Dennis Vineyards

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Wine & Health

Here's to Your Health! Resveratrol- Resveratrol (rez-VER-a-trawl) is a chemical that is found in more than 70 species of plants and grapes are particularly good sources of this chemical. In fact, studies conducted by Cornell University found that muscadine grapes have up to 40 times the amount of Resveratrol found in French wines. Resveratrol is produced in plants during times of environmental stress such as adverse weather, insect, animal or pathogenic attack. Resveratrol is found in the skin of grapes. Fresh grape skin contains about 50 to 100 micrograms of resveratrol per gram, while red wine concentrations range from 1.5 to 3 milligrams per liter. This compound is thought to be responsible, in part, for the cholesterol-lowering effects of red wine and may also explain why those consuming a Mediterranean-type diet (of which red wine consumption is characteristic) may have a reduced risk of heart disease.1 Resveratrol and Dennis Vineyard's- Wines Our 1998 Noble wine was the 4th highest wine in resveratrol that Cornell University had ever analyzed and, at that time, they had been testing wines for ten years. It was the second highest resveratrol wine available to the consumer and we quickly sold out once word got out. Our Noble wines continue to test very high in resveratrol. Our 1999 Carlos wine was the highest level of resveratrol in a white wine that Cornell University had ever tested. Currently the resveratrol levels of our wines from greatest to least are as follows: 1) Noble (any sweetness level), 2) Ison(any sweetness level), 3) Carlos (any sweetness level) and 4) Carnola (any sweetness level). Wine and Your Brain- Alberto Bertelli and his colleagues at the Human Anatomy Institute at the University of Milan have found that resveratrol increases the activity and effectiveness of an important neural enzyme by up to sevenfold. The enzyme, known as Map-kinase, stimulates and regenerates neural cells. The researchers tested resveratrol on human neural cells in laboratory cultures and found that it made them grow small extensions through which they could connect with neighboring cells. This is a key finding since the contacts between some neural cells are broken in both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. "By daily reinforcing these contacts, we can prevent neurodegeneration," says Bertelli.2 Wine and Cancer Prevention- Dr. John Pezzuto, in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois, has shown that resveratrol may prevent cancer. In a recent study, Dr. Pezzuto and his colleagues were able to show that resveratrol was effective during all three phases of the cancer process: initation, promotion and progression. Resveratrol was found to have antioxidant and antimutagenic activity and also increased levels of the phase II drug-metabolizing enzyme quinone reductase, an enzyme capable of metabolically detoxifying carcinogens, thereby ridding them from the body. All three of these physiological effects are indicative of resveratrol preventing cancer inititation-the initial, irreversible stage of the cancer process. Resveratrol also demonstrated antiinflammatory effects and inhibited the activity of the cyclooxygenase and hydroperoxidase enzymes (suggestive of antipromotion activity) in addition to causing the differentation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells, indicating that this compound may also depress the progression phase of cancer.3 Wine in a Healthy Lifestyle- Moderate consumption of wine, meaning one to two glasses per day (3-4 oz/glass), may actually be good for your health according to Dr. Curtis Ellison, Chief of Preventive Medicine at Boston University. Wine has been recommended to help reduce the incidence of troublesome sleep disorders, aids the digestive process, stimulates the intake of nutrients and helps reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by reducing cholesterol. 4 Dr. Arthur Klatsky, chief of the Division of Cardiology at the Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente Medical group monitored 8,000 people for 10 years. The results showed that people who drink one or two glasses of wine per day live longer and are less likely to die from all causes than either abstainers or heavy drinkers. (No one should consume alcohol and operate a motor vehicle or machinery, and people with problematic drinking in their family histories should likewise stay away from alcohol) 5 1. Information from www.ag.uiuc.edu 2. From New Scientist, 9 January 1999 3. Information from www.ag.uiuc.edu 4. Moderate Wine Consumption and Health: A Scientific Perspective 5. Alcohol and Mortality: A New, Prospective Kaiser Permanente Study, Annals of Internal Medicine, 117, 1992

Here's to Your Health!

