3 things you should know if you’ve been drinking more wine in lockdown

Firstly, we’re definitely not here to judge.

Secondly, we’re right there with you.

And thirdly, since pouring a glass of wine after a long hard day in lockdown has become second nature, we thought we’d learn a bit more about said vino. In particular, organic wines.

Because while we’ve heard plenty about how ‘having a glass of red a day is good for you’ and ‘a bottle of white wine is the equivalent in calories as a loaf of bread’, we’ve never known much about the benefits and difference between regular wine and organic wine.

So grab a glass and let’s dive in, shall we?

#1 Organic wine has more antioxidants 

When someone is of the opinion that “drinking wine is good for you”, they’re usually drawing upon the argument that it has antioxidant and phenolic benefits. 

And recently, a report was published that shows that the antioxidant activity and phenolic content of Certified Organic wines are similar or higher than conventional wine. 

“These benefits can be attributed to the grape, the wine-derived phenolic compounds and its antioxidant activity,” says leading practitioner in nutritional and environmental medicine, Dr Mark Donohoe. “This in turn may positively influence risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases and some chronic diseases.”

#2 Yes, red wine is also the winner 

If you’re wondering which type of organic wine comes out on top overall re: antioxidant and phenolic benefits, you’re correct in thinking red.

“The difference in antioxidant levels between red and white wine can be attributed to how the grapes are fermented,” explains Dr Donohoe. “Grapes for red wines are generally fermented together with their skin and seeds, but in the making of white wines, seeds and stems are removed before fermentation.”

“Phenolic content in wines comes from the grapes’ skin and seeds, which explains why antioxidant levels in red wines are generally higher than in white wines.”

Try: Angove Organic Shiraz Cabernet, $18 at angove.com.au

#3 Organic wine also has less sulphur

If you’ve ever experienced symptoms such as wheezing, chest tightness or nausea after consuming wine, it could be that you’re sensitive to sulphur. If this is the case, Certified Organic wines can be a better choice.

“Certified Organic wines must have sulphur concentrations of no more than 150ppm (parts per million), while non-organic wines could have up to 300ppm,” explains Dr Donohoe. “Angove’s Certified Organic wines, for example, have less than 100ppm sulphur dioxide, which is why Certified Organic wines are often the top choice for those who suffer from mild sulphur allergies.”

He does add, however, that if you have a sulphur dioxide (SO2) intolerance, you should even avoid low-sulfite wines.

Main image credit: @shaninamshaik

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