production method. Not all wines are vintage dated.

Old vines or vieilles vignes. Theoretically, older vines produce fewer, but more flavorful, grapes, but the problem is that no one has defined what an "old vine" is, so anyone can put this on the label.

Brand Name: The winery that produces and sells the wine, called a chateau in France. Since total unknowns may offer undiscovered treasures and even the most revered wineries can turn out flops, brand name alone is not necessarily enough to judge a wine.

Quality Level: European Union labels usually indicate the wine’s status within the country’s quality hierarchy. On a French label, the term “reserve” generally tells you that the bottle in your hand has been aged a bit longer, while on an American label the word's meaning depends upon the winery's whim. High-quality producers take it seriously and put their best grapes into reserve bottlings.

Varietal Designation: The dominant grape or grapes in the wine, and in the U.S., one of the first places to look for the sort of flavors to expect. Varietal designations are rare on French labels.

Appellation of Origin: The more specific the better; this is the name of the place where the grapes in the wine were grown, which can be a country, state, county, region, or viticultural area.

Alcohol Content: Just like it sounds. Most wines are 7-14 percent alcohol by volume.

Estate Bottled: Indicates that the wine was continuously under the control of one winery in one location. One hundred percent of the grapes were grown, crushed, fermented, finished, aged, and bottled on the property. These “artisan” wines likely to emphasize the unique properties of the grapes, the vintage, and the winemaker’s vision are the common practice in most regions of France, while stateside, estate bottling is seen mostly in boutique wineries.

Trade Name: The name of the bottler or importer. The more discerning importers’ names are considered an important indication of quality - and when buying wines from tiny French estates might be just about all you have to go on. Wines made outside of but sold within the U.S. must list the importer on the label.

Once you speak a label’s language, it’s impressive how much you can learn about a bottle of wine just by looking at it.

Wine Label News

The technical terms and mysterious locales mentioned on many a wine label can initially confuse more than they help the would-be consumer of a bottle's contents. Add in the language barrier and elaborate classification system found on European labels and you may be tempted to ignore the message on the bottle altogether. But resist the temptation. Like an introductory chat with a new acquaintance, labels can tell you a lot about where a wine comes from and how it’s made, as well as help you define your preferences.

Every bottle of wine must have a label and that label must provide certain information about the wine. The country where the wine is made requires some of the information on the wine label. The country where the wine is sold requires other label information.

In Europe, appellations speak volumes
By now, most winemaking countries have some sort of government-sponsored agency overseeing the sort of label that gets slapped on a bottle of wine. In this regard, France serves as the model. The most developed, defined, and refined wine labeling system in the world hails from France, where all information boils down to one word: appellation.

The French Institute National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO) is the oldest and strictest wine-regulating system on the planet. This body governs the geographical limits of winemaking regions and for each one sets the acceptable grape varieties, approved percentages for blends, maximum amount of wine produced per acre, minimum aging and additional specifics.

Varietals rule in the U.S.
In the United States, on the other hand, varietal names take center stage on most wine labels. You may be more likely to scan a wine list or market shelf for a Cabernet than for a bottle from, say, the Stag's Leap appellation in Napa, and most people think grape first when forming first impressions.

Because American labeling laws regulate the percentage required to call a wine by its varietal name, blends are often left in the lurch, label-wise. An American label without a varietal name could signal one of two things: a generic or jug wine or one of the upscale European-style blends. Knowing the difference can help you get what you pay for.

So, now that you're an expert and multi-lingual label decoder, what does it all mean in a nutshell? When the decoding is done, the ultimate proof of a wine is in the bottle and on your palate - a pleasure that may even be beyond words.

March Wine Madness

Who says wine appreciation has to cost a fortune. The game plan, be adventurous by exploring wines that might not yet be in your wine vocabulary. Wines often cost more when they come from a well-known wine making region or are made from a popular grape variety so rather then heading straight for the same wine, expand your horizons and beat the budget crunch!

