15 lbs of Wine

As a teenager I drank herbal tea. As a 20 something, I also drank herbal tea. As a 24/25 year old girl going through heart break and who thought she would never feel like herself again, I found a wonderful distraction hanging out with my girl friends, visiting patios and ordering red wine.

One of my good friends at the time, her mother was often my sanctuary! She'd look at me, see the tears in my heart...walk me over to the kitchen and pour us both a glass of red. Funny how it brings comfort. It was and still is, the feeling behind holding a glass of red wine and what it symbolizes. (I just thought of Julia Roberts, in Eat Pray Love... when she makes the joke "Therapy" referring to her glass of wine). There is something very rich, robust and therapeutic about a glass of red wine in your hands. 

It wasn't until I was married at 28 years of age that I started to drink red wine on the regular. And it wasn't until I started my own business with a commercial location, you know, when I  felt close to a heart attack at the end of each work day. I couldn't wait to get home, sit down, make a plate of cheese and pour a glass of red (I got cool and started referring to it as just "red" by then). Holding a glass, nibbling on an extra old cheddar, stirring the sauce and waiting for my kamut pasta to cook up; "Ahhh finally".

Night after night, red and cheese, red and pickles, red and salt and vinegar chips... A gal who didn't know much about weight gain, started to feel a difference at the bottom line. I always ate cheese, pickles, chips...what the heck is happening to my body? Between the stress of the shop, the sleepless nights and night sweats, the wine wasn't helping at all.

If you asked me, "Do you eat a lot of sugar?" my answer would be "NO! and if I do, I know I'm eating it. I'm wise to my food. No added sugar sneaks into my yogurt, or sauce, or salad dressings (and that'd be extra weird since I make my own)". 

But the wine and the sugar levels in it are harder to figure out! It is not as though they put the usual dietary labels on wine bottles

(I really wish they did).

So, I did some research.

There is a company in California that curates natural wines with no/low sugar content. The membership costs over $200 a month for Canadians. They go all over the world and source out the wines that are the most natural and that have the lowest sugar content. This service was created for dieters or people who need to mind their carbs/sugars for various reasons.

Yes, I'm going to say the K word...Keto. (Poor Keto, it has gained such a bad rep from people who are ridiculously living off bacon. Do me a favour and check out "Ketotarian" or just learn what "ketosis" is).

Ok, back to the curators...I looked at what they are doing and thought "Why can't we curate it ourselves?!"

You can! Just research the wine available within your community. Maybe even order your wine directly from the source. The farms are out there, and obviously they aren't only selling to curating companies in California, right!

LCBO.com is an incredible resource. Look up the wine you love and see what the sugar content is per liter! This has already made such a difference for me! There is a dry wine I just love, but it is 12g/Litre (or Liter in the USA). 

But guess what I just learned!
I can get a gorgeous red wine at 2g/Litre. So now I opt for that option instead.

And do you want to know the best part?
it is a wine I have already enjoyed in the past! Bonus!

Here it is. And it is an easy one to get (I'll have more to share soon too).

Fuzion Organic
​Malbec Cabernet Blend
750 mL bottle  |   LCBO#:  127456
$12.95
Clear garnet colour; cassis, cherry, plum and spice aromas; dry, medium body; ripe blackberry and spice flavours with medium tannin and a touch of smoke to finish.
Bottle Size: 750 mL bottle
Alcohol/Vol: 13.5%
Made In: Argentina
By: Fuzion Wines
Sugar Content: 2 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry
Style: Medium-bodied & Fruity
Varietal: Blend