"Sideways," the acclaimed and Oscar-winning film released last year, was more than a splendid cinematic essay. The film showed us how some people choose to use alcohol to evade a distasteful reality, whereas others consume alcohol not only for its aesthetic features, but because wine is a collective experience that transcends borders, languages, occupations, lifestyles and gender - those pesky demographics that keep so many of us apart.
Only in America does wine appear to fail to transcend the borders of socioeconomic status.
People drink wine because, as Virginia Madsen's character in "Sideways" explains, "the more I drank, the more I liked what it made me think about."
She elucidates, "I like to think about the life of wine ... what was going on the year the grapes were growing, how the sun was shining, if it rained. I like to think about all the people who tended and picked the grapes. ....
"I like how wine continues to evolve, like if I opened a bottle of wine today, it would taste different than if I'd opened it on any other day, because a bottle of wine is actually alive. And it's constantly evolving and gaining complexity."
She then puts the cherry on top, "And it tastes so f---ing good."
Her speech is just as much a comment on human existence as it is a comment on wine.
My parents, thankfully, taught me to drink responsibly, for the right reasons: to enhance the food you are savoring and for the induced premium buzz. They taught me not to consume alcohol to the extent you end up hugging the toilet, doing something you utterly regret (and don't remember doing) or simply evidencing your blatant overindulgence.
Let me clarify. When I was a senior in high school, fellow classmates brought in pictures taken over the weekend at parties. My friends had wide smiles on their faces as they hurled in a bathroom. I, however, never felt that regurgitation was enjoyable.
Aside from not puking, there are actually health benefits to drinking wine. By and large, research has shown that compared with people who do not drink wine - or, naturally, compared with those who drink too much - people who consume vino in moderate amounts live longer, enjoying up to a 50 percent reduction of their risk of cardiovascular disease. They also have reduced risk for strokes, a variety of cancers and diabetes, and exhibit better cognitive functioning as well.
There is a correlation between lifestyle and wine consumption, such that people who consume wine generally lead healthier lifestyles -for example, wine drinkers tend to smoke less than non-drinkers or drinkers of beer or other liquors. But the health benefits are still clear after accounting for lifestyle.
Now, moderate drinking is generally considered around 2 to 3 drinks for men and 1 to 2 drinks for women per day. One drink is considered one 5-ounce glass of wine, or about one-fifth of a regular 750 milliliter bottle. Also, you cannot save all your drinks for the weekend; some of the benefits of wine consumption are transient.
Of course, there are a host of other factors to be taken into consideration if you are to truly benefit from moderate wine consumption - such as pregnancy and family health history - so check with your doctor before starting a daily regimen of wine consumption. And of course, never drink and drive.
Health organizations have been reluctant to espouse moderate consumption of wine because some people might misread the recommendations, as spelled out above.
Wine is not a medicine or a quick fix, but consuming vino responsibly and knowledgeably, combined with exercise and wholesome meals, can be a divine experience of enhancing your mind, body and spirit.
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