As we approach the end of the year and this will be the final blog of the year, we have just put together an array of wine and spirit topics at random.
OWC Researchers from the University of California say an antioxidant called quercetin may be preventing drinkers processing alcohol properly, which could be the reason why red wine is more likely to give you a headache than other alcoholic drinks. Scientists have confirmed that quercetin blocks an enzyme needed to break down alcohol, with further research being carried out.
OWC A recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reveals that more women regularly get drunk in the UK than anywhere else in the developed world. Due to binge drinking, more than a quarter of female drinkers (26%) down at least 6 drinks in a single session, once a month or more. This is an increase from 16% in 2015 and around double the global average of 12%.
OWC Around 1.7 million adults were likely to be drinking at a level which would be negative to their health, according to the Health Survey for England 2021. A new weight loss drug is currently being trialled which may also reduce the craving for alcohol.
OWC Try a Pickle Juice cocktail this Christmas. All the rave apparently. It originated a few years ago in Brooklyn, New York. 30 ml vodka/15ml pickled juice/100ml ginger ale/squeeze of lime/garnish with rosemary and red chilli/served with ice. Gives ‘ getting pickled’ a whole new meaning.
OWC Look out for a ‘Zork’ a black plastic stopper that twists off with a hiss and replaces the conventional foil wrapper and mushroom – shaped stopper in Sparking wines. Resealable and supposedly recyclable, it could soon be seen on English and New World sparkly wines and perhaps Cava and Prosecco.
OWC Technology has advanced so much that some producers are happily putting better quality wine in boxes. Bag-in-the box consumers appreciate the cost savings. Most boxes require less Co2 than bottles and meet greener standards more too.
OWC Champagne gets its bubbles from carbon dioxide (Co2) generated when yeasts, sugar and wine combine in a second round of fermentation in the bottle. A French study has found that the longevity of the bubbles is better in bigger bottles. A standard 75cl bottle has a shelf life of around 40 years while a three litre jeroboam can keep fresh for 132 years!
OWC Once described as a ‘ swimming pool drink ’, only to be enjoyed in the summer, There is an increasing trend for lighter wines with rose wine being popular all year round. About 830 million gallons of wine is produced annually in France with nearly 20% of it now being rose.
OWC 40 bottles of what is said to be the world’s oldest Scotch Whisky have been discovered in a clear out at Blair Castle Perthshire. Found in a hidden room, a label on the shelf stated that they were casked 1833, bottled 1841 and rebottled 1932. Castle archives log all food and drink consumed there and by whom including an entry in 1844 recording Queen Victoria drinking Blair Castle whisky during a visit. The value of them is immense.
OWC To avoid hangovers this Christmas and New Year it might be worth taking heed of a review published as long ago as 2008 by Dr Joris Verster a researcher in pharmacology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands that darker coloured drinks, which contain more congeners (chemicals that give drinks their colour and taste) result in worse hangovers. So it might be best to stick to beer, vodka or white wine if you want a clear head in the morning.
So that’s it for this year folks. Seasons Greetings from The Online Wine Club.
