Drinking a couple of glasses of red wine every day isn’t just enjoyable, it’s also good for you. Red wine is rich in chemicals called polyphenols. Research has shown that these compounds expand your blood vessels, making it easier for blood to flow. They also fight hardening of your arteries, the major contributor to heart disease.
To get the best effect we need to be on the lookout for reds high in tannin. If, like me, you’re not a great fan of tongue-curling tannin, then ‘decant’ the wine before drinking – slosh it into a jug to mix in air and reduce the stewed-tea taste. Wines heavy on tannin also tend to taste better with food than on their own.
Try matching Italian Nebbiolo or Sangiovese with a healthy dish of pasta and Bolognese sauce, or a glass of French Cabernet Sauvignon with a cheese and biscuit supper. Spanish and Portuguese reds also contain high levels of polyphenols. These make great partners to your heart and hearty foods.
PG Wine Reviews
Banrock Station Premium Selection Australian Merlot 2013
£5 Tesco (down from £7.99 until November 4)
Expect chocolate and marzipan flavours alongside spicy plum.
Les Jamelles French Réserve Mouvèdre 2012
£7.49 Co-op
A smooth fruity red that packs a punch with blackberry, smoky liquorice and milk chocolate flavours, that then follows with toffee notes if you leave any in the bottle long enough.
Desconocido Spanish Monastrell 2013
£7.99 Co-op
This new addition to the Co-op wine range tastes like a macaroon with a cherry on the top!
Delas French Ventoux 2013
£7.99 Co-op
Creamy damson flavours with a background of woodiness just peeking through.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Viñedos Barrihuelo Rioja 2009
£8 Sainsbury’s
Light-bodied but with deep flavours of chocolate, dark bread and cherry.
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© Paula Goddard 2014 www.paulagoddard.com
