Summary: If you enjoy good food, particularly when it’s accompanied with good wine, then this episode of #thedeliciousstory is for you. This week I talk with Todd White of Dry Farm Wines about the benefits of natural wine, his journey in creating a business that sources the organically-grown varietals, and how nourishing your body with intention can be good for your wellbeing, too. <br><br>At our house, wine goes hand-in-hand with the evening meal. We’ve spent years selecting, tasting and amassing a wine library of knowledge and preferences. And so, because I have an interest in wine, I was drawn to Dry Farm Wines when I discovered the world of sugar free, natural wines.<br><br>I’d not thought about sugar in wine before that, nor considered that there were organic versions of wine. I’d assumed, and perhaps you have too, that the production of wine is a natural process, so what could make “organic” or “not?”<br><br>In the interview, Todd walks through the difference with a good dose of science and explains how the wine industry operates today. He then describes his personal voyage and the accident that lead to his interest in natural wine, and how he has turned curating these wines into a successful business venture. <br><br>At the heart of Dry Farm for Todd and his team are integral values that balance what they do. This is the core on which they build relationships with the growers who cultivate specifically for the organic wine market. And from there is the wine, where each selection must meet a rigorous criterion to be certified as a part of their catalog. <br><br>SUGAR AND ALCOHOL<br><br>The subject of alcohol and wine is an interesting one, particularly as it relates to health. I like to think of wine as “healthful,” but it does contain alcohol, which is not particularly healthful. Scientists periodically dispense studies which seem to suggest moderate drinking is acceptable and perhaps even “healthy,” but I like to hold onto that notion. <br><br>However, per an article over at the Mayo Clinic, the distinction of moderate consumption is based solely on underlying health. A person with certain conditions, for example, can’t imbibe “moderately” when compared to a healthy one. Some conditions do not permit alcohol consumption at all.<br><br>So, alcohol is always a consideration when drinking wine, but it was the sugar content I’d not thought about that captured my attention. Todd delves into the role of sugar found in most of the commercial wines on the market, how it becomes part of the wine, and why it’s an issue for those trying to live a healthy lifestyle. <br><br>Todd provides a robust explanation of how the sugar and higher alcohol content make the wine we drink generally more dangerous when consumed over time. I could almost hear my pancreas screaming, given I have more than thirty years of hearty commercial wine consumption under my belt. <br><br>Todd described his personal choices of diet, meditation, and conscious consumption in a way that seemed both daunting and admirable, but with a rational that anyone who takes a long view of their life would want. For those like me, I’m all about baby steps after what feels like a lifetime of impossible reversals. As I listened to Todd, and maybe you’ll think this also, I wondered, could the simple action of drinking a healthier wine be the cornerstone to other healthy choices? <br><br>THE DISTINCTION OF YEAST<br><br>You may feel a need to put goggles on and pull out a Bunsen burner when Todd explains the science of yeast in Dry Farm Wines. You can listen and let him do the heavy lifting of walking you through the natural yeast found on the grape versus the cultured yeast pumped into nearly all the commercial wine we drink. And it is that yeast that plays such an important role in the sugar and alcohol content as well. <br><br>Clearly, Todd loves talking about how a Dry Farm wine differs, and sees it as a pure and healthy...
