| The recent health claims that wines have | | | | found on the labels of these wines and of all |
| antioxidants in them that may block free radicals, | | | | alcohol-based products. This is one of the few |
| prevent heart disease, cancer, and other | | | | times that the FDA gets involved in the realm of |
| conditions associated with aging seems to have | | | | spirited beverages with the TTB. You'll also find |
| some validity. Polyphenol, catechin, and | | | | nutritional information on ciders under 7%. |
| cholesterol-reducing resveratrol are found | | | | What kind of a margin of error does the Alcohol |
| predominately in red wines in various degrees. | | | | and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau allow in the |
| One suggestion as to why some of these | | | | measurement of carbohydrates in wine? From |
| antioxidants are present in red wines is that | | | | the TTB ruling: Statements of carbohydrates and |
| grapes that have been distressed during their | | | | fat contents [on wine labels or advertising |
| growth will exhibit the highest level of antioxidants. | | | | materials] are acceptable provided the actual |
| Red-skinned grapes seem to have better growing | | | | carbohydrate or fat contents, as determined by |
| success in less temperate climates but exhibit the | | | | ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, |
| effects of stressful weather conditions in the | | | | the former alcohol trade regulatory agency) lab |
| form of higher levels of resveratrol. Before all you | | | | analysis, are within a reasonable range below, but |
| wine enthusiasts start shouting, "I told you so!" let | | | | in no case more than 20% above, the labeled |
| me point out that many of the same antioxidant | | | | amount. |
| benefits can also be found in dark beers, too. | | | | If you're on a low-carbohydrate diet and enjoy |
| What low-carbohydrate dieters are most | | | | the occasional pressings from "the noble grape," |
| concerned about with wine, however, is its | | | | the following list of wines with their carbohydrate |
| carbohydrate count, loosely a function of the | | | | counts should help you keep your daily carb intake |
| wine's residual sugar content. Although residual | | | | in check: |
| sugar levels are often made available by vintners | | | | Barton & Guestier |
| and are a good indication as to the possible | | | | Cabernet Sauvignon ('02) 5 oz 1.70 g Chardonnay |
| dryness or sweetness of a wine (the higher the | | | | ('02) 5 oz 1.10 g French Tom Cabernet Sauvignon |
| number, the sweeter the wine), we can't, | | | | ('02) 5 oz 1.30 g French Tom Chardonnay ('02) 5 |
| unfortunately, extrapolate the carbohydrate count | | | | oz 1.10 g French Tom Merlot ('01) 5 oz 1.40 g |
| of the wine from this figure without a full lab | | | | Ecco Domani |
| analysis. | | | | Cabernet Sauvignon ('01) 5 oz 4.00 g Chianti ('01) |
| Some wine-related Web sites say that there are | | | | 5 oz 3.60 g Merlot ('01) 5 oz 4.05 g Pinot Bianco |
| no carbohydrates in dry wine, a glaring example | | | | ('96) 5 oz 3.50 g Pinot Grigio ('02) 5 oz 3.15 g |
| of people who have no idea of the mechanics of | | | | For more information on the carbohydrate count |
| fermentation. The process of converting sugars | | | | of more than 1000 worldwide brands of beer, |
| to alcohol and carbon dioxide during fermentation | | | | 400 wines, 60 liqueurs, and distilled products, go to |
| is limited by the attenuation of the yeast or the | | | | [out]. |
| manipulation of the fermentation by the vintner. In | | | | © Bob Skilnik, 2004 |
| order for a wine to have no carbohydrates in it, it | | | | Bob Skilnik is a Chicagoland freelance writer who |
| would have to be pure alcohol, in other words, | | | | has written for the Chicago Tribune, the Collector |
| distilled. Of course at that point, the liquid would no | | | | Magazine, the American Breweriana Association's |
| longer be wine, but brandy or cognac. All--and I | | | | Journal and the National Association Breweriana |
| repeat--all wines, including dry wines, have some | | | | Advertising's Breweriana Collector on the subjects |
| residual sugar left behind after the fermentation | | | | of beer, brewery history and breweriana. He is a |
| process ends. Residual sugar equals | | | | 1991 graduate of the Chicago-based Siebel |
| carbohydrates. If it were possible to use | | | | Institute of Technology, the oldest brewing school |
| fermentation to convert a sugary liquid into a | | | | in the United States, with a degree in Brewing |
| drink that was free of carbohydrates, the | | | | Technology. |
| process of distillation would be a meaningless | | | | His interests in beer and brewing were cultivated |
| procedure. Only after distillation, when the | | | | while serving as a German translator in West |
| resultant liquid is transformed into ethyl alcohol | | | | Germany for the United States Army. Skilnik is |
| (ethanol), will a once-fermented liquid truly become | | | | the Associate Editor for the ABA Journal and The |
| carbohydrate-free. | | | | Tap newspaper, and a member of the Society of |
| You might notice while shopping for wine that | | | | Midland Authors and the Culinary Historians of |
| some fruit-blended wines actually carry a | | | | Chicago. He has appeared in the Chicagoland area |
| nutritional analysis statement on them. For any | | | | on Media One's television program, The Buzz, |
| wine with an alcohol content of less than 7% by | | | | WTTW's Chicago Tonight with Bob Sirott and Phil |
| volume, the Food and Drug Administration actually | | | | Ponce, Chicago's Public Radio station, WBEZ , |
| has jurisdiction over the nutritional labeling of the | | | | Springfield, IL's WUIS Radio and the WOR Morning |
| product. However, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax | | | | Show with Ed Walsh in New York. Skilnik's national |
| and Trade Bureau (TTB) has jurisdiction over the | | | | television appearances have been on the Cold |
| mandated government warnings that are also | | | | Pizza morning show on ESPN2 and Fox News Live. |