If there’s one thing Americans love with a meal, it’s a glass of wine. In 2016, 949 million gallons of wine were consumed the United States and the retail sales of U.S. wine are expected to increase 11% by 2020.
Among U.S. wine lovers, red wine is the popular choice at 38%, followed by 32% of wine drinkers favoring white. Of course, any type of alcohol is best enjoyed in moderation, but there are many benefits to drinking red wine:
- It lowers your cholesterol
- It protects your heart
- It helps control your blood sugar
- It gives your brain a boost
- It’s effective for fighting colds
- It helps fight cancer
- It helps you get slim
In addition to these benefits, the old adage of a glass or two of wine a day being good for you has been proven true.
Red wines have certainly proven popular, but each one is not the same. Some people prefer Italian red wines such as Dolcetto or Sangiovese. Others prefer French red wines like Bordeaux. Whatever your pleasure, there are many factors involved when deciding what makes a red wine ‘great.’
- Heavier body
- Higher levels of alcohol
- Higher levels of tannin
- Flavor profiles
- Quality
- Potentially Increased Complexity
Knowing the differences in types of red wine can help you to pick a brand you like and ultimately increase your enjoyment of red wine.
If you’re brand new to wine, distinguishing between red and white wines, Italian red wines and German white wines can be confusing, but checking out a beginner’s guide can smarten you up about the different types of wine, how to read wine labels and where different kinds of wine come from in the world.
If you’re a wine connoisseur who’s looking to branch out and try some new wines, finding a guide to Italian red wines for beginners helps make the selection process a little easier if you’re looking for a new red wine. If you aren’t sure what to pick, visiting online sites like Wine Enthusiast provide pricing and reviews for different red wines.
Another good way to figure out what wines are good is through word of mouth. Ask friends what their favorite wines and wine brands are and see what they recommend. If you’re looking for more reviews of different wines, there are many wine apps you can download to a phone or tablet to see what people are drinking and what they’re saying.
If red wine isn’t your thing, there are plenty of benefits to drinking sparkling wine and champagne. On average, more than 13 million cases of sparkling wine are sold in a year and there are plenty of options available if you want to buy sparkling wine online. These benefits include:
- Heart health: If you buy sparkling wine online,some sparkling wines like Cava have been shown in studies to reduce buildup of plaque around the arteries, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.
- Brain health: The next time you want to buy sparkling wine online, you can do so knowing that you’re helping keep your brain healthy. Sparkling wine is very high in polyphenols which are antioxidants that prevent the death of cells from oxidative stress. In short, if you drink sparkling wine, you can help improve your brain function and help protect against injuries that occur during things like a stroke and Parkinson’s disease.
If you’re interesting in shopping online for red wine or wanting to buy sparkling wine online, whether you’re searching for Italian red wines, sparkling wine or fine French red wine, sites like Total Wine, Wine Deals and Cellar Masters offer plenty of deals and options.