Get to Know the Other Grapes
There is life after Chardonnay and Cabernet. Instead of seeking out the familiar try something unusual made from a grape you've never heard of. For starters, try to learn the names of less popular grapes like Gewürztraminer or Malbec. It seems the more difficult a grape is to pronounce, the better of a value the wine is likely to be. Let me introduce you to some of my favorite wines, Nero D'Avola, Dolcetto, Barbera and Viognier to name a few.

Look for Lesser-Known Regions
Major wine growing regions are reliable sources but often expensive as well. Lesser-known appellations are home to some of the best bargain bottles. No single country seems to have a lock on producing good value wines so have fun traveling the globe in search of top values.
Southern Italy - For delicious, unfussy wines at reasonable prices, one of the best sources is southern Italy, which is home to notable wine regions such as Apulia, Campania, and Sicily.
Southern France -This part of France produces lots of delicious wines, but there are also a number of not-so-good bottles. Bargain hunters must tread carefully. The red blends of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages offer some of the best buys.
California Central Coast - Bargain hunters gave up on Napa years ago so look to the Central Coast for bargains. With its state-of-the-art winemaking techniques and nearly ideal weather, it's easy to understand how this expansive region continues to pump out bargains.
South Australia - No place in the world produces more consistently good inexpensive wines than South Australia. The best value wines are typically labeled South Australia or South Eastern Australia.
Chile Central Valley - Chile offers some of the best value wines yet unfortunately, the quality of Chilean wines can vary considerably. Most of the Chilean wines from the Valle Central, or Central Valley, come from the country's best-known regions, Maipo and Rapel valleys.

Shop the Deals
Often retailers will offer additional discounts on case purchases so take advantage. When you find a wine that's special stock up and save.

With a little bit of know how, seeking out wines that fit the bill without breaking the bank can be easier then you think. You may even find that your new favorite is a tournament Cinderella.

Wine & Chocolate

Everybody loves the idea of pairing chocolate and wine, and with good reason. But the flavors of chocolate and wine aren’t always that compatible. And the culprit is the chocolate. Chocolate actually has very intense flavors. It’s chocolaty, of course, but it’s often simultaneously sweet, bitter, acidic and fruity. That means that a wine, especially a dry table wine as opposed to a sweet dessert wine, needs to be similarly intense if it’s going to pair well with chocolate.

PAIRING:
Rule #1, typically the wine should be at least as sweet, if not a touch sweeter, than the chocolate you are serving it with. Otherwise, the taste may quickly veer towards bitter or sour.
When pairing wines with chocolate, your best bet is to match lighter, more elegant flavored chocolates with lighter-bodied wines; likewise, the stronger the chocolate, the more full-bodied the wine should be.
Similar to “formal” wine tasting, if you will be experimenting with several varieties of chocolates, work from light to dark. Start with a more subtle white chocolate and end on a dark or bittersweet chocolate.

TASTING:
See - Observe the chocolate's sheen. A clean, shiny bar indicates a well-tempered chocolate.
Smell - Your nose is critical to tasting chocolate, which can exhibit over 600 natural aromas.
Snap - Break off a piece of chocolate and listen to the snap. Chocolate with a higher cacao percentage generally has more snap.
Savor - Place the chocolate on your tongue. Allow the chocolate to melt naturally. 
As you swirl it across your tongue, consider the progression of flavors, the balance 
of sweetness, the texture and the length of the finish.

CHOCOLATE:
The main types of chocolate are white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate. The composition of the mixture, origin of cacao beans, the treatment and roasting of beans, and the types and amounts of additives used will significantly affect the flavor and the price of the final chocolate.

White Chocolate - Chocolate made with cocoa butter, sugar, milk, emulsifier, vanilla and sometimes other flavorings. It does not contain any non-fat ingredients from the cacao bean and has therefore an off-white color.

Milk Chocolate - Sweet chocolate which normally contains 10-20% cocoa solids and more than 12% milk solids.

Dark Chocolate - Sweetened chocolate with high content of cocoa solids and no or very little milk, it may contain up to 12% milk solids. Dark chocolate can either be sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet or unsweetened.

People across the globe love chocolate because of its naturally smooth, silky texture and its deliciously distinct sweet and rich flavor. Enjoy finding your favorite match with wine.

