Testimonials From Very Healthy Wino Friends

"I drink wine every night (red)along with lifting 4 days a week and cardio 2-3 times during the week.At 66 I teach skiing and snowboarding full time during the Winter months and this regimen keeps my resting heart beat in the 40`s and I feel that red wine is a major component of fitness. Here in California you can buy Charles Shaw wine for less than $2.00 bucks at Trader Joe`s so we call the wines "Two Buck Chuck" and they are on par with wines that are 5-10 times pricier. So put me down as going along with JimmyC32 on his evaluation of wines in general."

George

"I drink wine every day, but then again, I'm 1/2 Greek and 1/2 Italian. That said, I think it's important to educate you guys even more about wine: The wine that comes in a box. I know, there's a stigma associated with it, but that is really unfair, especially when you consider the fact that one particular boxed brand, Peter Vella, has fooled MANY a "wine snob" at several cocktail parties I've hosted in recent years. Boxed wine (especially this brand)is delicious, fairly inexpensive, and has been very well-liked by everyone I've served it to. By the way, it will also stay fresher far longer, due to its packaging, which prevents excessive oxidation once opened."

Jimmy

Lightning in a Bottle

Health Benefits of Wine

Ordering the right wine can impress your bosses, your dates, and even your cardiologist. Here's how:
Wine has so many health benefits you'd think doctors would be prescribing the stuff by now. Drink a few glasses a week -- particularly red, but white has benefits, too -- and you'll lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and even cancer.

Wine's magic ingredients come from the skin of the grape. Resveratrol protects the body's cells, keeping them young and strong. Saponins bind to bad cholesterol and usher it out of the body. And flavonoids interfere with the multiplication of cancer cells.

Problem is, buying wine can feel like an Olympic event -- as if you're being judged. And don't get me started on the wine culture, which is steeped in pointless snobbery. As if not knowing the difference between chianti and chardonnay makes you a lesser man.

Understanding wine is easy. It comes down to a few basic principles, which I've laid out here. So read on, drink up, and live long.

3 Moves Every Guy Must Master

1.Serving: Serve both red and white at room temperature. A chill can mask a wine's flaws and strengthen the astringent taste of the tannins. At room temperature, the wine's unique flavors -- fruit, oak, whatever -- are more obvious.

2. Decanting: Let wine breathe for 2 to 3 hours. Aeration speeds up the oxidation process that takes years to occur in a sealed bottle. This smooths out the taste and brings out complex flavors and aromas.

3. Tasting: First, give it a sniff, which primes your palate. Take a sip and let the wine hit every part of your mouth. You'll taste several flavors at once. The wine will evolve as you eat, as certain foods bring out different flavors.

How to Navigate a Wine Store

Treat it like a barbershop. Stay loyal to one store, and befriend a clerk who knows about the wines you like. Once he or she understands your tastes, your options will become endless. Here are a few other dos and don'ts.

Don't . . . Buy The label

There's a saying in the wine industry: "Put critters on the label, sell cases." Labels are designed by marketing companies who know how to trick you into buying juice that doesn't pack the thunder. Playful labels and cartoons are major warning signs. Be wary of red or yellow labels, which are designed to stand out.

Do . . . Double-check the ratings card

Often, wine shops post ratings for the wrong year. How much can the quality of wine vary from year to year? A ton. Most 2000 California cabernets are just average wines, for example, but the 2001 vintage is exceptional.

Don't . . . Choose from a display near the counter

Chances are, they're trying to unload wines that didn't sell as well as expected or are aging quickly. Either way, these won't be among the best bottles in the store.

Do . . . Pick up four new wines for every one of your old favorites

This is the key to expanding your palate--and be sure to keep good notes.

Gary Vaynerchuk, Photograph by: Jonathan Kantor