Jun
25

What is a Wine Tasting Party

Linda Greens on June 25th, 2010

A wine tasting party is a great way to get some friends together, teach each other about some wine and have a great time. As you are attending functions over the summer or visiting people, bring up the subject of wine. If you get a few bites, write down their names and ask them if they would interested in doing a wine tasting. You are going to be surprised at how many people will be delighted to have a night of nothing but wine.

Once you have your guest list together, make sure you set a budget. For the party to work, everyone is going to have to bring a bottle of wine and tasting notes on the wine with them. There is no need to go crazy, as there are plenty of great bottles that are under $15. Besides, setting a tab too high defeats the purpose and will scare people away. We are not talking about a Halloween style theme, but a region or type of wine. Pick something that offers a great variety and inexpensive pricing. Right not Chilean wines are very good and very cheap. This is also a great way to explore a lot of different new wines without putting that much money out of your pocket. Tell everyone that they have to pick a bottle and break it up so some are bringing red and some have white.

When the day finally comes, have everyone drop off their bottle and tasting notes and then get your dinner table organized with them all. The only real expense that the host will have is some cheese, fruit and crackers for everyone to cleanse their palate. Let everyone have a taste of each bottle, write their notes and then everyone can compare to see which wines are the best. You can even play games to see who gets the most characteristics of the wines correct. Wine parties are a great way to learn about new wines. As the host, you will have some expenses, but it will hardly cost what a regular party would. If the party is a hit, it can become a regular thing with everyone taking a turn at hosting. There are quite a few people around the world that have learned a lot about wine by merely attending parties just like this.

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Apr
26

Benefits of Wine on Your Health

Linda Greens on April 26th, 2010

More and more people are drinking wine these days. More people are visiting wine tastings and wine bars. Some people have even become a wine expert or made a career from their knowledge. It’s certain that the wine industry has taken off in recent years. Whether you just enjoy a glass with dinner or if you are a professional connoisseur, wine has become a large cultural pastime.

What you might not know that in addition to being fun and tasty, wine has certain health benefits. Recently, hundreds of studies have emerged on the benefits of drinking wine in moderation. Wine consumption has been linked to everything from improved cataract conditions to heart disease reduction. Such studies even show that consuming wine may help reduce the risk of heart disease or a heart attack. Red wine is especially linked to heart health improvement. Healthy cholesterol can be increased by consuming this beverage and it also extends time required for clots to appear in your blood. Anti-oxidants which are extremely beneficial are also very prevalent in wine. This helps lower your risk of having a stroke.

In 2005, a Amsterdams VU University Medical Center study showed that those who drank wine in moderation have a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes development by up to 30 percent. Certain studies even point to the idea that wine decreases the natural decline of brain functioning. Even the reduction and elimination of kidney stones in women has been linked to wine drinking. Even though studies indicate that wine consumption is good, you should always keep in mind that one or two glasses is the most you should drink in one day. The positive side effects of drinking wine should not be taken as a reason to drink in excess.

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