In looking for a good, red wine to drink for health reasons, what is the best for diabetics?
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at
2:20 am
blutoadmirer asked:
We are wanting to start drinking red wine as talked about on Oprah, but we have a family member who is diabetic so we want to choose wisely. Right now, we are drinking a cabernet sauvignon that is semi dry, and a bit tart. We would like a little less dry, less tart wine but want to watch the sugar. Any suggestions?
We are wanting to start drinking red wine as talked about on Oprah, but we have a family member who is diabetic so we want to choose wisely. Right now, we are drinking a cabernet sauvignon that is semi dry, and a bit tart. We would like a little less dry, less tart wine but want to watch the sugar. Any suggestions?
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alcohol is a problem in any wine you choose
Try a gamay (Beaujolais), or pinot noir. Those are red and have less tannins and are usually fruity. Morgon makes a great and affordable Beaujolais and Most burgundies are delicious also most willamette valley pinot’s from washington are good.
Wine, period, is relatively high in sugar, especially those with fruit tones and one’s that aren’t dry. So, please take this into account if it’s going to be drunk by a diabetic.
Instead of starting with blends like Burgundy (Beaujolais is a Burgundy) or Bordeaux, both of which can be pricey and complex, I recommend that you try single varietals until you understand what you like and don’t like. I also recommend starting with the French grapes, because all wine making areas started with cuttings from France or Italy, again to build a reference for the others. I’d suggest starting with a “jug wine” maker specifically Red Bicyclette or Fat *******. These are French bottlings that a French family would buy for daily meals, so they are reliable and affordable ($10 to $15/bottle, or less depending on state taxes).
So, look for Red Bicyclette or Fat ******* in:
Merlot – a light red, with berry flavours (light enough for baked fish)
Pinot Noir – another light red like merlot but with a more fruit than berry influence.
Cabernet sauvignon – a robust red, best with roasted and grilled meat, tastes nutty
Syrah/Shiraz (same thing) – another robust red, can be smoky in flavour.
Merlot is the base wine in many blends. If you don’t like merlot, you might also avoid Bordeaux and/or Burgundies. There is also a Cabernet Franc, which is grown primarily in the Loire Valley, but it’s not as popular or common as the others I’ve listed.
Outside of the French, try Chilean Malbec or the two major Italian blends (Italians don’t make single varietals) Chianti (light) or Valpolicella (robust).
Californian wines tend to be sweeter than French because the grapes get enough extra sunlight to raise the sugar level. Excellent wines also come from Australia, Canada and South Africa.
BTW, there is no such thing as a California (or anywhere else) Bordeaux, Burgundy (Beaujolais), Chianti or Valpolicella (the names of the blends are controled by French or Italian winemakers). The varietals are the names of the grapes themselves, so they can’t be “owned” by anyone.
I AM a diabetic … dunno what kind of treatment your relative is on, but if it’s an insulin pump or intensive therapy through shots, a glass of wine (or two) should be easy enough to count up and account for through a bolus or larger injection than normal.
As to a drinkable red wine: I recently tried the Menage a Trois brand and really liked it. I enjoy red wines more than whites typically, but found the Menage a Trois a good fit for both seasoned wine drinkers and those who enjoy an occasional glass.