There are many different uses of wine. It is not only for consumption as it is a beverage with significant value and considered sophisticated. Wine is significant to many different cuisines, religions, and it has many different health related benefits.

There are many different wines used for cooking purposes. Many deserts have wine in them, such as the Black Forest Cherry. Many people like to marinade meats in wine before grilling or baking in the oven.

Wine has many religious uses. Because wine induces a mind altering state, the Dionysus used it as a sacramental entheogen. It is an integral part of the Jewish laws, such as Kiddush. This is a blessing which sanctifies the Jewish holiday with wine.

The Christianity religion uses wine also during the Eucharist. The last supper shows Jesus Christ sitting with his disciples drinking a glass of wine and sharing bread. There are many denominations that believe in the Eucharist, including the Roman Catholics and the Protestants.

There are also many health benefits of wine. Red wine contains a chemical called resveratrol. This chemical has cardio protective and chemo protective effects in studies of animals. Procyanidins are known to have heart benefits and they are most commonly found in red wines. Procyanidins suppress the process in the body that constricts the blood vessels.

Sulphites are contained in all wines due to the fermentation process. Some wines have more than others. Sulphites have been known to cause problems with people who have asthma.

Wine is known to be healthy to drink occasionally. If you drink one glass of wine a day it is considered to be healthy for your heart. Pregnant women are also okay to drink a small glass of wine each day. It is known to be a heart healer and healthy for the body because it provides a relaxing affect on the muscles and the brain.

Excessively drinking wine can lead to problems and cause health issues if it is on a constant basis. It is not advised to drink excessive amounts of wine due to the high alcohol content in most wines.

Uses of Wine: Glassware

Choosing a Glass

When choosing wine glasses it is important to think about a few things. You usually want a large bowl on your wine glass when tasting red wines. This gives you adequate room on the glass to swirl the wine and more of a surface area. These glasses should allow you to pour in from 10 to 20 ounces of wine in them. The best red wine glasses are oval shaped and they narrow slightly at the top of the glass.

The white wine glasses should be a slender flute shaped glass. This is necessary if you want to enjoy a white wine to the best of its flavor. A glass of white wine should be significantly smaller than a glass of red wine.

Holding a Wine Glass

When you are wine tasting it is still important to know how to properly hold your wine glass. This will show you are well versed and you have proper etiquette. You should always hold your glass by the stem.

Never hold your glass of wine by the bowl of the glass. Your hands are warm and if you hold the glass by the bowl you will warm the wine. You also want to be sure you don’t put any fingerprints on the bowl of the glass either.

Washing Wine Glasses

There are many different approaches you can take to washing wine glasses properly. You want to be sure you get the glass completely clean. Some people like to do a rinse method with hot water. If you choose to use only water with your wine glasses be sure to get all of the residual wine out of the glass before you set it out to dry. You can wash your wine glasses with a mild soap and a sponge too.

Some people like to use soda to wash their glasses. This is common for washing expensive glasses like crystal. Some glasses you can wash in the dishwasher. It is best to only wash the wine glasses that have short stems in the dishwasher. When you wash a long stemmed glass in the dishwasher, the stems are often prone to break off.

After you wash wine glasses you should set them out to air dry. Lay the glasses on a towel and let them dry. You won’t have hard water stains on the glasses. If you do wash your dishes in the dishwasher it is best to cancel the dry session and pull the glasses out to air dry.