Whether we drink it before dinner or after a long day, wine is no stranger to the evening. And when it comes to daytime drinking, light white wines and champagnes are often the drink of choice. But what about drinking red wine in the morning? Let'sLet's talk about why that might be a good idea (for special occasions, of course!)
Morning Wine Sounds Just Fine
So, why do we only drink at night? Well, most likely because of routine. In the '60s' and '70s, it was common for bars to offer happy hour deals. It signaled the end of the workday after a long shift, but times have changed as people can no longer afford that small luxury with their busy schedules. Today, while most do, not all bars advertise this time-honored tradition anymore.
Regardless, the five o'clock hour is undoubtedly known as "happy hour," named so because it signals an ending of sorts. But from a health point of view, wine consumption doesn't affect the body differently at different times of the day. Meaning, it doesn't matter from a health point of view when you drink wine.
Drinking wine at lunch is deemed acceptable under a few circumstances: vacation, weekends, and business lunches. However, on a typical workday, most do not condone drinking at lunch, citing interfering with productivity. Drinking wine at breakfast, on the other hand, might be particularly divisive. However, if the rules apply to lunch, then why not breakfast? And why not red wine? It's not like we don't drink other alcoholic beverages at breakfast, like mimosas and Bloody Marys. From California to France, some of the best red wines are best served before noon.
To Your Health!
Red wine is healthier than white wine because it has a few ingredients that other white lacks. White wine's grapes are usually pressed and their seeds, skins, and stems removed before fermentation; however red grapes ferment with all of these elements intact.
Grape skin comprises beneficial antioxidants that are associated with promoting good health and wellness. In particular, polyphenol resveratrol is the principal reason red wine receives its name with health benefits. Research implies that resveratrol may be the central ingredient in red wine that can decrease harmful cholesterol levels, inhibit damage to blood vessels, and create a lower risk of blood clots.
Too much alcohol is never a good thing, but if you're not drinking in excess, a moderate amount of alcohol can actually be part of your healthy habits. Drinking red wine in moderation is said to have tons of benefits for your gut health, plus a glass of red wine may help with lowering your risk of heart disease like high blood pressure, strokes, and bad build-up in your arteries. Some red wine drinkers credit their habit with weight gain prevention or even lowering their risk of breast cancer or diabetes. We're not doctors—we're not even a sommelier—but we know a good thing when we see it.
Boost Your Memory
While still a lot of research is needed, red wine might be beneficial to our memory. Memory loss occurs because our bodies suffer from oxidative stress and inflammation. And as noted, red wine is high in resveratrol content which delivers antioxidant properties while also fighting off inflammatory factors. While this is a bit of a reach, we'll take it!
Breakfast and Wine: A Match Made in Heaven
Eggs are a tricky food item to eat with wine, but if you're up to it, they can be a delightful and delicious challenge. The reason eggs pose a challenge is because they contain proteins that coat your palate and might interfere with the taste of other foods like wine. But while finding a perfect match is a little tricky, it's not impossible! The key is attaining pairing partners that bring out all those different flavors present in both the wine and the egg dish. If your ingredients have a lot going on, like bacon or ham, for example, it's essential to choose wines based on which element is dominant in their flavor profile and intensity. From a cabernet sauvignon to a pinot noir and everything in-between, there's a red wine out there perfect for your favorite breakfast meal.
Huevos Rancheros and Beaujolais
When it comes to Huevos Rancheros, you have to be very particular about what wine to pair with it. While eggs should be the star of huevos rancheros dishes, it's not uncommon for people to focus on their favorite part - like chili-spiced tomatoes. And while the spicy tomato salsa accentuates the other ingredients in huevos rancheros, the eggs are usually relegated to a more background role.
But fear not! A robust red wine can stand up to all of the flavors in the dish, regardless of which ingredient takes center stage. At the same time, Mexican wine is a safe and easy option because regional pairings are always a safe play. But, our favorite pick is Beaujolais; light-bodied and low in tannins, this is the perfect match for a spicy Huevos Rancheros!
Chicken and Waffles and Sparkling Shiraz
If you're going big and ordering chicken and waffles, we hope you're ready to swat people's forks away while they attempt to steal a bite! This feast calls for a chilled red wine because, unlike Huevos Rancheros, where you have to stay away from the tannins, with chicken and waffles, tannins are your friend! Tannins can scrape the fat from your tongue and, therefore, provide you an excellent refreshing drink like a glass of lemonade in the middle of summer.
And instead of any old red, we suggest Sparkling Shiraz. A well-made traditional Sparkling Shiraz combines the best elements of Shiraz and sparkling wine. Sparkling Shiraz adds a little oomph with its bubbles, rich red berry fruit flavors, and a hint of spice. When combined with chicken and waffles, Sparkling Shiraz is up to matching its rich and full flavors.
Lox Bagels and Dry Rosé
Bagels and lox are two of the best things this world has to offer. If it were possible, we'd eat this for breakfast every single day. But sadly, we save it for special occasions because we cannot pretend to be morning people, even in a blog post. When it comes to lox bagels, you can enjoy a ton of different variations of this delicious treat of a meal. Some want toasted everything bagel others to enjoy cinnamon raising bagel with a dollop of plain cream cheese.
Regardless of your lox bagel is savory or sweet, dry rose is the drink of choice. While the most obvious and most effortless pairing is a lovely bubbly drink like Champagne or a mimosa, dry rose, in our opinion, is even better. Make sure you're picking a dry rose, however. A fuller-bodied rose has more structure and riper fruit, allowing it to stand up to foods with a bit of spice or barbequed meats. A dry rose, in contrast, is more easy-going and complimentary. As one of the best pairings for a wide range of foods, a dry rose adds a delicate touch that is ideal when consumed alongside a lox bagel.
Strawberry Crepes and Lambrusco
As one of our favorite fruits, we believe we often do a disservice to strawberries when we eat them plain. Delicious, juicy, and beautiful strawberries deserve to be pampered, whether that be through dipping in chocolate or folding into crepes. But since this blog is about breakfast foods, we'll focus on the latter (but chocolate-dipped strawberries for breakfast doesn’t seem too bad).
Strawberry crepes are what brunch dreams are made of. With a little bit of whipped cream and sweet crepes, you got yourself a delicious feast. The only possible way to enhance this meal is with a nice bottle of wine. Lucky for you, Lambrusco does the trick! The Lambrusco wine is a grape variety that originated in Italy. This versatile food wine goes great with any meal, primarily from Italy, which produces delicious dishes such as salami and prosciutto to pasta like tortellini and ravioli! You can even try it on waffles with blackberries, another of our favorite breakfast blends.
Fun and fizzy, the most important thing to remember when pairing Lambrusco is not to overthink it. And sweet summer strawberries taste even better when you contrast them with a few other flavors. Laid on top of crepes, finished off with some whipped cream - these are the perfect ingredients for a Lambrusco to highlight even more.
Wine at Night Is OK, Too… Right?
At Bev, we know drinking culture is F!#%*D. That's why together we're creating a culture that inspires equality, embodies inclusive fun, and powers communities for the better, whether you prefer wine, beer, liquor, or all of the above. And we know our place: we're not doctors. You (and your doctor) know what is best for your health. While drinking a glass of wine with breakfast isn't something we suggest doing daily, special circumstances might allow it. As always, stick to moderate alcohol consumption and don't drink wine on an empty stomach. Otherwise, why not give these combinations a try!