It's Super Bowl Time

Get set with your chips, Buffalo wings and drinks and relax! Admit it. When it comes to watching football on TV, if you’re like me, you'd rather uncork a bottle of wine than sip a micro-brew. The big game can definitely embrace both wine and traditional game-day snacks. While beer has had a long history with the big game, more and more armchair quarterbacks are opting to enjoy the game with wine. But which wine goes with wings, nachos and hot dogs? When it comes to the Super Bowl foods here are some pairing tips.

Wine with Spicy Buffalo Wings and Chili
Buffalo wings, typically accompanied by creamy blue cheese dressing, are a Super Bowl staple, but what wine can handle the spice of this combo? Consider a Spanish Cava, an American Zinfandel or a Riesling to offset some of the spice. If you've got chili or a chilidog, then grab a glass of Merlot or Chianti, which can handle the mix of cheese, meat, tomatoes and fiery spice.

Wine with Pizza
If there’s pizza at the party, wine makes a wonderful partner! Pizza presents a fun pairing challenge because, really, it's all about the toppings. The tomato sauce can be tricky. You’ll want a high acid wine but not one that will overpower the pie. Mushrooms deserve an earthy Pinot Noir and sausage goes well with Chianti. But if whites are your weakness, go with a crisp, cool-climate Pinot Grigio, which makes for a surprisingly good match-up.

Wine with Chips and Nachos
Believe it or not, but most sparkling wines are amazing with salty chips. A light sparkling wine will also handle cheesy nachos especially if there is a bit of spice to them. If you’re not the bubbly type, you could also turn to Riesling, often a favorite pick with spicy Indian and Thai foods. This aromatic and fruit forward wine will cut through nacho salt and spice nicely. Lemon or Lime flavored Tortilla chips needs a high-acid white like Sauvignon Blanc to compete with their intensity of flavor.

Wine with Veggies and Dip
There isn't a Super Bowl party out there that won't have a cheesy, creamy dip in the mix. Any dip containing sharp cheddar, Goat cheese or Gruyère will pair nicely with a zesty Sauvignon Blanc. For those opting for the healthy veggie plate and creamy ranch dip, a fruity Merlot or an herb-based Sauvignon Blanc should fit the bill.

If by halftime your team is ahead by a comfortable margin, head over to the ice-box and bring out a bottle of sparkling wine. The nice thing about bubbles is that they are extremely food-friendly and manage to turn up the volume on just about any dish.

It’s not just pub grub - It’s Super Bowl Sunday treats. Enjoy!

Holiday Wine Survival Guide

With the holiday season upon us I often to feel the need to stock the wine cupboard with a variety of wines. A selection of wines poured in elegant glasses can add that special touch that transforms any special event into a truly great celebration. Not sure how much to buy? No worries, this party planning survival guide can help you through the holidays.

Number of Servings in a Bottle of Wine
The standard bottle is 750 milliliters, which is about 25 ounces. That translates to five 5-ounce pours, which is considered the correct amount, no matter the size of the glass.

How Much Wine To Buy
• Brunch for 8-10
3 bottles of sparkling wine, 1 bottle of white and 1 of red
• Dinner for 12
3 bottles of sparkling wine, 2-3 bottles of each white and red wine
Food friendly whites include Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand a non-oaked Chardonnay from France. Dinner reds to think about include Merlot from Washington State and Pinot Noir from California or Oregon
1-2 bottles of dessert wine such as late-harvest Riesling, Sauterne or Port.
• Cocktail Party for 25
8-12 bottles of red wine
Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile and Shiraz from Australia are great options
6-8 bottles of white wine
Italian whites or South American Chardonnay are excellent options
1 1/2 to 2 cases of beer,
1 bottle each of Vodka, Gin, Rum, and Tequila, plus mixers

Wine Serving Tips
Be aware of the temperature of the wine served.
• White wines should be served at about 55°
• Red wines should be served at about 65°
And finally, don't forget to stock the bar with non-alcoholics as well.

Happy Holidays!

