Whether you’re a wine connoisseur, a wine snob, or just a wine lover, go ahead and pour that glass of red as this Saturday is officially National Red Wine Day!
Did you know that there are around 10,000 varieties of wine grapes existing worldwide? Bet you can’t name them!
In the UK, each of us drink 120 bottles of wine every year on average. But don’t worry, we still consume less alcohol than the French, Germans and Spaniards, with us Brits opting more for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Pinot Noir.
Wine has been around for centuries. It’s a complex drink that can take years to perfect. But did you know there is history and science inside every bottle?
- Wines are well attributed to positive health benefits.
Emerging research continues to suggest that red wine, drunk in moderation, offers several health benefits. It lowers your chances of having a stroke compared to nondrinkers. For men and women who drink moderately, it lessens their chance of developing Type 2 diabetes by 30%.
- Believe it or not, there are some people that have a fear of wine. It’s called “oenophobia”.
- 4 to 5 years – is the amount of time it takes for a fresh grape vine plantation to grow and become harvest-able.
- How do you hold a wine glass? There is a right and a wrong way. Wine glasses should be held by the stem, so that the hand does not raise the temperature of the wine.
- The oldest known wine cellar is on the Titanic. When divers went down to the wreckage, surprisingly most of the bottles were still intact.
- ‘Toasting’ started in ancient Rome when the Romans sustained the Greek tradition. They would drop a piece of toasted bread into the wine glass to soften unsavory tastes.
And finally, our favourite fact relates to the tradition of clinking glasses and saying ‘cheers’ and ‘to one’s health’ before taking the first sip.
It started during medieval times when poisoning wasn’t uncommon. When the glasses (or silver goblets) clinked together a little wine would fall from one glass into the other and vice versa. This meant both drinkers knew the other wasn’t trying to poison them!
Thankfully poisoning by wine is very rare these days!
So, choose your red wine and toast in celebration of this ancient drink. I for one will be enjoying a glass tomorrow night (27th August) whilst watching Kate Ferguson sing live here at The Cabin – Cafe & Bar. The weather looks good too…music, food, friends and a glass of wine…what a perfect start to a bank holiday weekend! Why not join us? Our Summer outdoor music events are free!
Kate Ferguson – Live Music – Friday 27th August
Happy Bank Holiday and see you at the Club soon,
