So the wine arrived via UPS last week. The card read “Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas – and, if it lasts – Happy New Year!” Are you kidding me? If it LASTS?? IF? There’s no if about it.
My brother-in-law, who generously sends us a case of wine each year from the winery across the street from his Oregon home (jealous? Me too!) must not know we have taste testing and calorie proving to do with this. Yes, I could have chosen more reasonably-priced wine, since all I was going to do was try it all and write them up, but what’s the fun in that? Why not live a little and learn a few things at the same time?
So we were off. Mark, my brother-in-law, had made this challenge a no-brainer for me, because he had quite nicely shipped me 9 different varietals. Now if that doesn’t spell taste-test challenge in a box, I don’t know what does…
I had been curious about calorie and sugar counts in varietals of wine. And always curious about flavor, I thought this was a natural blog (read: drinking) idea. Before I began the challenge of a lifetime (and quite a fun night!), I researched the facts and details of wine varietals.
Information varied as much as the case of wine bottles before me, but from what I could gather, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Viognier are lowest in both calories and carbs. (Not a widely popular grape, Viognier is my absolute favorite! And, yes, maybe it started because of an overindulgent trip through wine country, including tram rides, cave tours and lots of lots of tastings, which ended with a Viognier in my hand while the winery proprietor told my husband how lucky he was to have such a smart, beautiful wife. Yes, the wine of that moment somehow became my favorite – as did that winery. Strange coincidence.)
White zin is low too, but I can’t bring myself to acknowledge that as a real wine.
And the red wines lowest in calories and carbs are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Red Burgundy. Pinot Noir, an Oregon pride and joy, has one of the highest calorie counts per serving, at 120 (compared to 80 calories in the Cab). This is unfortunate, because staring at me from the case was one of my very favorite Pinot Noirs. What if I chase it with my Serrano pepper vodka? Will that cancel out the extra calories? Well, that theory may have to be tested post-taste test, if we are still standing.
So, besides many wines being low in calories, there are also several health benefits. Wine has been reported to prevent blood vessel clotting and thereby protect the brain from damage of a stroke; increase good cholesterol (HDL); prevent the formation of bad cholesterol (LDL); prevent heart disease; aid with digestion; and even possibly prevent cancer. Wow! And the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals in wine add even more health benefits. I think we all know what this means – we are doing our bodies a disservice when we DON’T drink wine every night.
So, besides many wines being low in calories, there are also several health benefits. Wine has been reported to prevent blood vessel clotting and thereby protect the brain from damage of a stroke; increase good cholesterol (HDL); prevent the formation of bad cholesterol (LDL); prevent heart disease; aid with digestion; and even possibly prevent cancer. Wow! And the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals in wine add even more health benefits. I think we all know what this means – we are doing our bodies a disservice when we DON’T drink wine every night.
Having taken a few nights off to taste and perfect my infused vodkas, I owed it to myself to get back on the horse and, so be it, I would make up for my nights off tenfold tonight. Pass the wine key, please!
Drunk in moderation, low calorie wine can provide a myriad of health, wellness and emotional benefits. I know that I simply FEEL better after a glass. Relaxation, relieved muscle aches, higher tolerance of children – it’s a lifestyle lift in a taller kind of bottle!
So what was I waiting for – I had convinced myself that I needed, deserved and owed it to myself to free the bottles from their cardboard dungeon. After all, they had traveled from the other coast, been handled, mishandled and Thank God remained intact, just to make it to my suburban home to SIT there until Thanksgiving – maybe even 2011? I don’t think so. Never one to pass up a challenge, I invited my wine girls over.
I fully explained the advantages to them – that taking part in my study was a necessary nutrition quest that they should feel honored to be a part of. No other time I assured them had they ever been in the presence of so many good health juices – each one lower in calories than the last, and higher in antioxidants and body-quenching vitamins. It was a tough row to hoe, but they assured me they would give it their all, and take seriously their plight. They were after all becoming part of a grander mission – to better their social lives and their health all at once. They seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation. Then they dug their high heels in, began tasting, and guess what? They liked them all. Review successful!
Actually, in the interest of keeping score (because that’s what I do – I know how many times I’ve emptied the dishwasher versus his count; the amount and weight of my squats compared to the anonymous Lululemon chick next to me at the gym; and who takes the kids to bed at night the most – yeah, I like to score) I did note the popularity of the varietals:
Order of white wine favorites: 1) Pinot Gris, 2) Riesling 3)Viognier (Aw, C’mon!!) 4) Chardonnay 5)Sauvignon Blanc
Order of red favorites: 1)Pinot Noir, 2) Cabernet Sauvignon, 3) Merlot 4)Port
But basically, we are women and we were given lots of wine to taste – no losers here. Thanks to Brother-in-Law Mark for the opportunity. In the interest of the empirical study, there won’t be any wine left when you come for Thanksgiving, and New Years – let’s not be silly! (We were silly enough on one fun wine-tasting night!)
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Week 3: Wine Varietals and Calories
Weekly Reviews of All Things Booze
Each week, Liquor Chick reviews types of liquors, beers, mixed drinks or mixers -- in order to find the most health conscious and calorie-friendly varieties. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it....
Wine (4 fl oz) Calories
Beaujolais 95
Bordeaux, red 95
Burgundy, red 95
Burgundy, white 90
Cabernet Sauvignon 90
Chablis 85
Champagne, dry 105
Champagne, pink 100
Chardonnay 90
Chianti 100
Liebfraumilch 85
Madeira 160
Marsala 80
Merlot 95
Mosell 100
Muscatel 160
Pinot Noir 120
Port, ruby 185
Port, white 170
Reisling 90
Rhone 95
Rose 95
Sangria 115
Sauterne 115
Sauvignon Blanc 80
Tokay 165
Viognier 80
Zinfandel, red 90
Zinfandel, white 80
Beaujolais 95
Bordeaux, red 95
Burgundy, red 95
Burgundy, white 90
Cabernet Sauvignon 90
Chablis 85
Champagne, dry 105
Champagne, pink 100
Chardonnay 90
Chianti 100
Liebfraumilch 85
Madeira 160
Marsala 80
Merlot 95
Mosell 100
Muscatel 160
Pinot Noir 120
Port, ruby 185
Port, white 170
Reisling 90
Rhone 95
Rose 95
Sangria 115
Sauterne 115
Sauvignon Blanc 80
Tokay 165
Viognier 80
Zinfandel, red 90
Zinfandel, white 80