Parties That Pop

You'd like to throw a holiday party but finding the time over the next few weeks proves to be a challenge. No fear, here are a few solutions. Any of these wine-themed parties can be fun, festive and best of all, not a lot of work for you.

Parties that Pop - Sparkling Wines & Dessert
Here's an elegant and easy way to entertain. Invite people over on the late side - set out some desserts and just before your guests arrive uncork the sparkling wine and greet them at the door with a glass. Drinks are festive when they're bubbly and beautiful, and if you want to get fancy, make a few Champagne Cocktails.

Wine Pairing Dinner Party
Looking for a simple way to add something special to your next dinner party? Serving your guests a special wine with each course is a sure way to WOW them and all you have to do is open the bottles and pour. Once you have a dish in mind, look to the same part of the world for wine pairings; foods that grow together tend to go together.

Wine & Cheese Pairing Party
We're in the midst of a cheese revolution, and many markets are offering more varieties. If you really want to knock your guests socks off, pair the wine with the cheese. This offers yet another stress-free and super chic way to take entertaining to a new level. An elegant cheese tray requires almost no work. Select the artisanal cheeses by country, milk type, or by cheese style; add fresh or dried fruit, nuts (for a crunchy counterpoint), breads, crackers and honey.

One Party Fits All - The Grand Buffet
Tree-Trimming, Open House, New Year's Day, Super Bowl Sunday; the occasion is up to you. Buffets are the perfect all-purpose entertaining option. It's easier then a sit down dinner, can be as formal or informal as you like, and can range from a handful to a houseful of guests. When planning the menu, know that not everyone likes both red and white wine so plan to have plenty of both on hand.

Happy Holidays!

Back to School Time

With the school year in full swing and summer a distant memory, sharpen your pencil for a fun back-to-school quiz. My wine savvy quiz is designed to encourage you to pull many more corks in the quest for higher knowledge; so if you can’t make one of my October tasting classes, use this short wine quiz to find out how much you really know.

1. What is brix?
a) Combined with mortar, brix are used to construct buildings.
b) The sugar content of unfermented grape juice.
c) The determinant of alcohol content in a finished wine.
d) Both b and c.

2. True or false?
Fermentation is the process in which grape juice is turned to wine by transforming sugar into alcohol.
a) True
b) False

3. What does secondary malolactic fermentation do to a wine?
a) Boosts the fruit flavors
b) Turns the wine into milk
c) Introduces an odor of smelly socks
d) Converts acids to create a creamy texture and buttery flavor

4. Chardonnay, Semillon, and Muscat are all examples of what?
a) White varietals
b) Red varietals
c) Noble grapes from the Vitis vinifera vine
d) Both a and c

5. Which comparison clarifies the difference between acidity and astringency in the mouth when tasting a wine?
a) Acidity is like chocolate and astringency like lemons.
b) Acidity is like water and astringency like butter.
c) Acidity is like darts and astringency like a vacuum cleaner.
d) There is no difference.

6. What does the pucker you might feel in your mouth when tasting a red wine come from?
a) A corked bottle.
b) Tannins, chemical compounds in grape skins let loose into the wine by extended skin contact.
c) Drinking red wine with fish.
d) Brushing your teeth right before you drink.

7. In general, the ideal temperature to serve wine (in degrees Fahrenheit) is:
a) Chilled to 50-55 degrees for white, red, and rose alike.
b) Room temperature for white, red, and rose alike.
c) Chilled to 50-55 degrees for white and rose wines, and just below room temperature for red wines, about 65 degrees.
d) Chilled to 50-55 degrees for red wine, and just below room temperature for white and rose wines, about 65 degrees.

8. True or false? All wine is best served in a translucent 10-ounce rounded-bowl glass with a stem.
a) True
b) False

9. To better enjoy a wine’s flavors and structure, finish a previously opened bottle within:
a) Seconds.
b) A few days.
c) A few weeks.
d) Forever.

Answers
1-d; 2-a; 3-d, 4-d; 5-c; 6-b; 7-c; 8-b; 9-b

No matter where you stand on the learning curve, I hope my wine quiz has enlightened your palate and boosted your wine IQ.

