An essay on wine I wrote for a recent application

My grandmother, Bobbie, was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer. We shouldn’t have been surprised—she’d already battled breast cancer twice—but it still came as a shock, especially to me, since at the time I was living halfway across the country and would only hear occasional snippets of her day to day life. She quickly began chemotherapy, which zapped the cancer cells, her energy, and any interest in eating.

We knew things were bad when Bobbie was unable to partake in her favorite evening time ritual; sitting down and drinking a glass of California chardonnay. And not just any glass of Chardonnay; Bobbie’s preference was for a specific bottle, Clois Du Bois, which my sister and I affectionately termed “the boys.” As the treatment progressed, it became my litmus test for how much better she really was getting. Doctors might have analyzed her health by cell counts and growth sizes, but for me, there was only one way of determining if she was getting better.

I knew that the chemo worked and she was on the road to recovery, when she told me she was back to drinking wine. It would seem, initially, strange to think of wine as health. After all, millions of people world suffer from addictions to alcohol. And dieting experts will offer up grave warnings of “empty calories.” But to me, it symbolizes my grandmother’s—and in extension of that—my family’s health and ability to enjoy the time we spend with one another.

It isn’t just psychological that wine means health. Studies have shows that mice who were given resveratrol, which is found in red wine, had more energy and worked more efficiently than the control group of mice. These same mice also were less likely to become obese. Moderate amounts of wine can also help raise the good type of cholesterol and slow the progression of some degenerative neurological disorders, like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

I also think about what cultures around the world say when they offer up toasts when drinking wine. In many Spanish speaking countries, one toasts “salut.” When drinking in the Netherlands, it’s “gezondheid.” In Russian-speaking countries, one toasts “budem zdorovy,” which translates to “let’s stay healthy.” And when I studied abroad in France, I learned to toast “a votre santé,” which means “to your health.” It seems that no matter which country or culture we look at, drinking a glass of wine reminds us of our good fortune. Drinking wine is not only good for your health, but can also remind you to be thankful for good health.

And so it is when I enjoy a glass of wine with Bobbie. Her health may be only temporary—at almost 80 years old, there are few things, healthwise that one can get enthusiastic about—but for now, she’s here. The bottle of wine we’re sharing acts as a reminder of all we have to be thankful for.