EZ Rock Wine Chat Health Benefits Part Two
Heather Kingston
ISG Certified Sommelier
ALSA Educator
One of the main ingredients in red wine to be of benefit is Resveratrol, a compound found in the skins of the red grape. Resveratrol in an antioxidant and works to inhibit the growth of blood clots. Red wine is the superior drink for health benefits. The amount of daily consumption for benefit is still under investigation. It is difficult to recommend a daily amount. The different studies I have read seem to indicate any amount between one and three glasses a day. It depends on your age, sex, build, genetic makeup, state of health and consumption, with or without food. Women absorb more alcohol than men so our daily limits are lower. Pregnant women should abstain from all alcohol. There is scientific proof that the baby takes a drink when pregnant mom takes a drink. This can cause abnormal facial features and low intelligence. It is called “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome”.
It is important to understand that sensible, moderate consumption is important. The “one is good, ten is better” will not work with alcohol. In part two of “Health Benefits of Wine”, I will continue pointing out the various effects on our bodies if we abide by moderate enjoyment.
Here are a couple of great reds to try.
Heartland, Shiraz, Australia,CSPC#714167. A classic Australian Shiraz rich in big fruit. Plums and black berries. Loaded with antioxidants!
Chateau D’Argadens, France,CSPC#721241. There are two clues on the bottle that help decipher the contents of this Bordeaux red. Sichel is the name of the wine making family. They make superior Bordeaux wines from this entry level, right up to very pricy wines to cellar.

EZ Rock Wine Chat
Heath Benefits of Wine – Part One.
Heather Kingston ISG Certified Sommelier
ALSA Educator

For quite some time we have been hearing about the health benefits of wine. Various research groups make claims for improved health. Moderate drinking may improve memory, help circulation, regulate insulin and maintain a healthy heart. Research is going on all the time to find the extent of health spin offs the grape has to offer us. This new interest in health benefits contradicts the message sent out in the 1970s and 1980s that any alcohol was toxic. The result of consumption would be liver damage and brain damage. Since then, moderate consumption has been touted as a convincing healthy living strategy.
It seems moderate alcohol consumption improves the balance between the harmful and beneficial forms of cholesterol. Without cholesterol clogging the arteries, the blood flow is rapid and can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. One of the main ingredients in red wine to be of benefit is Resveratrol, a compound found in the skins of the red grape. Resveratrol in an antioxidant and works to inhibit the growth of blood clots. Red wine is the superior drink for health benefits.
Although Pinot Noir looks light in color it actually has plenty of antioxidants. This is a good wine grape for keep the free radicals in check! A good moderately priced Pinot Noir is, Wine By Joe – Pinot Noir. Light easy drinking and hails from Oregon, my favorite Pinot Noir growing area.
Note: I am not a doctor and I am not giving advice. The information is from studies published by various media.

EZ Rock Can we Grow grapes in Edmonton?
There is criteria vitis vinifera need to survive. They like to live between 30 – 50 degrees latitude. That puts Edmonton out of the running. We are too far north with a climate too severe for vitus vinifera to survive. Even as far south as the Niagara wine growing region there is a possibility of winter kill.
This doesn’t mean grapes cannot grow here. There are hearty varieties indigenous to North America that survives here. They do not make very good wine though. The taste isn’t very good and can be described as, ‘foxy’. The good new is there are hard working viticulturists that are constantly working away developing clones that will actually survive a winter in Edmonton. I can barely do that!
There was a time few vitus vinifera could survive Canadian weather, but with the help of new clones being developed we find ourselves with rich wine lands.
Both the Okanagan and parts of the Niagara are at the upper latitudes. Good clones and positioning of the vines due south for good sunshine are important. If you see grape wine made in Alberta; best run away for now. Stick to our fantastic fruit wines we have in Alberta. Look for Ensante, Forbidden Fruit and a new fruit winery just east of Edmonton, Barr Estate Winery. Good wines – no grapes!

Vancouver Playhouse Wine Fest
On April 19th, the Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival kicked off its 32nd year. This fundraiser grew from a creative event to make money for the local playhouse, to one of the biggest wine festivals in North America. There are 197 wineries from 14 different countries. Over 700 wines are available to sample. The event is a week long and includes educational seminars, food and wine pairing events and of course the enormous international tasting hall. There are various event venues around the downtown core of Vancouver, but most of the events are at the Vancouver Convention Center, on the waterfront beside the Pan Pacific Hotel.

