Recently in the world of wine two items were mentioned. 1)The man behind the French Paradox has passed away. 2)And while 2013 is still two months away, a list of  food and wine buzz words  for 2013 has already been announced.

1) According to an article in Vitisphere, the renowned Serge Renaud recently passed away. Professor Serge Renaud at the University of Lyon worked with a team of researchers who were able to show that the United States had a higher risk factor for cardiovascular disease than the French. This resulted in the French Paradox concept. The French Paradox deals with the idea that moderate consumption of wine can reduce cardiovascular risk factors. The research pointed to polyphenols in wine as the explanation. Serge Renaud became well known for the concept of the French Paradox.

2) A short article in Wine Industry Insight is already looking forward to 2013 with the new Buzz words for food and wine. The 2013: Buzz Words article, includes fermented, craft bourbon, a couple of Japanese foods, and a Korean food item.

The list also has references to wine. Lillet is described as a French apértif. The author also notes that other apértif wines are making a comeback. These include Dubonnet, Chartreuse and Benedictine. Dubonnet dates back to the 1800s when it was developed to help French Foreign Legionnaires tolerate the bitter tasting quinine. It is a mix of fortified wine, herbs, spices and peels plus quinine. The story behind the Benedictine aperitif is longer and even more interesting. According to an article on the website Samcooks.com, the recipe is a secret. In the event of a catastrophe a copy of the recipe is kept in three different locations in the world.

For more information about the Buzz words for 2013 be sure to read the article on Wine Industry Insight.

Cheers! Kathy