Drink wine without blowing your diet? Believe it. Wine, like all alcohol, gets a bad rap as a fat trap. But Gretchen Roberts, wine writer and founder of Vinobite.com, argues that there’s plenty of room for vino in a healthy, waist-friendly diet. And she should know: not only is Gretchen one of the nicest people in the writing biz, she’s also super fit. That’s why I’m so excited to share her thoughts about sipping smartly, choosing great wine, and when it’s just not worth it to finish the glass in front of you.
How did you get into wine?
I started drinking wine after college, when I was over girly drinks and beer and wanted something more adventurous than a strawberry daiquiri. When my husband was in grad school, we housesat for a couple who had a wine cellar, and they’d leave a bottle each of red and white for us every time they went out of town. Little did I know back then the value of the wines they were giving us! Those bottles were way out of our student budget, but they honed my palate and I’ve never looked back.
So … red or white?
Both! And bubbly, too. I think drinking seasonally is just as important as eating seasonally. In summer I like light, refreshing whites, and in cold, dark January you’ll find me sipping Cabernet and Port.
Gretchen, as a wine writer, you must try a lot of wine (and food pairings, too!). What’s your secret to staying healthy and slim? Everything in moderation? Or just good genes?
Women’s magazines love to rag on alcohol as the stealth weight-gain habit, but study after study shows that wine in moderation is good for you in many ways. I think a fundamental difference between drinking wine and drinking beer or mixed drinks lies in what you tend to eat with the drinks. Wine lends itself to healthier foods, like an actual dinner or snacks like fruit and almonds. Beer—well, let’s just say that the rare occasions I’m drinking beer, a plate of barbeque, chips, or fried food is in front of me! Studies back this up as well: people who drink wine tend to eat healthier than people who drink beer.
Moderation, of course, is key. I don’t drink soda, and I stick to one glass of wine a day with a ton of water in between. When I’m traveling for work it’s harder, because people want to stuff you full of a 5-course dinner with a dozen wine pairings, but the trick is to taste a little of everything on your plate, sip your wine, and spit at tastings. Wine is like food: just because it’s in front of you doesn’t mean you have to finish it.
Any advice for readers who want to expand their palate but aren’t sure where to start?
My advice for learning more about wine is to keep drinking it! Seriously, could there be a more pleasant way to educate yourself? I also tell people to make friends with their local wine retailers. They love wine, and they love to help you.
You’re stuck on a deserted island and a lone bottle of wine washes up on shore. If you had your choice, what would it be?
I’m a polygamist when it comes to wine. I’ll take Riesling, Syrah, and Champagne, please.
On Tuesday, I’ll share Gretchen’s thoughts finding great wine that won’t break your budget.
-Camille
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I drink wine everyday. But my problem is that I start sipping while preparing dinner. When the wine is really good it’s hard to have one glass. Then with the savory food, well, then I’m for sure overeating and therefore gain weight. To make the meal linger, I seem to eat more food with the delicious wine. So how do you stay slim drinking wine? Don’t eat!