In honor of National Drink Wine Day, which will take place Thursday, we wanted to share all of the great things about wine. We all know wine is great, but learning a little about what is being drunk is always a bonus.  

The basics

Let’s start with a few wine basics. As we all know, wine is made from grapes. The grapes are grown on a farm called a vineyard. The yeast, which is already in the grape skins, mixes with the added sugar and therefore makes wine. This process can take days or even years to complete.

Different wines

Many different kinds of wines are available but they are all broken down into six groups. The groups are white wines, red wines, rose wines, sparkling wines, dessert wines and fortified wines. White wines tend to be drier and sweeter compared to red wines, which are usually aged longer and tend to have a more bitter taste. Rose wines tend to be a little sweeter because of the lack of skin on the grapes in the wine. Sparkling wines are just carbonated to make more of a festive drink, while dessert wines are high in sugar to provide a better treat for after dinner. Fortified wines are wines that have had anything added to them during the wine-making process.

Pros of drinking wine

Drinking wine provides many benefits. Red wine has heart-healthy characteristics because of the antioxidants in the grapes’ skin. The red wines help lower LDL cholesterol. White wine can be good for the lungs and keep them healthy. Sparkling wine tends to have less calories than all other wine. It also has the same benefits as red wine and white wine because it contains the same beneficial ingredients as the others.

Cons of drinking wine

Wine drinkers may not want to hear this but drinking wine possesses some negatives. It has been discovered that alcohol can actually lead to breast cancer. Calories can build up when drinking wine, especially when more than one drink is consumed. White wines are the most acidic out of all the wines. They can cause damage to teeth and other body organs. White wines also tend to to have less antioxidants compared to other wines. Sparkling wines commonly cause migraines.

National Drink Wine Day is a good day for everyone, but it is important to know what you are drinking. Drinking wine can be a great way to end a hard day. Just remember to drink responsibly and have fun.