Here I was thinking I had a drinking problem when I did a Google search and found all of these great benefits to drinking wine!  Ok, so you are not supposed to drink a bottle or more a day to benefit from it.  More like one 4oz glass - but hey I say indulge thyself!!!  Apparently, in America women buy 6 out of every 10 bottles of wine sold.  We’re real close to beating out France and Italy in terms of wine consumption.  Now for the benefits!

1. Good for memory.  Wine keeps the arteries clear thanks to a good cholesterol it creates.
2. Keeps you thin.  Daily wine drinkers have a lower body mass vs. non wine drinkers.
3. Keeps you healthy.  Daily wine drinkers are less likely to get infections or even food poisoning.
4. Keeps ovarian cancer at bay.
5. Good for bones.  Wine drinkers have more bone mass than non wine drinkers.
6. Keeps diabetes at bay.  Wine seems to reduce insulin resistance.

So there you have it.  Six reasons why hitting the “wine” bottle is good for you.  I’m off to pour myself another big glass!

>> Read more on wine consumption on Health.com

This evening I wanted to try something other than my usual cabernet sauvignon.  I stopped by QFC to see what all they had for cheap in their wine section.  I came across a bottle of Sweet Pea Apple Wine, mostly because the price tag said $4.99.  After passing on it a few times and circling the wine section I decided to give it a shot.

I absolutely love it!  I will say right off the bat that if you love Reislings you will love this wine.  The label states that it is an Apple Wine with Peach and you definitely taste both.  It’s a similar flavor to Reisling with much less sweetness.  Here’s the description of this wine taken directly from the winemaker’s website:

“Two parts real Washington grown apples, one part natural peach essence, a dash of artful blending and a pinch of domestic charm…you haven’t been this happy since your first easy bake oven.  One glass will send you right back to grandma’s kitchen and the sweet smell of homemade apple pie. Pleasing as peach cobbler and refreshing as a cool glass of Riesling on a warm summer evening, Sweet Pea is ripe with golden delicious apple flavors, hints of peachy sweetness and a crisp, clean finish. Who says housewives have to be desperate?”

Definitely give this wine a shot!  You won’t be disappointed!

I’m a wine fanatic.  My favorite and most consumed version of wine would be the cabernet sauvignon, but I also enjoy a nice reisling every so often too.  Because of my “habit” I tend to usually go for the cheapest wines I can find.  Having tasted some pretty expensive wines, I know what’s good, what’s ok and what’s complete crap.  I am constantly on the lookout for great deals in my local stores, which also gives me the chance to sample various cheap brands without feeling to bad if I absolutely hate it.

Lately I’ve invested quite a bit in a California Cab Sav named Tisdale.  It’s usually about $6.99 a bottle but has been on sale for a few weeks now at QFC for $3.99 (a perfect price imo).  I couldn’t find a good image of it online, but it’s got a sweet label on it depicting a tree with a black crow in it - colors mostly black and red on white label.  Of the cheapo wines I’ve tried this one is very smooth - good with or without food - excellent with dark chocolate.

As a public service I will post on this blog whenever I come across deals such as this.

If you are really in a pinch, need to get the heck out of the house for a day or both.  I highly suggest taking a trip out to Chateau St. Michelle winery out in Woodinville, WA  They have wine tasting for free and it gives you the chance to try wines that you might otherwise not be able to afford on a regular basis.  One can leave the tasting with a very nice buzz.  You can then trudge across the street to the Columbia Winery, pay $5 and get yet another round of tastes.  By the end you are pushing mega buzzed…and all you spent was $5 plus whatever gas you burned to get there.