Whether the impact of wines on health has been imagined by the wine drinker or can be proven medically has been debated for centuries. In the past thirty years, there have been numerous published studies on the effects of wine on health. All the recent studies have done is confirm what has been believed for thousands of years.
Based on the written and oral history of past centuries it's clear that the earliest wine drinkers were well aware of the positive affects and benefits of wine on the human body. Both the ancient Greeks and Romans provided more wine to older men, in some cases this was a sign of respect, in other instances the wine was provided as a general cure all to improve their health.
From the accounts of life from centuries ago, wine was allocated based on age and gender. The older a person was, the larger and stronger their daily allotment of wine. Men were always allotted more than women and children. Yes, even children were given wine, as it was more pure than drinking water. Full strength wine was only provided to the oldest men. The younger men, women and children were given wine in diluted stages; going down to four parts water, and one part wine ration for the youngest imbibers.
Writings and quotes from earlier times have left us with the documented history of thoughts regarding wine and health. Some of these quotes and sayings are easily recognized from the pages of history and others are proverbs from around the world, but all support the idea of wine as a positive benefit to life.
Great Thinkers, Scientist, and Physicians From the Past
Plato was the classic Greek philosopher who became known as the father of western thinking. He was the founder of the first academy of higher learning and a prolific writer for his time. His teachings and the quotes that are attributed to Plato are the basis of many ideas of today. This includes his thoughts on wine, which are just as valid today as they were more than 2000 years ago.
- Wine… A remedy for the moroseness of old age.
- No thing is more excellent nor more valuable than wine was ever granted mankind by God.
Louis Pasteur, the father of the sanitation process aptly named Pasteurization, which we associate with milk, was also utilized for wines. As a French chemist and microbiologist renowned for his work in creating vaccines and treatments for illnesses, he led the way in elimination of microorganisms.
While wine was a safer drink than water and milk in Louis’ lifetime, he made wine a healthier drink with his pasteurization processing. Louis' most famous quote is, “Wine is the most healthful and most hygienic of beverages.
Sir Alexander Fleming won the Nobel Prize for his work in bacteriology and immunology for the development of penicillin. He was also a fan of Spanish Sherry, which was created from the fortification of Spanish white wine. Sir Fleming was credited with saying, “If penicillin can cure those that are ill, Spanish sherry can bring the dead back to life.”
Idioms, Sayings and Possible Quotes
Many sayings and quotes, usually noted as proverbs, reference wine as a prescription for good health or as an improvement for the aches of life. Some of these, such as “There are more old wine drinkers than old doctors,” are usually referenced as a German Proverb. However, this saying was also attributed to François Rabelais, a French Physician of note in his lifetime.
As with many sayings that are called idioms or proverbs, these are generic and normally can trace their roots from several sources. Normally, these saying have been verbally passed from generation to generation. Another saying from early in German history is, “Drink wine, and you will sleep well. Sleep, and you will not sin. Avoid sin, and you will be saved. Ergo, drink wine and be saved.”
The Spanish also had quite a few sayings regarding wine, which only reinforces what we already know about the love of Spanish wine. I guess this is one reason that Spain is third largest wine producer in the world, with more than 600 varieties of wine grapes.
- Good wine ruins the purse; bad wine ruins the stomach.
- For a bad night, a mattress of wine.
Wine quotes can be serious or funny, but still contain the seed of truth as understood for that time or era. The wine drinker has many historical facts and quotes from the past to support the notion of wines influence and connection to healthy living.
One saying that has been often quoted from the past is “Moderation in all things, even moderation,” which speaks to the avoidance of over indulgence as well as the total abstinence. Based on the sage advice of these past physicians and writer the best prescription for the wine drinker might be to have a glass or two and see if you don’t feel better in the morning.
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