Sip as You Stir

When the topic of food and wine arises during one of my wine classes, the usual flow of conversation revolves around what wine to drink with dinner. Yet sometimes the tougher decision is what wine to put in dinner. That's because when listed as an ingredient, wine is often suggested in the most generic terms, and you're left to wonder - will any wine do? But there is more to cooking with wine than using up last night's leftovers. Take a look at my top 10 tips.

1. Leftover Wine - As a general rule, never cook with any wine you would not drink. The month old leftovers in the refrigerator won’t do. 
Any off flavors in wine become more concentrated during cooking.
2. Cooking Wine - Avoid using these all together. They are made of a thin, cheap base wine to which salt and food coloring have been added.
3. Dry White Wine - If a recipe calls for dry white wine, the best all-around choice is an American Sauvignon Blanc. This wine will be dry and offer a fresh light herbal note that will enhance nearly any dish.
4. Aromatic White Wine - If the dish has bold or spicy flavors, go for a more aromatic white wine such as Gewurztraminer, Riesling, or Viognier. These wines have fruity flavors and exotic floral aromas that counterbalance heavily spiced dishes.
5. Dry Red Wine - If a recipe calls for dry red wine, consider the heartiness of the dish. A long-simmered meat dish calls for a correspondingly hearty wine, such as a Zinfandel. A lighter dish might call for a less powerful red such as Pinot Noir.
6. Sparkling Wine – When you cook sparkling wine, you eliminate its primary qualities, bubbles and alcohol. However, a simple beurre blanc sauce can benefit from the two remaining qualities of a good sparkler; high acidity and yeast flavor.
Fortified wines are among the best wines good cooks can have on hand. They pack the most intense flavors and with the added alcohol have the longest shelf life.
7. Port - Ruby port is probably the best for cooking. It has a rich sweetness and depth that's especially good in meat-based casseroles. Port is powerful stuff and should be used in modest amounts.
8. Sherry – True Spanish Sherry adds considerable character to a dish. It’s complex roasted nutty flavors can enhance just about any soup, stew, or sautéed dish. The two styles of Sherry that work best are Amontillado or Oloroso.
9. Madeira - There is no good substitute when a recipe calls for Madeira. It’s lush toffee-caramel notes are hard to replace. Madeira sauces have an affinity for beef, game, and mushroom dishes.
10. Marsala – This Sicilian wine is a staple in southern Italian cooking. Marsala comes in both dry and sweet styles. Seek out the sweeter, richer style for cooking.
There's no better way to spend an evening than creating a delicious dish while sipping a well-made wine for inspiration.

Bring a Chill to the Grill

Summer is in full swing and the opportunity to enjoy rosé wines is at its peak. During the warmer months, unfussy rosés are bursting with red fruit flavors and pair with a variety of foods especially foods from the grill. If I had to choose but one summer wine to accompany a variety of lighter grilled foods, I know what I’d choose in a heartbeat. I’m happy to chill out and grill out with a glass of cold rosé.

Here’s a primer to get you into top rosé shape.

Rosé 101
Rosé wines are made from red wine grapes fermented just a short time with their skins. Colors range from light salmon to bright pink to medium-deep rose. The length of time the juice is in contact with the crushed skins determines not only the final color of the wine, but to a certain extent the amount of tannin extracted from the skins and seeds as well.

A Rosé By Any Other Name…
Rosé spans the style spectrum. Because rosé refers to the color of the wine, as opposed to a specific grape variety, the wine can be made from a variety of red grapes and their blends, including Mourvédre, Sangiovese, Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. With the variety of grapes used to make rosé, the character of the wine ranges from light and fruity to medium bodied with hints of tannin. Try rosé wines from California or Italy, but especially from Spain or from Provence, France.

Food Pairings
Rosés are wonderful food wines and are especially suited to dishes featuring bold Mediterranean flavors. These pink beauties can pair with a wide variety of foods depending on the varietal and style of the wine; fruit-forward wines with an impression of sweetness can be paired with foods that would also go with dry Rieslings, Gewurztraminer or Pinot Gris, and the more light to medium bodied wines pair better with foods with an affinity for light reds.

