In a recent international wine tasting event, a Canadian Chardonnay, Le Clos Jordanne-Claystone Terrace beat in a blind tasting pedigree rivals from Napa, California and Burgundy, France. The upset is being called the Judgment of Montreal. (similar to the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris). 

In various controlled studies, it has been shown that red wine – when CONSUMED IN MODERATION – increases blood HDL, or good cholesterol, decreases LDL, or bad cholesterol, and even more importantly, discourages the formation of clots that can close off arteries and cause heart attacks or strokes.

red wine – when CONSUMED IN MODERATION – increases blood HDL, or good cholesterol

It could be the alcohol in the wine that is causing the effect, but white wine is not as effective. Tests have shown that red grape juice that is not fermented is also protective so it appears that it is something in the red part of the red wine that is the active ingredient. There is good evidence now that it is the tannins in red grape juice (fermented or not) that provides the protective effect. Tannins are complex molecules that give a young wine its astringent taste. Most wine affectionados lay the wine away for many years to allow the tannins to break down and produce a smooth balanced wine. Tannins are also powerful antioxidants, and it is this property that makes tannins important in the fight against heart disease.

Scientists believe that the polyphenols in red wine seeds and skins are responsible for the health benefits. So any red wine will do. Please note that the amount of polyphenols varies with grape variety. For sweet wines, you might want to consider Ice wines.

Resveratrol Pedia

Resveratrol (trans-resveratrol) is a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. Resveratrol has also been produced by chemical synthesis and is sold as a nutritional supplement derived primarily from Japanese knotweed. In mouse and rat experiments, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar-lowering and other beneficial cardiovascular effects of resveratrol have been reported. Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and is a constituent of red wine, but apparently not in sufficient amounts to explain the French paradox. Experiments have shown that resveratrol treatment extended the life of fruit flies, nematode worms and short living fish.