Red wine has long been touted for its many alleged benefits, but there may be one particular type of red wine that supersedes them all.
‘Cannonau’ wine, a full-bodied and fruit-forward Italian red, has long been associated with longevity, with many anecdotal claims saying that those who sip the ruby elixir regularly may live past 100.
Here, we investigate the wine’s many drawcards and explore whether it lives up to its ‘fountain of youth’ reputation.
Where Does Cannonau Wine Come From?
‘Cannonau di Sardegna’ or as the French call it, ‘Grenache’, is native to the small Italian island of Sardinia, a day’s ferry ride away from the Amalfi Coast.
Considered one of the world’s five ‘Blue Zones‘, a region where most people live significantly longer than the global average and often past 100, its signature wine is lesser-known on an international scale but has steadily been gaining a reputation in wellness circles around the world.
How Exactly Does Cannonau Wine Help You Live Longer?
Along with a slower lifestyle, Mediterranean diet and strong social bonds, locals in the region credit their long lives to their daily consumption of the robust red wine.
Particularly high in antoxidants, Cannonau has two to three times the level of heart-friendly flavonoids as other wines. This is due to the fact that the Cannonau grapes develop especially thick skins in Sardinia, increasing their abundant anthocyanins and polyphenol content, compounds which have been linked to improved heart health.
The wine also has some of the highest levels of resveratrol, another polyphenol found in the skin of the grapes, which a study has shown to help combat the formation of plaque found in the brains of dementia patients.
While it is tempting to think you can never have too much of a good thing, as with most wines, you don’t need to consume much to reap the benefits, with Sardinians averaging one to two glasses a day.
Where Can You Buy Cannonau Wine In Australia?
Cannonau wine is available in select retailers across Australia, including Wine Republic and European Wine Store.
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