Red Wine - Comparisons With White Wine and Good Storage Principles

Red wine is perhaps one of the most misunderstood drinks.
Surprisingly actually when you consider how popular and common it
is.Obviously, the colour of wine is simply dependent on the colour of
the grape that the original juice is squeezed from. However, red wine
does have some properties which single it out from white. Generally
pound for pound of grape, a darker grape will produce a slightly
stronger wine in alcoholic terms, as well as being slightly denser in
terms of the original gravity.There is a marked difference in the
taste and flavour of compared with white wine, in fact in many
respects, once bottled, they become two completely separate types of
drink. Tests done on subjects who had never drunk wine back in the
1920's proved this.Traditionally, red wine is drunk with dark meat,
and is considered an evening drink. It has a higher concentration of
antioxidants than white wine, but also contains a substance known as
tannin.Tannin, or tannic acid is created during the ripening process
of some fruits. For some reason it affects the darker grape far more
than white wine grapes. Tannins himself act as an astringent, and draw
the moisture from any cells around them.This means, the drinker will
dehydrate faster with, and dehydration is one of the main causes of
headache and migraine to people who are predisposed to it.However,
this can be offset to a great degree by simply drinking a glass of
water between every glass of of alcohol. Thus rehydrating the
body.Traditionally, a bottle of red wine is considered by many to last
longer in terms of its shelf life than white wine. This is actually a
little bit of a myth. Many red's will spoil quite quickly if not kept
in the correct conditions, and some only have an effective shelf life
of under 18 months.So storing your bottles effectively, in a dry dark
cool place is important. Too much light will cause the molecular
structure of the wine to break down in the bottle, possibly
decomposing the cork. (If the bottle has a cork). If the cork becomes
rotten, and in contact with the liquid, the wine will go offThe
medical profession in the UK seems undecided as to whether red wine is
good for you or bad for you. Against it of course is that it has quite
a strong alcoholic content. As an alcoholic drink, it contains
somewhere between 9% and 14% by volume. However, it does also contain
antioxidants, which play a role in the control of free radicals in the
bloodstream.Another marked difference with red wine against white is
the need for a more careful storage regime. Even the clearest of red
can sometimes build up a sediment if not stored correctly. You will
often see bottles lay on their side in racks, and is they will then be
turned one quarter turn every one or two weeks to prevent the buildup
of sediment.Next time you are enjoying a nice glass of red wine,
sitting a delicious Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon, remember just what a
remarkable drink you have.