With Halloween just a week away, I thought it would be good to share some ghoulishly delicious information with you on things related to blood and wine. Over the years, I have reported on the French Paradox -- a research study that demonstrated a link between wine consumption (particularly red wine) and a reduced risk of coronary artery disease. The subjects of the study (French men and women who consumed large amounts of fatty foods such as butter and cheese), had a low incidence of cardiac disease which was attributed to their daily consumption of red wine.

Another study of red wine consumption back then added an interesting culinary twist to the equation. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison released findings of a study demonstrating that red wine, in conjunction with the consumption of garlic, is even more effective in helping reduce the risk of heart disease.

Now we've all read reports of garlic's healing powers. From heart disease to hypertension, garlic is touted far and wide as a panacea for just about everything, including some supernatural afflictions like vampirism. In addition to its alleged power in repelling vampires, garlic will also repel most human beings who must be in close proximity to those of us who ingest the stuff. The study does not suggest how red wine and garlic should be consumed in order to achieve the desired result. However, I would assume that garlic cloves would be used to flavor vegetables or meat and not just popped in a glass of red wine like olives in a martini.

The scientists at Wisconsin-Madison found that: • Red wine is two times more effective than white wine or beer in protecting against heart disease. • Red wine and garlic in combination work better than either does alone. • Compounds in wine known as flavonoids or polyphenols, rather than alcohol, are what produce the beneficial results. • Wine reduces the risk of heart disease by reducing blood-clotting. This study substantiates the growing body of scientific evidence linking moderate wine consumption (defined as two to four 4-ounce glasses with meals each day) to good cardiovascular health.

The research is also good news to many of us who view culinary Nirvana as a place where sturdy red wine is matched with garlic-flavored dishes each and every day. It just so happens I have had the pleasure of sipping a couple of very good red wines recently that should, when combined with the requisite garlic-enhanced dish, result in a deliciously healthy repast:

2005 Ermitage Pic St. Loup Rouge ($17) – This southern French blend of mourvedre, grenache and syrah is a full-bodied wine with loads of black pepper spice and dark fruit flavors. Try it with a pork sirloin roast which you have rubbed with a mixture of three tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper, a quarter-cup of minced garlic and two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil.

2003 Red Diamond Merlot ($$11) – I’ve always been a fan of Washington state merlot and this baby more than meets the quality standard. It is a rich and round wine with nice balancing acidity that will marry nicely with grilled chicken that has been marinated with lemon, garlic, olive oil and black pepper.

Change is good. That's all the more reason to check out the latest five-minute Webcast of "WineBoy," where host John Brown recommends tasty alternatives to the same old red wines you've been sipping for, like, ever. Says Brown: "These purple lovelies will reinvigorate your palate and clue you in to the fact that there's more to wine than pinot noir, cabernet and merlot."

ED. NOTE: We've got a blogfecta (blog + trifecata) of posts on the dining/drinking experience. After reading this one, check out Rich Ireland's "Beers To You" post on how restaurants routinely ruin good beers. And food blogger Brooke Brown weighs in with a plaintive cry about servers manhandling the glassware. Over the years, I’ve sipped wine from a variety of vessels, some of which, I must admit, were not exactly made of fine crystal. In fact, in my younger days, I occasionally drank the stuff from coffee cups, beer mugs, plastic containers, water glasses, wine skins, canteens and even (I’m reluctant to admit) from the jug...er bottle.

Like many males of my generation, I also spent a considerable amount of time back then in a ' 57 Chevy, a fraternity house and a foxhole. Consequently, many of the finer elements of wine appreciation, such as selecting the appropriate stemware, were subordinated to more mundane, yet practical considerations such as finding a couple of dollars to buy a jug of Lake Country Red.

Even today, I'll take a sip from a paper cup if I forget to bring my glassware to the picnic or tailgate. But there really is no substitute for using clear glass stemware (preferably crystal) to showcase and enjoy your wine Why? Well, first of all, there is the aesthetically pleasing quality of using fine stemware. One of the elements of wine appreciation which is often overlooked is the visual aspect. Remember that the first “S” of wine appreciation is sight? Being able to assess the true color of wine, its shades and hues, can only be critically observed and enjoyed when the liquid is displayed in clear glassware.