Resveratrol-
 
   Resveratrol (rez-VER-a-trawl) is a chemical that is found in more than 70 species of plants and grapes are particularly good sources of this chemical. In fact, studies conducted by Cornell University found that muscadine grapes have up to 40 times the amount of Resveratrol found in French wines. Resveratrol is produced in plants during times of environmental stress such as adverse weather, insect, animal or pathogenic attack. Resveratrol is found in the skin of grapes. Fresh grape skin contains about 50 to 100 micrograms of resveratrol per gram, while red wine concentrations range from 1.5 to 3 milligrams per liter. This compound is thought to be responsible, in part, for the cholesterol-lowering effects of red wine and may also explain why those consuming a Mediterranean-type diet (of which red wine consumption is characteristic) may have a reduced risk of heart disease.1

Resveratrol and Dennis Vineyard's-

Wines Our 1998 Noble wine was the 4th highest wine in resveratrol that Cornell University had ever analyzed and, at that time, they had been testing wines for ten years. It was the second highest resveratrol wine available to the consumer and we quickly sold out once word got out. Our Noble wines continue to test very high in resveratrol. Our 1999 Carlos wine was the highest level of resveratrol in a white wine that Cornell University had ever tested. Currently the resveratrol levels of our wines from greatest to least are as follows: 1) Noble (any sweetness level), 2) Ison(any sweetness level), 3) Carlos (any sweetness level) and 4) Carnola (any sweetness level).

Wine and Your Brain-

Alberto Bertelli and his colleagues at the Human Anatomy Institute at the University of Milan have found that resveratrol increases the activity and effectiveness of an important neural enzyme by up to sevenfold. The enzyme, known as Map-kinase, stimulates and regenerates neural cells. The researchers tested resveratrol on human neural cells in laboratory cultures and found that it made them grow small extensions through which they could connect with neighboring cells. This is a key finding since the contacts between some neural cells are broken in both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. "By daily reinforcing these contacts, we can prevent neurodegeneration," says Bertelli.2

Wine and Cancer Prevention-

Dr. John Pezzuto, in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois, has shown that resveratrol may prevent cancer. In a recent study, Dr. Pezzuto and his colleagues were able to show that resveratrol was effective during all three phases of the cancer process: initation, promotion and progression. Resveratrol was found to have antioxidant and antimutagenic activity and also increased levels of the phase II drug-metabolizing enzyme quinone reductase, an enzyme capable of metabolically detoxifying carcinogens, thereby ridding them from the body. All three of these physiological effects are indicative of resveratrol preventing cancer inititation-the initial, irreversible stage of the cancer process. Resveratrol also demonstrated antiinflammatory effects and inhibited the activity of the cyclooxygenase and hydroperoxidase enzymes (suggestive of antipromotion activity) in addition to causing the differentation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells, indicating that this compound may also depress the progression phase of cancer.3

Wine in a Healthy Lifestyle-

Moderate consumption of wine, meaning one to two glasses per day (3-4 oz/glass), may actually be good for your health according to Dr. Curtis Ellison, Chief of Preventive Medicine at Boston University. Wine has been recommended to help reduce the incidence of troublesome sleep disorders, aids the digestive process, stimulates the intake of nutrients and helps reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by reducing cholesterol. 4 Dr. Arthur Klatsky, chief of the Division of Cardiology at the Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente Medical group monitored 8,000 people for 10 years. The results showed that people who drink one or two glasses of wine per day live longer and are less likely to die from all causes than either abstainers or heavy drinkers. (No one should consume alcohol and operate a motor vehicle or machinery, and people with problematic drinking in their family histories should likewise stay away from alcohol) 5

1.  Information from www.ag.uiuc.edu

2.  From New Scientist, 9 January 1999

3.  Information from www.ag.uiuc.edu

4.  Moderate Wine Consumption and Health: A Scientific Perspective

5.  Alcohol and Mortality: A New, Prospective Kaiser Permanente Study, Annals of Internal Medicine, 117, 1992