Wine and wellness. Those words rarely go together. And written by a wellness ambassador nonetheless! The truth is that I have always been a believer in moderation. Eating clean and healthy most of the time but allowing myself those occasional indulgences. The same with alcohol. I enjoy having a nice glass of wine with dinner and while out socializing with friends. I have also always been passionate about the whole winemaking process. I have traveled to wine country several times and toured several wineries to learn about the intricate process of turning the almighty grape into that fabulous glass of wine.
What I did not realize, however, was that most of the wines we drink have added sugars, chemicals (nearly 300!), and excess sulfites. Typically, winemakers add sugars and chemicals to alter the wine when there are imperfections. I knew that sugars were added to most wines, but never realized how many other chemicals and pesticides are in most of the wines we drink. I was intrigued to recently learn about Scout & Cellar wines, as all of their wines are made free of these harmful ingredients and additives.
Sarah's Story
Sarah Shadonix, the founder and CEO, is an attorney-turned-sommelier who is committed to sourcing additive-free, chemical-free wines from all over the world. Her journey began when she was studying to become a sommelier and began suffering from severe headaches stemming (pun intended!) from just one glass of wine. She began to research the reasons why, speaking to vintners and physicians. As Sarah states,
"Chemicals belong in a swimming pool. Wine should be as natural as possible."
With the desire to produce a cleaner wine, she debunked the addition of chemicals and sugars in Scout & Cellar's wines, so as to produce a more pure, clean-crafted, organic wine free of added sugars, excessive nitrates, chemicals, pesticides, and excess sulfites. The result is a company that has exploded since its inception in 2017, with consultants from all over the country sharing the benefits of clean-crafted wine to the most picky and health-conscious consumer.
This all sounds fantastic, but the real question in my mind was, "How does the wine actually taste?" I set out to do some research (the best research ever!) with my husband and we sampled the wines one beautiful evening in our courtyard. I was blown away by each of the wines we sampled. The flavors just popped; nothing at all like the healthier alternative wines I have tried from the grocery store. The wines were more on par with the finest wines I tried at boutique wineries throughout wine country. What I also loved was that the wines are delivered to my door AND they guarantee satisfaction of any of the wines purchased! This truly is a win/win situation with nothing to lose.
Like my organic chef friend who introduced me to these wines when she was concerned about consuming sugar and chemical-laden wine, I, too, became a consultant for Scout & Cellar so that I can share their clean-crafted wines with others. So far I am my biggest customer, as I am truly loving these fabulous wines and feeling better about my choice to switch to a healthier product.
I welcome my readers who enjoy wine but have the same concerns about the additives in the wine they drink to give these wines a try. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised—and your body will thank you for being more particular with the wine you are pouring inside your glass and consuming inside your body. Cheers to good health!
Health and wellness is such a broad field. I would love to know what my readers are the most interested in seeing each week. Please drop me a line telling me what interests you most. Fitness? Food? Meditation? Essential oils? Preventative health? Let me know what you would find compelling to learn about.
Email Susan@stopandbreathe.org, find me on Instagram, Facebook, or visit my website, StopandBreathe.org.