There are many shapes and sizes of clear stemware that are appropriate for wine display and sipping. Generally, white wine is poured into a more narrow, sometimes tulip-shaped glass while the red wine glass is larger and rounder. Champagne glasses are called flutes and are long and narrow tube-like vessels about eight inches from the stem to the top. These differ greatly from the round and shallow vessels that most people erroneously assume are the traditional Champagne or sparkling wine glasses. Both red, white and Champagne glasses should have at least three to four inch stems so you can hold the glass (by the stem) without getting smudges on the bowl that obscure the wine. Another important reason for not holding the glass by the bowl is that your hand will transfer body heat to the wine.

There are actually glasses produced specifically for wine tasting and appreciation. One of my favorites is something called the INAO wine tasting glass developed by the French to help tasters evaluate wine. The bowl of this glass is egg-shaped and the top is tapered to direct and concentrate the aroma of the wine. The glass is approximately six inches tall with a relatively short stem. I found a Web site (“Artisans on the Web” 888-216-6399) where the INAO glasses are priced at $30 for a set of six. You may find better pricing by doing a more comprehensive Web search. My favorite purveyor of fine hand blown crystal is located in Jane Lew, W.Va. Masterpiece Crystal (http://www.masterpiececrystal.com/ or 800-624-3114) produces hand-blown and excellent non-lead stemware at very reasonable prices. They also produce a line of wine tasting glasses similar in size and shape to those produced by INAO. I love the glasses produced by Masterpiece and use them as my everyday stemware. You might also check online for the best prices on world-famous stemware producers such as Reidel or Spiegelau. They make both hand-blown (extremely expensive) and machine-made products. While I’ve occasionally sipped wine from lesser vessels, there is no better way to enjoy that liquid elixir we all love than from clear, crystal stemware. It even makes my homemade wine look good. Still, I hope they’ll develop a glass that will do something about the taste.

I must take issue with my friends Tara and Rob who, in a recent “Main Ingredient” column for the Sunday Gazette-Mail, suggested there is a double standard at play when it comes to wines for drinking and wines for cooking:

“If we’re going to pay a lot for a bottle of bliss that’s been coaxed to perfection by some grape guru, the last thing we want to do is watch as medium-high heat scrambles its molecules,” they state in the November 4,” Main Ingredient .” In other words, they seem to be saying, it’s not worth wasting good wine to flavor a dish. And, you don’t have to like a wine to cook with it. Believe me when I say I applaud anyone who can find good, bargain-priced wine for any use. As a matter of fact, my wine mission in life is to locate wines that meet those criteria. But why would you want to cook with a wine (cheap or expensive) that you wouldn’t want to drink?

And I really must take exception to this statement: “Any dry white of your choosing will keep for at least a month in the fridge, giving you the flexibility to deglaze at a moment’s notice.” I checked with the Main Ingredient team just to verify that statement and was assured by them that, in fact, an inexpensive white wine they use to cook with on a regular basis does not seem to deteriorate over time nor does it adversely affect the dishes they prepare.

I’ve had different experiences. While you certainly don’t need to spend more than $5 or $10 on a wine you will use for cooking, I think it does matter that the wine is both sound (meaning that it has not developed any off tastes or odors as a result of being opened for more than a couple of days) and that it is pleasant tasting. If not, any flaws in the wine will be manifested in the dish. In my experience, no wine that has been opened – particularly a white - will keep for a month in the refrigerator unless you take steps to prevent oxidation. Once opened, unused wine, especially whites, will begin to go bad fairly quickly unless you pour them into a smaller container and stopper them. This eliminates the air space and preserves the wine.

One other method of preserving your partially used wine is to pump the air out of the bottle by using something like a Vacuvin Wine Saver. Vacuvin employs the use of a rubber stopper that is placed in the bottle opening and then a device which is placed on the stopper to pump out the oxygen. These are widely available at wine shops and grocery stores for around $15.

A more important reason to drink the same wine you’re cooking with is for the sheer pleasure of the food and wine pairing experience. Since most recipes call for a modest amount of wine in them, you will most certainly have enough left over to enjoy with the meal . In fact, some of us actually have a glass of that same wine while we’re cooking.

So, take it from someone who has a great tolerance for all manner of mediocre wine (remember, I’m a home wine maker) and who also has a fondness for just about any food when I say: give your dish a sip of the same good wine you like to drink. After all, you’ll be tasting it again once the dish is served at the table.

For many of us, the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are fowl affairs because the turkey will once again be the centerpiece of these traditional holiday feasts. Thanksgiving is also the beginning of the 40-day holiday season, which includes Chanukah and Christmas, culminating with the New Year’s celebration.