The Wine Thread

[Chromatose]

 

[Lord Foul]

 

[Captain Beard]

*rubs chin*

They any good?

 

[Lord Foul]

They make a variety of drinks. The dry mead is like a very dry white wine, with almost sherry-like qualities. The sweet mead is a traditional style and is what people expect when they drink mead. The pear mead is in the middle for sweetness and has the pear influence (which is more in the smell than the taste, but is definitely there). They also make a really sweet dessert style mead (Melia) and a fortified Port style mead (Mead of Poetry, 17%ABV - really hard to get as they make only a small amount a year).

In addition to the meads they make a variety of Cysers (fermented honey and apple cider) and Braggots (honey beer).

I tend to gravitate to the pear mead and lemonade cyser. I'm not a beer drinker, but the belgian style braggot (name escapes me) is quite interesting.

 

[Captain Beard]

I meant the mead. Non-pear.

 

[Lord Foul]

I don't have much basis for comparison. I like it.

 

[perniciosa]

I'm a red wine person. I usually go for Cabernet or Teran.

 

[TwistedSister]

Hey Karen, i guess you could spend a whole night talking about your favorite wines, your post was so full of enthusiasm.

Myself I hardly drink any wine at all, if I do I prefer white wine and mead. I´m more the whiskey type of person.

 

[Anvil]

Protecting Cardiovascular Health with Whole Grape Extract
By Julius G. Goepp, MD
Keeping Platelets Slippery

The formation of abnormal arterial blood clots (thrombosis) is a primary cause of heart attack and stroke. Thrombosis is the pathological clumping together of platelets, the tiny cell fragments in blood normally responsible for healthy blood coagulation after injury. There are many chemical triggers that cause platelets to clump, or aggregate, and laboratory studies have demonstrated how the polyphenols found in red grape products (including grape seed extracts) act powerfully to regulate platelet aggregation.37-40

In humans, strong support for the health-promoting effect of polyphenols from red grapes comes both from studies of large populations and from clinical trials.41 People who live in cultures where moderate red wine is consumed regularly have lower rates of illness and death from coronary heart disease, and that effect has been tracked in part to decreased platelet activity.42,43

Researchers in Chile determined the coagulation-related risk reduction more specifically when they studied two groups of 21 healthy young men given a “Mediterranean diet” or a high-fat diet for 90 days.44,45 For one month in the middle of that period, the men drank 8 ounces of red wine daily, and various blood factors associated with clotting were determined throughout the study. Regardless of whether the men ate the healthful Mediterranean diet or the riskier high-fat diet, when red wine was added to the mix, clotting factors decreased substantially.

Intriguing research supports the role of red grapes in averting aberrant platelet aggregation and coagulation. In 2002, Italian scientists showed that when they gave 20 healthy subjects 10 ounces per day of either red or white wine (both with the same alcohol concentration), the red wine-drinking subjects had significantly lower platelet aggregation after a stimulus than did the white wine-drinkers.46

Not to be outdone, researchers in France’s Bordeaux region showed that it didn’t even have to be red wine, so long as the source of the beverage was the whole grape.47 In a study that can only be described as sophisticated, these scientists randomly assigned healthy volunteers to drink either one ounce of vodka (no polyphenols) or Armagnac, a distilled brandy derived from polyphenol-rich grapes.48 The researchers found that after 14 days, platelet aggregation in the Armagnac group was reduced by 31%, compared to only 11% in the vodka group.47 Equally importantly, two weeks after the alcohol consumption stopped, the vodka drinkers experienced a “rebound” increase of platelet aggregation, which was not seen in the Armagnac group. These results point to the importance of grape polyphenols as the source of the benefits.

A study from China further illustrated the “blessings of the grape.”49 Scientists investigated the effects of both red wine and resveratrol, one of the main components of grape extracts, on aggregation of platelets from healthy human volunteers. When they treated the platelets with resveratrol they found that aggregation was inhibited in direct proportion to the amount of resveratrol used. When they conducted the same experiment using rabbits with elevated serum cholesterol and increased platelet aggregation, the researchers were again able to demonstrate potent reduction using grape extract-derived resveratrol. These results provide strong evidence that red grape polyphenols such as resveratrol produce their cardioprotective effects at least in part by inhibiting platelet aggregation.

Some skeptics have suggested that the effects of extracts are only seen in the laboratory, where they can be directly applied to the cells being studied.50 It has been convincingly demonstrated, however, that the grape extract components are in fact absorbed from the human intestinal tract in large enough quantities to cause reduction in risk of atherosclerosis.51 This effect can be enhanced when the extracts are high in the polyphenols extracted from grape seeds, and contain a large proportion of the short-chain polyphenols known as oligomers.52-54

Now out of curiosity, do any of you happen to drink a glass of wine a day? Why or why not? Do you think the studies hold up?

Personally, I can understand that a majority of studies say that red wine or, as this study says, "Whole Grape Extract" can help in lowering blood clots and the like. But what about the effect the alcohol has on the body? Anyone seen or know of any studies that explain that?

 

[Captain Beard]

Yes, I do, and no, not due to health benefits. I believe they have some merit, but I drink it because it is not UNHEALTHY to have one glass with dinner.

 

[Anvil]

There are also several studies that say a glass of white wine daily will keep your lungs healthy.

I've always been a mix & cocktail drinker. Rum & Coke, White Russians, Paralyzers, Caesars, Vodka and Sprite, Screwdrivers, etc.. And of course, lots of beer.

The more and more I start drinking wine instead of other drinks, and moderately (a glass or two or a white or a red at dinner), my energy and stamina seems to have increased day to day, as well as my overall moods.

Although, it may have something to do with the fact that the mixed drinks have pop in it. Who knows. Maybe it's just my reaction with vodka & Rum.

 

[Captain Beard]

I don't smoke, but considering the air in this valley, I don't think wine can help.

 

[Souls of Black]

So, I am new to the wine thing. But, today is a "reward" day on my diet.

So I bought a very nice ribeye steak and a bottle of Cabernet, Mondavi to be exact. I really like it, not quite as much as Bogle Cabernet (cool Lioness!!) but it was quite tasty.

On the third glass, after the steak had settled, I topped it off with a very fine Perdomo Cigar. Overall great night!

 

[Cat5Messiah]

OLD!

 

[Dead_Lioness]

So, I am new to the wine thing. But, today is a "reward" day on my diet.

So I bought a very nice ribeye steak and a bottle of Cabernet, Mondavi to be exact. I really like it, not quite as much as Bogle Cabernet (cool Lioness!!) but it was quite tasty.

On the third glass, after the steak had settled, I topped it off with a very fine Perdomo Cigar. Overall great night!

awesome!!!

 

[[KOTNO]Narrot]

my favorite wine is amarone de valpolicella. great one.

generally i really love dry red wines. there are some great ones from bordeaux (obviously) but also spain. i am still pretty much testing all different kinds ...

 

[Reverand Joint Smoker]

Cisco

2001- 2002 Hogue. The white reisling is exceptional.

BIG fan of lambics too. Yum

 

[Souls of Black]

OLD!

It may seem that this is an old man night, but when Mother Nature is dumping 2ft of snow on you, not much else to do....

 

[Dead_Lioness]

Jeff, screw this BS of "old man's night" the only people who'd call you "old" for staying in are those who normally don't go out much themselves so they feel obligated to project their lifelessness on you.
Staying in rule sometimes.

 

[Dead_Lioness]

....yesterday at the bar for my friend's birthday party- I had waaaaaaaaaay too much Pinot Grigio...
Now I feel like crap.