Rosés are becoming more popular as people discover the joys of drinking pink.

A Pairing Lesson

One of my favorite wine classes to teach is Wine & Food Pairing 101. I try to demystify wine and food relationships one ingredient at a time and provide some pairing strategies. The simple formula – white wine with fish, red wine with meat – once dictated all wine and food pairings, but times have changed. Rules like this just don’t fit the way we eat today. Well matched, even the simplest food and the humblest wine can create instant magic. If a wine and food pairing work well together, it’s usually due to one or sometimes both of the following principles:

• The wine and food are in some way similar - which usually diminishes the taste impression of that similar component.

• The wine and food contrast in someway - which usually leaves either the wine or the food as the dominant partner.

When pairing wine and food, several things can happen:

• Sweetness in food can increase the perception of bitterness and astringency in wine

• Foods with high amounts of acidity can erase the perception of acidity and make the wine taste richer and mellower

• Saltiness in the food can suppress bitter taste in some wines

• Finally the Golden Rule; You can't beat bubbles. When in doubt drink sparkling wine. The tingling acidity makes most sparklers a perfect match for a wide variety of food.

Taking a class is a great way to explore new wine and food pairing combinations, or picking up a wine and food pairing book for summer reading can be fun too. Some of my favorites include:
• Perfect Pairings by Evan Goldstein
• Great Tastes Made Simple by Andrea Immer Robinson
• Williams-Sonoma Wine & Food - A New Look at Flavor by Joshua Wesson
• The Wine Lover's Cookbook by Sid Goldstein

Create instant magic this summer with these pairing tips and have fun researching the perfect match.

She's Got Legs

A common question I receive from my wine students is to explain wine "legs", a mythical indicator of wine quality. In wine, “legs” refer to the way that wine swirled in a glass runs down the inside surface.

How It Work
Fill a wine glass one quarter full and gently move the glass in a circular motion so that the wine swirls up the sides. Hold the glass still and look at the wine as it runs down. It may flow down in a fairly even sheet, or it may pull into more concentrated streaks. These legs, or tears as the French refer to them, are the streaks of wine.

What It Means
Once upon a time, these legs were interpreted as the sure sign of a rich, high-quality wine. While some people believe that the presence and thickness of legs relates to the sweetness, viscosity or quality of wine, none of these is correct.Today, we know that a wine's legs are a complicated phenomenon having to do with the surface tension of the wine, and the evaporation rate of the wine's alcohol. Because a wine’s “body” is affected by the alcohol content, there is some relationship between legs and body, but there are so many other factors involved that legs are a poor indicator of quality.

Give It A Try
Still not convinced that it's physics and not quality that drives this phenomenon? Try covering your next glass of wine and see if the legs present decrease when covered compared to when open. What you'll find is no evaporation, no legs. This is because the air inside the glass contains enough alcohol vapor to prevent more from evaporating and the formation of legs stops. Uncover the glass and legs will start to form again.

Swirl Away
If this is true then why do wine lovers still swirl their wine? Because it helps to release aromas which in turn makes tasting and smelling the wine easier. Swirling also increases oxygenation of the wine, which in turn affects the flavor, so swirl away!

Just Breathe

Does wine really breathe? The term breathing usually refers to the process of aerating the wine or simply maximizing the wine's exposure to the surrounding air. Wine needs to come in contact with at least a little air to release its bouquet. Technically, the air causes the esters - fragrant liquids - in wine to evaporate or volatilize. In addition the wine will typically warm up causing the wine's aromas to open up and the overall flavor characteristics to improve. That's why you swirl a wine in your glass before you smell it.

Which Wines Need to Breathe
In general, most red wines but only a few white wines and dessert wines can benefit from aeration. Many young, concentrated red wines, like an expensive Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux that can age for several years, undergo a sort of micro aging process by getting lots of air into them. The same goes for a young and concentrated or especially astringent white wine, such as a white Burgundy. The reason is that forced exposure to air begins to oxidize a wine, causing subtle chemical changes that affect both the flavors and the texture.

