Polyphenols in Wine
Polyphenols are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in plants. Recent research has found that there are many health benefits to polyphenols. All polyphenols are natural antioxidants. Certain polyphenols have also been found to protect against cancer, while others aid in development against diabetes, osteoporosis, and some have been found to provide cardiovascular benefits. A diet rich in polyphenols is recommended to receive the health benefits.
Polyphenols are found in a variety of dark skinned fruits, coffee, legumes and even chocolate. One of the best ways to get the health benefits of polyphenols is red wine. Both red and white wine contain polyphenols but red contains a higher level. The higher level is due to red wine being made with both the grape and the skin and seeds, where the majority of polyphenols are located. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2004) the red wine process produces 10 times the polyphenols of white wine. Both red and white wine contain polyphenols but red contains a higher level. The higher level is due to red wine being made with both the grape and the skin and seeds, where the majority of polyphenols are located. A glass of red wine contains about 100 mg of polyphenols. But certain red wines contain a much higher level and therefore are more beneficial to health. These are high altitude red wines.
Typically, dark skinned plants like pomegranates and red berries are high in these chemicals. And this is true with wine grapes too. The darker berries contain more polyphenols. A dark grape such as tannat will have more of the compound than a chardonnay. There are other factors at work too, the environment plays an important role in how much polyphenols are in the grape.
Lab tests have shown that high altitude wines are more effective in heart benefits than those grown at lower altitudes. Studies of a group of centenarians in Sardinia contributed their diet to the long life. A key ingredient to the diet was wine grown at a high altitude. Similar findings were posted the journal Nature where cardiovascular benefits were found in those who consumed wine from high altitudes in Mendoza.
A group of centenarians in Georgia also consume wine from very high altitudes.
What is it about high altitude that produces wine with higher health benefits?
First the higher elevation exposes the grape to more UV light. UV light stimulates the synthesis of polyphenols. A higher polyphenol count is also found in coffee beans gown at high altitude. More concentration of the compound in the grape equal more compound in the wine.
Second the highest concentration of polyphenol is found in the skin. High altitude grapes develop very thick skins to withstand the harsh conditions and atmosphere of their growing region. This thick skin holds more of the compound. Again, more polyphenols in the grape equals more polyphenols in the wine.
Just what altitude is considered high enough for a grape to be considered a high-altitude wine? This varies across continents but in general grapes grown over 3000 feet are considered high altitude. Research done at Mendoza, Argentina Cantena Vineyards has found that the higher the altitude the more concentrated the compounds and therefore the healthier. The highest vineyards in the world are located in Argentina’s Salta province.
Several wineries in Salta boast altitudes in the 8000 – 9000 ft region. Several wineries produce grapes from 5000 ft. and above. A high-altitude research is ongoing to discover just how beneficial these wines can be. Other countries are also growing high-altitude wines. Armenia has vineyards reaching 5250 feet. While the US boasts wineries in the 2000-3000 foot range while New Zealand has several wineries at 3000 feet.
These altitudes not only produce wines with higher health benefits but more intensity in taste as well. Wines produced at higher altitudes tend to have more tannins and more intensity of flavors. The harsh conditions produce less but a more concentrated grape. This makes the high-altitude wines good for aging.
In order to choose the best wines for one’s health a dark high-altitude wine will provide the most polyphenols. This provides the most cardiovascular benefits, anti-oxidizing attributes and better insulin regulation.
References:
Corder,R., Douthwaite, J.A., Lees, D.M., Noorafza, K.Q., Viseu dos Santos, A.C., Wood, E. G., & Carrier, M.J. (2001). Health: Endothelis-1 sythesis reduced by red wine, Nature, 414, pp. 863-864. Electronically downloaded March 27, 2018 from Ebsco database.
Lin, X., Wu, X., Liu, X. (2016). Phenolic Characteristics and antioxidant activity of merlot and cabernet sauvignon wines increase with vineyard altitude in a high-altitude region. Electronically retrieved March 27, 2018 from https://www.sasev.org/
Pandey, K.B., Rizvi, S. I., (2009). Plant polyphenols as dietary antioxidants in human health and disease. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Nov-Dec, 2(5): 270-278.
Waddington, E., Puddey, I. B., & Croft, K.D. (2004). Red wine polyphenolic compounds inhibit atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice independently of effects on lipid peroxidation. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 79, Issue 1, 1 January 2004, Pages 54–61. Electronically retrieved March 27, 2018 from Ebscohost database.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/422207-wines-with-high-levels-of-polyphenols/
https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/do-high-altitude-vineyards-hold-the-key-to-a-longer-life
https://transforming-science.com/introducing-polyphenols-colorful-healthy-compounds/
https://transforming-science.com/introducing-polyphenols-colorful-healthy-compounds/
https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2017/02/what-s-the-big-deal-about-high-altitude-wines
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2835915/
Katherine Senko 