Health & Fitness
Wine-Tasting in...Cleveland?
If you love wine, you can raise a glass to your (heart) health at these local vineyards.
Let’s face it: Cleveland isn’t exactly the Midwest’s Napa Valley. Lucky for wine enthusiasts in this town, though, a willingness to get out and about can lead you to some truly spectacular vineyards and tasting cellars.
Here are just a couple of the local options for wine-lovers to get a great taste of regional vintages.
Cleveland Area Wineries
The Thorn Creek Winery
As if the food weren’t enough at this local vineyard, the beautiful gardens, Cabernet, and Riesling make this winery a wine-tasting haven you won’t soon forget.
Debonne Vineyards
If you can spare an hour’s drive, try heading east to Debonne Vineyards for any of their spectacular activities or tasting events, including hot air balloon days, live music, and classic car shows. Sample their white wines for an evening or reserve the gazebo for your next party.
The Cleveland Wine Festival
If you can’t take the time to drive to these wonderful Ohio winemakers, let them come to you. The Cleveland Wine Festival is coming to town in July (27th and 28th at Voinovich Bicentennial Park) and will showcase many of the regional vintages. Sample a few and take a bottle home without making the drive out of town!
Wine and Your Heart Health
As always, let’s not forget the health angle.
Wine is good for you - in moderation, at least. Research is mounting on the positive effects that a daily dose of red wine can have on your heart and circulatory system.
Antioxidants and other healthful compounds from the grapes’ skin can help dilate blood vessels and reduce clotting. Unfortunately for wine-lovers, these effects are only beneficial with the first glass. For most individuals, drinking a second or third glass can negate and even reverse the healthful effects of a nice red wine, but 1 may help fight heart disease.
The recommended daily intake of an alcoholic beverage is a max of 1 drink for women and up to 2 for men. A standard glass of wine should be 5 ounces, beer 12, and hard liquor (88 proof) 1.5 ounces. For those who prefer white over red (or a micro-brew or mixed drink instead of wine altogether), rest assured that you will not be left out of all of red wine’s benefits.
Research shows that light and moderate drinkers of alcoholic beverages experience better cardiovascular health and fewer neurodegenerative problems than those who never imbibe. Just check with your doctor before tossing any back – individuals on certain medications or with certain health conditions should not drink alcohol.