By Christopher McCollum

Over the years, Red Wine has developed the reputation as being a beverage beneficial to health, whether it be the ability to ward off Heart Disease and high blood pressure, or Cabernet Sauvignon’s specific reputed ability to ward of Alzheimer’s Disease, there have been many clinical studies that have suggested that moderate consumption of Red Wine is good for you. One of the major healthy elements are chemicals called polyphenols, which restrict the dissipation of nitric oxide in the blood stream, which in turn keeps blood pressure low, reduces the risk of strokes, as well as other heart problems. White wine has not shown the same positive properties, and before recently, Champagne was an unknown. British and French scientists have conducted studies that now show Champagne to be just as beneficial as Red Wine, carrying high levels of polyphenols that improve vascular performance and reduce the potential of the aforementioned diseases and conditions.

This is great news for Culture of Spirits, as many of our favorite libations include Champagne as the primary ingredient. In fact, just a couple evenings ago, Black Velvets were the order of the day, as Micah A. Hanks and myself enjoyed the the health benefits of a certain Irish Stout mixed half and half with Champagne. In addition to the Black Velvet, there’s also the Mimosa, which has obvious Vitamin C benefits, and also the Poinsettia,  which has additional cranberry benefits of raising good cholesterol (HDL), reducing cancer risk, preventing bladder infections, and a variety of others including but not limited to oral health.

With the imminent dates of Christmas and New Year’s Eve nearly upon us, this is particularly good news, as Champagne becomes the ritualistic celebratory beverage of choice. Now when you raise that flute to the sky and make your toasts, you will also have the warm, bubbly knowledge that you’re lowering your risk of heart disease!

Cheers!

Sources:
New Zealand Herald
Science Daily
World’s Healthiest Foods

We all know that I’ve been on a bit of a Champagne flap for the past month, so let it be known that it will continue for at least one more article.
I was at the grocery store last night, buying sushi from the seafood bar. After making my selection (two California rolls),  I happened by the wine section, and was immediately interested in the available stock. After perusing through the French, Spanish, and North Carolina wines, I came upon the Champagne selection and was reminded of my seemingly inherent love for the bubbly libation. I scanned the shelves until noticing a sticker that said “Wine & Spirits Magazine – Best Value Brand, 3 Years in a Row” on the neck of a bottle of Cristalino Brut. Intrigued, I purchased the bottle and made my way home. The sushi was delicious, better than most Japanese restaurants I’ve been to over the years actually. My ideas for the Champagne, however, were not as successful.

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It’s more likely than you think! According to a recent article at The Telegraph, there will be severely discounted prices on French Champagne come the end of the year. This stems from a 30%-45% decrease in sales from Europe to Asia through the first half of this year, creating a major supply glut. One must figure that this is due to the Global Recession that has been playing out over the past year, diminishing the number of people with disposable income.

Experts in England are predicting that by Christmas time, there will be such a discrepency in supply and demand, a bottle of lesser-known brand Champagne will drop in price to £10(GBP). For us American folk, that equates to about $16.35. It is yet to be said if the price drop will also make its way into American markets, but since we here at Culture of Spirits have had Mimosas and Poinsettias on the brain for the past several days, we’re hoping that it does. While we’re not likely to see Dom Perignon take a major price dip, it will be nice to grab up a couple of discounted bottles of the French royal beverage, and pop the corks on New Year’s Eve.

If this does indeed come to pass, expect to see me crossing the French 75 and Death in the Afternoon of my list. Speaking of which, Milk Punch has been crossed off. That now leaves 82.

Ahh, what better way to enjoy the summer than with a fizzy and fruity beverage? The Mimosa has its beginnings in the early 1920′s in either England or France, depending on who you listen to. In 1921, the Buck’s Fizz was invented in an English club by the same name, while in 1925, the Mimosa was invented in a Paris hotel. The drinks are nearly identical, but occasionally call for different measures and the inclusion of grenadine on the part of the Buck’s Fizz. Regardless, the Fizzy Mimosa (as it shall now be known in this article) has been a staple of hot weather and weddings ever since. Indeed, the first time that I tried one, I was on the sun deck of a cruise ship off the coast of Belize, about to get in a morning game of ping pong with one of my mates. I had only recently become a fan of Champagne, after largely ignoring it in favor of stiffer spirits, and I was eager to try out this beverage (it was on special during this hour. $3 per glass!). Lo’ and behold, I loved it, and have partaken in it many times since.

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