Carolina Pino | November 12th, 2024
Picture this: it’s a crisp autumnal afternoon in late October, and you’re stepping out of Buttrick Hall in the aftermath of an enlightening classroom discussion. Although the typical time frame of your philosophy class has passed, your peers seek to continue the conversation in a comforting yet provocative environment. You brainstorm: the anxious buzz of Central Library comes across as unwelcoming and harsh, while the bustle of Rand Hall mutes even your internal dialogue, so an external one feels unfathomable.
After some deliberation, you all settle on an underrated campus hotspot, The Pub. As you scour the menu, nothing seems to quite fit the tone of your lofty intellectualization nor the group’s shared reflections on the nature of reality. Your longing mind begins to wander, and your desires drift to the warm caress of a velvety red wine. Almost immediately, the collective chatter transitions to a scintillating stroke of genius: in addition to beer, The Pub should offer students (of age) the opportunity to order a glass of wine.
Perhaps UB40 was not so far off the mark with its ode to “Red Red Wine,” as this popular beverage, beyond augmenting the communal fascination and engagement of its consumers, is actually packed with micronutrients. The antioxidants in red wine, polyphenols, imbue an array of health benefits when consumed in moderation. In fact, red wine is a quintessential element of some of the world’s healthiest diets, like the Mediterranean diet, which is known to fend off heart disease. Not only do polyphenols protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart, but they also flush out “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins) while boosting “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins). These antioxidants can also ward off infectious bacteria in the mouth, keeping the inevitable smiles of wine drinkers clean and shiny. And for a school that is advertised as one of the nation’s happiest campuses, beaming smiles and pearly whites are of the utmost importance.
Senior Kelsey Calistri commented on how introducing red wine on Vanderbilt’s campus might enhance communal engagement.
“As a senior living off campus who is about to work on an academic project and not take classes next semester, the one thing I’m worried about losing is my connection to the campus that has brought me so much joy and love during some of my hardest days,” Calistri said. “The best way Vanderbilt has done this is by fostering a community for me with Rand booths, benches, and beautiful scenery to walk through with friends, so if Vanderbilt added a new way for us to come together and enjoy things we love, like red wine, I think it would really benefit us.”
Vanderbilt students might feel even more inclined to partake in some leisurely sipping upon learning that red wine has the potential to boost memory and cognitive function. Resveratrol is one of the polyphenol types found in red wine, and it boasts an ability to improve short-term memory, making red wine an optimal beverage selection as students approach exams. Further, for those students who self-identify as night owls, resveratrol can minimize the damage and possible memory deficits caused by sleep deprivation. However, this polyphenol is marketable to any and all subpopulations of university-goers, as it can generally enhance cognitive processing functions and, thus, the ability to learn. All in all, it may very well be in Vanderbilt’s best interest to offer red wine to its latest and greatest, perhaps optimizing educational opportunities and intellectual growth for its attendees.
Senior Matt Gee explained how he has experienced positive effects on his life through the intake of red wine.
“A casual wine night with my peers has most definitely enhanced my memory as well as minimized my sleep deprivation,” Gee said. “I experienced this firsthand last spring when I studied in Madrid, Spain, a city that values enjoying a glass of wine with every meal. I really think this ‘tranqui’ culture significantly helped my performance in academics due to better sleep and enhanced short-term memory.”
As hinted earlier, the sociocultural significance of red wine must not be overlooked, as the beverage is a staple across a multitude of the diverse communities that intersect on Vanderbilt’s campus. Throughout my own time studying abroad in Madrid, I was exposed to a traditional Spanish libation, the Tinto de Verano. This effervescent cocktail masterfully combines regional red wines and citrusy sodas, evoking a refreshing, pleasurable sensation in its consumers. In my opinion, The Pub should consider capitalizing on this unique opportunity to expand its audience and embrace a wider cultural reach by serving a seasonal special, the Tinto de Vanderbilt. What’s more, it is appropriate now more than ever to make a toast to our conquest of the dreaded Alabama red with none other than a cup of chilled crimson cabernet!
References
Corliss, J. (2020). Is red wine actually good for your heart? Harvard Health Publishing.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-red-wine-good-actually-for-your-heart-2018021913285.
Costa, R. (2021). The power of Dionysus—Effects of red wine on consciousness in a naturalistic
setting. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8425548/.
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2023). Red wine and resveratrol: Good for your heart? Mayo Clinic.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281.
Snopek, L. (2018). Contribution of Red Wine Consumption to Human Health Protection.
National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6099584/.
Zlatopolsky, A. (2024). Top Red Wine Benefits That Are Backed by Science. Real Simple. https://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/red-wine-health-benefits.