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July
07
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Counting Carbs With Wine
The recent health claims that wines have antioxidants in them that
may block free radicals, prevent heart disease, cancer, and other
conditions associated with aging seems to have some validity.
Polyphenol, catechin, and cholesterol-reducing resveratrol are found
predominately in red wines in various degrees. One suggestion as to
why some of these antioxidants are present in red wines is that
grapes that have been distressed during their growth will exhibit
the highest level of antioxidants. Red-skinned grapes seem to have
better growing success in less temperate climates but exhibit the
effects of stressful weather conditions in the form of higher levels
of resveratrol. Before all you wine enthusiasts start shouting, “I
told you so!” let me point out that many of the same antioxidant
benefits can also be found in dark beers, too.
What low-carbohydrate dieters are most concerned about with wine,
however, is its carbohydrate count, loosely a function of the wine's
residual sugar content. Although residual sugar levels are often
made available by vintners and are a good indication as to the
possible dryness or sweetness of a wine (the higher the number, the
sweeter the wine), we can’t, unfortunately, extrapolate the
carbohydrate count of the wine from this figure without a full lab
analysis.
Some wine-related Web sites say that there are no carbohydrates in
dry wine, a glaring example of people who have no idea of the
mechanics of fermentation. The process of converting sugars to
alcohol and carbon dioxide during fermentation is limited by the
attenuation of the yeast or the manipulation of the fermentation by
the vintner. In order for a wine to have no carbohydrates in it, it
would have to be pure alcohol, in other words, distilled. Of course
at that point, the liquid would no longer be wine, but brandy or
cognac. All—and I repeat—all wines, including dry wines, have some
residual sugar left behind after the fermentation process ends.
Residual sugar equals carbohydrates. If it were possible to use
fermentation to convert a sugary liquid into a drink that was free
of carbohydrates, the process of distillation would be a meaningless
procedure. Only after distillation, when the resultant liquid is
transformed into ethyl alcohol (ethanol), will a once-fermented
liquid truly become carbohydrate-free.
You might notice while shopping for wine that some fruit-blended
wines actually carry a nutritional analysis statement on them. For
any wine with an alcohol content of less than 7% by volume, the Food
and Drug Administration actually has jurisdiction over the
nutritional labeling of the product. However, the Alcohol and
Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has jurisdiction over the
mandated government warnings that are also found on the labels of
these wines and of all alcohol-based products. This is one of the
few times that the FDA gets involved in the realm of spirited
beverages with the TTB. You’ll also find nutritional information on
ciders under 7%.
What kind of a margin of error does the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and
Trade Bureau allow in the measurement of carbohydrates in wine? From
the TTB ruling: Statements of carbohydrates and fat contents [on
wine labels or advertising materials] are acceptable provided the
actual carbohydrate or fat contents, as determined by ATF (Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the former alcohol trade regulatory
agency) lab analysis, are within a reasonable range below, but in no
case more than 20% above, the labeled amount.
If you're on a low-carbohydrate diet and enjoy the occasional
pressings from “the noble grape,” the following list of wines with
their carbohydrate counts should help you keep your daily carb
intake in check:
Barton & Guestier
Cabernet Sauvignon ('02) 5 oz 1.70 g
Chardonnay ('02) 5 oz 1.10 g
French Tom Cabernet Sauvignon ('02) 5 oz 1.30 g
French Tom Chardonnay ('02) 5 oz 1.10 g
French Tom Merlot ('01) 5 oz 1.40 g
Ecco Domani
Cabernet Sauvignon (‘01) 5 oz 4.00 g
Chianti (‘01) 5 oz 3.60 g
Merlot (‘01) 5 oz 4.05 g
Pinot Bianco (‘96) 5 oz 3.50 g
Pinot Grigio (‘02) 5 oz 3.15 g
By
Bob Skilnik
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Happy shopping.
Indulge your senses,
Leslie Maliepaard
WineWeb.co.za Editor
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