A Tainted Cork Could be the Problem

Live Long and Prosper ...

LONGER LIVES may result from the consumption of resveratrol, a substance found in certain red wines, according to new research reported in last Sunday's New York Times ("Life-Extending Chemical Is Found in Certain Red Wines", By Nicholas Wade). The lead paragraph is worth quoting: "Biologists have found a class of chemicals that they hope will make people live longer by activating an ancient survival reflex. One of the chemicals, a natural substance known as resveratrol, is found in red wines, particularly those made in cooler climates like that of New York." It has long been known that resveratrol-a natural chemical produced by grapes to ward off disease-is also a potent preventative of heart disease and cancer, but the probability of increased longevity is a major new finding. Scientists involved in the research said that human life could be extended by 30 percent if humans respond to resveratrol the same way as animals, and that even someone who began consuming resveratrol after 50 years of age could expect to have 10 extra years of life. While all types of grapes have the potential for producing resveratrol, only those in certain climates (particularly cool, and humid) generate significant amounts, and disease-prone varieties like Pinot Noir typically produce the most. Several years ago, research by Cornell University's Dr. Le Creasy demonstrated the differences in grape varieties and the much higher levels of resveratrol in New York red wines than those from other states or countries due to climatic differences. Only red wines have significant levels of resveratrol due to the winemaking process: White wines are made with virtually no skin contact, while red wines get their color from long exposure to the skins, which also contain the resveratrol. While the findings are dramatic, it is important to emphasize that much more research needs to be done; that resveratrol is just one of many substances in wine (first and foremost, alcohol) which have health benefits when consumed in moderation; that it is illegal for wineries to promote the health benefits of wine; and that wine is not medicine. It is, as Robert Mondavi so aptly put it, "liquid food" which makes other foods taste better. And even if turns out to not increase the length of our lives, it certainly improves the quality of life.

(C) 2003 The New York Wine & Grape Foundation

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