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| Dinner at Pichon Longville. Heidi Jaksland Kvernmo sitting front left |
During the En Primeur week in Bordeaux last week, the subject of wine for
pregnant women came up at a small, private dinner hosted by Christian
Seely, President of Chateau Pichon Longueville. One of the journalists
from Norway, Heidi Jaksland Kvernmo was not drinking any wine.
There are few wine lovers who would resist the
'88 or '89 chateau wines from this famous second growth, being
served from a decanter. When I asked Heidi how she could abstain, she
confided about being in the family way and that she was off wine on medical
advice.
Having attended several International Wine and Health
conventions organised by the Desert Foundation, in Napa, California where
this is always a subject of discussion, and reading many research reports,
it has been my understanding that a glass or less of red wine with medium
alcohol (12%), 3 or 4 times a week is acceptable by the enlightened fraternity
based, on scientific research.
The latest study that put to rest any doubts, came from
Denmark where doctors and researchers gave a clean chit to pregnant women
having a glass (unit) of wine a day, up to 4 times a week. The wine unit
is generally defined as 125 ml(6 glasses to a bottle) of wine containing
12% alcohol.
Research in Denmark on wine and health is well regarded.
It is not a wine producing nation and the research grants are not usually
linked with any wine-related organisation either. The study and advice
to pregnant women is therefore relevant.
Coincidentally, the ten guests at the table included
a doctor from Denmark. 'Let us ask Peter. He is a doctor from Denmark,'
said Heidi. Endorsing my comments Dr. Peter Dorte Pontoppidan emphasized,
however, that during pregnancy, it is important to stay within the glass-a-day
limit, and studies have in fact confirmed it.
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| Priscilla
Incisa of Tenuta San Guido |
He added what is advised by many doctors for the attention
of pathological sceptics, 'look at the Italians. It is generally known
that the women there drink a glass or two during the week during pregnancy
and they have perfectly normal and healthy children. If it is under 3-4
glasses a week, it is quite acceptable and advisable by me as a doctor.'
I wonder if Heidi would change her mind after dinner
that evening that ended with a glass of port from the 1963 vintage of
Quinta de Noval, brought out by Christian Seely as a surprise.
On to Italy
During Vinitaly that followed the Bordeaux trip, I met my friend Priscilla
Incisa at Tenuta San Guido stand.
The international respect her family's top rated Sassicaia commands, could
make her the First Daughter of the Italian wine families (with due apologies
to the Antinori and Gaja daughters, Alessia,
Gaia et al!).
Priscilla disclosed to me during the tasting of Sassicaia
2005 that she was expecting. Carrying on my curiosity from that evening
in Bordeaux, I asked if she was drinking wine during her pregnancy. 'Of
course, I take an occasional glass of red wine 2-3 times a week!' she
confirmed.
Priscilla, who already has a 2-year old child, laughed
softly and told me that she drank wine in moderation during her first
pregnancy too and 'I can assure you my son is very healthy,' she added
with a twinkle in her eyes. 'Of course, my advice to these women would
be to drink Sassicaia.'
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| Francesca Casitti |
Born with a silver spoon, she does not need to worry about the cost of a
Sassicaia. Not many a woman may be able to afford the first-ever and top
quality Super Tuscan red, with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc.
The 'other' wine from San Guido labelled Guidalberto (often incorrectly
referred to as the second wine; it has a different blend, 45% Merlot, 45%
Sauvignon and balance 10% Sangiovese) may be more affordable. The 2006 vintage
of this softer wine made it too early to drink now but had all the trappings
of the love and care which San Guido showers on their wines.
Priscilla also confirmed to me that most of her friends
stick to the regimen of a glass 2-3 times a week, max.
I asked a few other pregnant women at the show at random, including Francesca
Casitti who, with her husband Gherardo, owns a small hotel and restaurant
in Bologna. She endorsed Priscilla's views when she commented, 'I like to
have a glass or half of red wine when I am out with my husband a couple
of times during the week.'
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| Chiara Lungarotti of Lungarotti, Targiano |
Chiara Lungarotti, part owner of the
Umbrian winery Lungarotti is not pregnant but she was- last year. Confirming
that she did take an occasional glass of wine as a part of meal, she was
emotional talking about it. 'Drinking in moderation is the key to responsible
drinking. It is stupid to drink too much wine anytime anyway and is equally
childish not to drink while pregnant,’ suggesting that a proper
balance is required and one must drink in moderation during pregnancy.
'All my friends believe the same,' she added. 'They drink
half a glass or so occasionally. There may be some week when they do not
take any wine at all'.
But all the women I talked to confirmed that none of
them or their friends drank whisky or other hard liquor during pregnancy.
So it would appear logical that drinking a glass or
half with meals during pregnancy, 3-4 times a week, would not create a
medical problem; the doctor's advice would eventually prevail though.
Subhash Arora
April 6, 2008
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