The Vintner's Exfoliant

A few years ago, all the world was agog over green tea. It was in capsules, body lotions, eye creams, and perfume. While doing an article about the health benefits, I actually talked to a doctor who recommended bathing in it: throwing a couple teabags into a tub full of hot water and steeping, full-body, for at least 20 minutes a day.

But today, the rage is wine. First, there was Resveratrol, the compound in red wine that’s been found to have anti-aging properties and to extend the lifespans of obese mice. For the past year, researchers at Harvard Medical are studying its potential to stabilize [human] glucose levels, prevent diabetes, enhance heart and liver tissue, and protect against degenerative diseases such as Huntington’s.

Now, a tiny start-up firm in Blenheim, New Zealand, has perfected a process to turn grape seeds ("waste" left over mostly from winemaking in the island’s Marlborough region) into antioxidant-rich cosmetics and supplements, using a low-impact water extraction method. They began offering the grape seed product in May and already are exporting more than 100 kilograms per month, selling to companies that make body lotions, makeup, skin care products and vitamins.

At the same time, people appear to be demanding more and more purity of the wines they drink. According to an article in today’s New York Times, "Organic wines are one of the hottest trends in restaurants today." A recent comment thread on this blog focused on the use of preservatives in wine. And Salon.com just ran this piece on how to find a good-tasting organic, sulfite-free wine in their Health (rather than their Eat & Drink) section.

Finally, winemakers at California-based Bonny Doon Vineyard announced last week they will — as of January 2008 — list all ingredients (including grapes, sulfites and other preservatives, yeast, and fining agents) on their bottles.

As a diligent label reader who tries to avoid additives, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and processed foods, I am, theoretically, in favor of the movement toward purer, less chemically treated wine. But I have to admit there is a part of me that doesn’t want to know. I associate wine with magic: with ancient ceremonies and Bacchus. Full moons, swooning lovers under grape arbors, Lucy and Ethel jumping into the vat to stomp the pulpy juice.

This is one area of consumption I’ve kept entirely free of hang-ups or obsessions. And I’d really like to continue that way. If wine can be used to help prevent Huntington’s Disease — an excruciatingly slow, genetically-endowed death sentence — I’m all for it. But Resveratrol aside, I fear the trend toward commercializing wine’s healing properties will lead to little but modern-day snake oil and very expensive exfoliating scrubs.


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