Sunday, February 21, 2016

Wine: de-stressor or wallet deflator?

Inspired by the YouTube video below, created by Dr. Brian Wansink, Director of Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab, I decided to compare proposed benefits of drinking wine.

"What we think determines what we taste."

In "Out of the Bottle: Wine Psychology (above)," subjects rated wine and meals significantly higher if served with a tablecloth or candles, suggested by a Sommelier, or labelled as "from California," among other factors. These observations are consistent with Dan Ariley's findings presented in "Predictably Irrational." The consistency in behavioral changes due to social cues and change in environment  makes me rethink the chemical influence wine has on my stress level.

Compare the video above to the video below, "Somm." This documentary, which I highly suggest watching (available on Netflix) for both educational and entertainment reasons, follows a group of soon-to-be master Sommeliers on their journey to receiving the prestigious certification.
Quotes from this video (accompanied by classical music and video clips of Italian vineyards) include:

The wine has a hint of "freshly clipped garden hose."

Not sure what exactly this is supposed to make us think before drinking wine. Wine has also been dubbed a stress reliever by the medical industry. The following quote is taken directly from an article on Medical News Today:

"Drinking two glasses of red wine can trigger the stress response that promotes numerous health benefits, according to researchers."

What do you think? Are we protecting our minds and bodies by drinking this fermented fruit juice? Or are we protecting the bank accounts of wine industry professionals?

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