FRONT PAGE NEWS
Since our last newsletter it seems that the summer heat finally got to everyone. A pigeon eaten by a snake on the streets of London, a shark stolen in a pushchair in Texas, and even a blue wine going on sale in France.
Thankfully, we've got our own release to announce, and it's not blue wine, but rather a delicious organic Pays d'Oc Chardonnay, 'Les Grands Arbres' 2017. For more details see here.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
The BIB Wine Club - We've updated our website to make subscription management easier. Members can amend their subscription in any way they want - add to it, swap products, skip a delivery and more. Club members not only get a discount off their subscription, but also off one-off purchases by using the discount code 'member' at checkout*. See here for further details.
*Please ensure that you use the email address associated with your subscription for the discount code to work.
FEATURE
CONFUSED?
by Ollie @ The BIB Wine Company
'For ****'s sake' groaned a vast swathe of the nation when, in 2016, they found out that they had become excessive drinkers. Not due to greedier than normal drinking habits, but due to a change in the government's alcohol consumption guidelines. In a cruel left-right style combo, we were then told that alcohol consumption wasn't 'safe' even at low levels. 'FFS' again.
Last week however, research was published apparently linking lower levels of dementia with moderate levels of drinking. This got me thinking again about the conflicting advice we receive from government bodies and medical professions, and how this is reported in the press.
Every couple of days it seems like there's a new story professing the health benefits or health risks associated with alcohol consumption. If I've grasped it correctly (get ready for a massive over-simplification) there are two main camps - the 'J Curve' camp, and the 'no safe level' camp. The former purport to have a volume of data (the J Curve) that shows light and moderate drinkers live longer than lifetime abstainers. The latter claim to have a volume of data proving that every drink increases risks of certain diseases. Somehow, we seem to be caught up in the midst of a back and forth between groups of statisticians, health professionals and a variety of agendas, and the truth seems hard to grasp.
Looking beyond the tabloid headlines and conflicting advice is there anything we know for sure? Well, for one thing, at moderate levels of consumption the risks being discussed are relatively low. Lower than watching tv for an hour a day, or eating a bacon sandwich twice a week for example.
More importantly though, wine tastes great and for this reason gives a huge amount of pleasure to many people. It can become a social focal point, a topic of discussion; it can awaken the senses and enable contemplation. Alcohol also acts as a social relaxant. In moderation at least, there is no doubt that it is often a lubricant for conversation, relationships and (not literally) sex.
Perhaps in the end relaxing is the key. Does moderate alcohol consumption have any health benefits? Who knows? Maybe we should all just kick back and enjoy a nice glass of wine whilst they figure it out.
Just to be clear The BIB Wine Company promotes responsible drinking and any views expressed above are the writer's own and are probably not that well researched.
