Is Wine An Aphrodisiac?

Ladies, want a tip on how to keep trim and slim? Exercise certainly helps. So does the Mediterranean Diet. But findings recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggest that women who enjoy a few glasses of red wine gain less weight than those who drink water or other non-alcoholic beverages. That is the unexpected conclusion from a thirteen-year, Boston hospital study of 19,000 women, age 39 and older who were asked to keep a record of their dining habits.

Another research that is worth noting, is a 2009 hospital study in Florence, Italy. Most everyone is aware of the supposed aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate, oysters, truffles and ginger. However, the fascinating conclusion from the Florentine study of 789 Italian women between the ages of 18 and 50, is that red wine increases the female sex drive. Apparently, it took only one or two glasses per day to relax their inhibitions and stimulate their sexual activity. The other volunteers—poor, wretched souls—received no wine rations, and, alas, enjoyed no comparable libido liberation. (Side bar:What’s the deal with Italian women over 50?)

Those two studies definitely trigger, at least for this oenophile, new perspectives on the notion of wine appreciation. It’s one thing to consider the appearance, color, aroma, and flavor of a red wine and their role in assessing a wine’s quality. But it’s quite another to also ponder on how those elements might help keep one slender and/or sexually energized. (I really like that wine!)

If the above stands the test of time, I can foresee the day when bottle labels might contain advice about a wine’s health and sexual side effects. (Caution: Drink this only in the company of those you love.) Similarly, it’s possible that the 100-point rating system might be modified to include a new class of, say, “R” rated wines. (An R4, if the lust lasts for four hours. Or an R 50+, a high alcohol blend, for AARP types.)

As a final point, I should acknowledge that I’m not displeased with those research conclusions, since I still have a good supply of red wines in my storage unit. Moreover, I plan to cook my wife a lovely candlelight dinner in the very near future. Our particulars, however, are at variance with the two studies. First, she’s German, not Italian. Second, she favors Sauvignon Blanc over red wines. Third, she’s older than 39; I’m older than 40. However, I see those as minor issues, and am confident they can be sorted out.