Who’s at the fest?
Grant Schneider from Aligra Wine and Spirits, Edmonton – Dare to Compare New Zealand and Argentina’s Wines seminar. This was a two hour, twelve wine tasting with each wine explained by a principal from the winery. It was a pleasure to learn about these wines by the people who are involved with them every day.
Satesh Narine and Heather Kingston with Paul Hobbs. Paul has a Master’s degree in Enology from UC Davis. He worked for some of the top wineries in California and now owns his own. He is a world traveller, consulting in Chile, Argentina, France and Hungary. He is vastly knowledgeable and very entertaining. We sampled fifteen wines over two hours.
Craig Simpson is in the wine business. His team his putting together the portfolio for the new Simmer Fine Wine and Spirits. There are some wines here that have no Alberta representation, so this is a great place to go looking for new product.
Mark the Date! The Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival 2011 will be held from March 28th to April 3rd. I will keep everyone informed well in advance of the 2011 dates. Tickets for the events get snapped up quickly. There are very affordable hotel packages offered for the event. If you love learning about wine and Vancouver is a destination you enjoy, this is the event to attend in British Columbia.

Kunde Estate Winery and Vineyards.
I sat down recently to chat with Jeff Kunde, Chairman of Kunde Estate Winery, located in Sonoma, California. The estate has been family owned and operated for five generations. They own 1,850 contiguous acres with 700 acres planted to twenty different varieties of wine grapes. The balance of property is oak woodlands, native grasslands and chaparral. Jeff impressed the importance his family places on sustainable winegrowing. This eco-friendly term means a balance of economic, environmental and social practices. The estate is “Sustainably Certified”. Jeff is passionate about all the programs at his well established family estate. Here is a destination winery to put on your list of places to visit. There is hiking, bird watching, gorgeous vistas of the vicinity and wine to sample. The movie, “Bottle Shock” was partially filmed on the property. The film crew added a few Citroen cars and voila, France!
Here are two wines I was fortunate enough to sample.
Kunde Estate, 2007, Viogner, cspc #731081. This ultra luxe Viogner has tropical fruit, honeysuckle and just enough acidity to give up a nice tart finish. Wine Enthusiast gave it 90 points, but I will give it 91.
Kunde Estate, 2004, Syrah, cspc#723006. There is an excellent concentration of plum and red cherries. I applaud the talented winemaker, Tim Bell, for offering a California Syrah that is classy, bold, but not in your face with fruit and oak. California has a tradition of over the top wines. It is nice to sample a refined Syrah.
For more information go to www.kunde.com
Find the wines in Alberta. Go to www.alberta-liquor-guide.com and click on ‘find a product’.
Heather Kingston is an International Sommelier Guild, Certified Sommelier working in Edmonton as an educator for the ISG and the Alberta Liquor Store Association. For more information go to www.hlkwine.com

Oregon’s Sokol Blosser Winery
Oregon has emerged on the wine scene as the place to get your Pinot Noir from. Nay sayers said it could not be done. In the 1970’s a man named David Lett made great wine and proved them wrong in the very best way. Yes, Pinot Noir is difficult to grow and manage, but it can be done in Oregon. Wine producers in Burgundy, France have bought vineyards in this area due the exceptional wines produced. Dundee, Oregon is where some of the finest vineyards in the State can be found. The Sokol Blosser winery is located in Dundee, a short drive from Portland.
Alex Sokol Blosser the Co-President of the winery was in town pouring samples for devoted Oregon wine lovers. The Pinot Noir is showing soft and smooth tannins with gorgeous raspberry and cherry notes. This is a classic Pinot Noir which spends two years from harvest to bottle. It is a process of care and attention with a long French oak aging that makes this wine superior.
The estate has not been without its challenges. The first wines were bottled in 1977, but twenty years later a nasty pest showed up. A louse called Phylloxera was not supposed survive as far north as Oregon, but it made its way there and infested the roots of the vines. The dead vines had to be replanted at huge cost to the production. The massive hurdle was managed and now the estate is Certified Organic. The wines are better than ever. Other offerings from Sokol Blosser include Evolution, a perfect white wine that goes with Asian cuisine and Meditrina, a red blend that compliments a crowd of diverse wine drinkers.
Find the wines in Alberta. Go to www.alberta-liquor-guide.com and click on ‘find a product’. Heather Kingston is an International Sommelier Guild, Certified Sommelier working in Edmonton as an educator for the ISG and the Alberta Liquor Store Association. For more information go to www.hlkwine.com

Yes, he is all he is percieved to be. Straight goods and a brilliant, focused winemaker. Great guy and I was so pleased to meet him in Calgary during a tasting, March 9, 2010.

Charles Smith and Heather Kingston ISG Certified Sommelier