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Being the UK's leading online retailer of wine coolers, there is one thing we know about, and it’s wine.
Wine as a whole is a complicated and delicate drink, and there is almost an art to enjoying it properly.
To celebrate our love for all things wine, we’ve listed some of the most interesting and weirdest facts that you (probably) didn’t know about wine.
Wine Is Good For The Heart
Wine enthusiasts will claim that a glass of wine a day is good for you, but they may be on to something.
Research has shown that the antioxidants in wine (red wine especially) can prevent coronary artery disease and could also lower the risk of strokes. Maybe a glass a day really does keep the doctor away!
We recommend drinking in moderation though, as caning the stuff isn’t exactly going to do you any favours.
Not All Wines Are Vegan
It would make sense to assume that all wine is vegan, but this isn’t the case.
The filtration process for some wines actually uses animal byproducts such as gelatin, albumin and casein, meaning the wine isn’t exactly suitable for anyone practising veganism.
If you live a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, it’s always best to check the label first!
Wine Flavoured Snacks
Over the years, brave innovators have tried to infuse wine into many beloved foods to much success (and some not so successful).
One of the most bizarre examples of wine and food combined actually comes from Japan, where you can get wine flavoured Kit Kats. Yes, you heard us - Wine Kit Kats.
Jacobsen Salt Co have also created a salt that is infused with pinot noir, and some people have used wine in ice creams too! Many supermarkets are even stocking wine flavoured crisps, and wine infused cheese.
World’s Oldest Bottle
Wine has been around for what feels like the dawn of time, and the wine making process has been refined and improved upon for years and years.
People have made collecting vintage wines into a huge industry, but this bottle takes “vintage” to a whole new level.
The world’s oldest bottle of wine actually dates all the way back to 325 AD, and is currently being kept in the Historical Museum of the Palatinate in Speyer, Germany.
Some wines get better with age, but we think this one might be past it’s best days…
Scared Of Wine?
Everyone is scared of something, and we each have our own unique thing that sends shivers down our spines.
Did you know that wine has the power to give some people this feeling?
“Oenophobia” is the fear of wine, and is actually a very real thing. It is not just fear of wine, but also covers intense hatred of the drink.
It’s safe to say that we don’t suffer from this phobia.
Women Are Better Wine Tasters
It’s been widely reported that women actually have a much better sense of smell than men, making them better at tasting wine in the process.
We all know how important smell is to the wine tasting process, so a heightened sense of smell is actually beneficial in this case.
An Ancient Saying
Every saying has an origin, and some have more interesting backstories than others.
The saying “drinking to one’s health” actually dates back to ancient Greece, where the host would take the first drink of wine to show it wasn’t poisoned. Once the first sip had been taken, guests could relax and enjoy the rest of the meal without fear of impending death.
It might sound a little bit paranoid, but you could never be too safe back in those days.
Origin of Toasting
Continuing with an ancient theme, do you know where “toasting” comes from?
Toasting is the motion of giving a speech before enjoying a drink, and clanging glasses together in celebration, but that’s not what it used to mean.
Back in Roman times, they used to drop pieces of toast into their glasses to help with the amount of acidity that was found in the early process of wine-making.
Not Every Wine Should Be Aged
It’s a common myth that every wine gets better with age, but we’re about to bust this myth once and for all.
As much as 90% of wines actually taste better and are recommended to be consumed within the first year of production, so letting it age will actually have a negative effect.
Do your research and know which wines you should be keeping in storage for a later date.
Ageing Like A Fine Wine (Literally)
Earlier in this list, we spoke about wine having a positive effect on reducing the likes of artery disease and strokes, but this next case takes that to a new level.
Jeanne Calment, the world’s oldest person claimed that she lived so long thanks to a diet of olive oil, port wine and 1kg of chocolate per week!
Living from February 1875 to August 1997, Jeanne was an impressive 122 years old before she passed away and it’s crazy to think that her intake of wine attributed to her longevity.
Bathing In Wine
Wine enthusiasts in Japan can actually take a bath in wine thanks to a spa that describes itself as a “hot springs amusement park”.
This quirky spa allows guests to take a bath in a variety of drinks, including wine, coffee and green tea and it created a huge buzz on social media when it opened.
According to the spa, “bathing in red wine is a rejuvenating treatment for the body”. Anyone up for a trip to Japan?
A Strange Mixture
Did you know that it is quite popular to mix wine with coke in countries like China, Spain and Greece?
In China, people who want to show their wealth will often mix expensive red wines with the likes of Coke and Sprite to make the taste a bit more palatable.
I think we’ll just have to take their word for it.
If you happen to be looking at purchasing a wine fridge, why not browse our selection of Vin Garde storage units? Vin Garde offers a temperature range varying between five to 22 degrees Celcius. If you have a collection of wine, having either a built-in or freestanding cooling unit could be massively beneficial.
We work closely with Vin Garde, providing customers with an excellent array of products that have been manufactured by them. If you’d like to find out any more information about Vin Garde, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team today - we look forward to assisting new, potential customers.
Contact us today for any questions you may have regarding our collection of wine fridges.