How to Let Your Wine Breathe
Just popping the cork isn’t going to get you there. Pulling the cork out of the bottle and letting the bottle sit there has little perceptible effect on aerating the wine. Under these circumstances only a small amount of the wine in the bottle has contact with air. The little space in the neck of the bottle is way too small to allow your wine to breathe very much. The best and most entertaining way to accomplish real aeration is to pour the wine into another vessel. If you really want to aerate your wine, do one or both of the following:

Decant - A decanter can be defined as any large liquid container with a wide opening at the top and able to hold the whole bottle of wine. This can be an orange juice pitcher, glass jar or clean flower vase you have on hand. The idea is to splash the wine as much as possible while pouring to maximize the wine’s contact with air. The increased surface area is the key to allowing more air to make contact with the wine.

Wine Glasses - The wine will do a lot more breathing in your glass than it ever would have while still cooped up in the bottle. Pour your wine into large wine glasses and let it aerate about 10 minutes before you plan to drink it. This is certainly the low-maintenance method and typically works quite well.

In general, the Aeration Rule of Thumb: the more tannins a wine has the more time it will need to aerate. Lighter-bodied red wines, Pinot Noir for example, that have lower tannin levels, will need little if any time to breathe.

A Toast to Your Health

Buzz if your goals include: eating better, exercising more and getting healthy. The next time you raise a glass of wine to toast a friend's health, you may be doing more than expressing goodwill. For some of the same reasons "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" a glass of wine a day may set you on your way to wellness.

The Good News on Wine
Now is a great time to enjoy the pleasures of wine, especially since science is discovering the potentially powerful health benefits of drinking the fruit of the vine. We've all heard that red wine is good for us, but how good it is depends on how much and how often you drink it. When it comes to health, all alcoholic beverages are not created equal. While all may have the power to relax us, only red wine contains a lot of polyphenols, heart-friendly antioxidants that help inhibit plaque buildup in the arteries. Polyphenols, or tannins, which are derived from grape skins and seeds give red wine its color and act as protectors against cell damage caused by nasty molecules called free radicals. Wine is not the only source of polyphenols; they're also abundant in a wide variety of foods, including tea, chocolate and many fruits and vegetables.

The Art of Living Well
In the New York Times best-seller, French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure, Mireille Guiliano unlocks the simple secrets of the "French Paradox" – how French women, eating in the traditional way, can enjoy rich food and wine without getting fat (or suffer high rates of heart disease.) In a stylish and convincing way Guiliano clears up the mystery by giving away some French "secrets" which include getting regular exercise (not in the gym, but by walking); eating small portions; eating fresh and seasonally; savoring food to increase the feeling of satisfaction and drinking plenty of liquids. Above all, the book outlines eating for pleasure as a motivating factor in losing and maintaining weight. She goes on to say, "pleasure has proved to be the most powerful and lasting motivation..... If we can all harness the pleasure principle, we can lose weight, as French women have done for generations." Guiliano, former CEO of Clicquot Champagne, provides advice that is charming, sensible and tasty.

The "French Paradox"
The potential health benefits of wine were first popularized by the "French Paradox," a 1991 segment on the television show "60 Minutes." The program doesn't talk about wine very often, but when it does, people listen. Their findings uncovered the paradoxical fact that the French have relatively low national rates of coronary heart disease despite their rich diet. Along with moderate wine consumption a few classic principles of French gastronomy are worth taking note of. First, French people who drink alcohol tend not to vary their amount day to day but are consistent with moderate consumption. In contrast, many Americans drink no alcohol during the week and a large amount on weekends, a pattern which appears to increase risk of heart attack. Second, the French habit of eating smaller portions slowly at mealtimes. Rapid consumption of high-calorie meals tends to cause the body to store more energy as fat, and is more likely to lead to overeating than is the French-style of lingering over meals. In addition, the French would rather have a small amount of something delicious than endless quantities of low-fat food that is ultimately unsatisfying. Viva Le France.

While some of the recent wine and health studies are more conclusive than others, many of them offer a good reason to make wine part of a healthy lifestyle. I'll drink to that!