Wine, food and science lesson

Dr. Leroy Creasy knows a lot about resveratrol.

Recent national publications have included information about the natural compound found in red wines and its link to longevity and lower rates of coronary heart disease.

How did "Le," as he likes to be called, come to be an authority on resveratrol? After graduating from Cornell University's school of Agricultural and Life Science in 1960, Le studied plants and fruits for the next 40 years.

He shared some of his findings with 50 Cornell alumni on Jan 11, during a luncheon at Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars.

Guests were treated to an afternoon meal of cheese tortellinis with meatballs and red sauce, accompanied by slices of Parmesan and Asiago cheese. But the glass of Dr. Frank's Fleur de Pinot Noir wine, which contains a high level of resveratrol, was the focus of attention during Le's presentation.

In the 1970's he worked on developing a disease-resistant grape. It was during that time that he studied a naturally occurring compound found on grape leaves.

Research determined that the plant created this compound, a phytoalexin, to ward off mold and bacteria.

Isolating the compound raised more questions. If it was on the leaves, was the compound also found on the skin of the grapes? Yes. If it was on the skin of the grapes was it also in the wine? Yes, although the amount varies greatly depending on the grape type and the location of the vineyards.

Le found that resveratrol was more prominent in wines that had been produced in cooler growing climates with damp weather.

The Finger Lakes region is an environment in which vines must defend themselves against mold and bacteria by creating resveratrol, a type of phytoalexin.

The plant creates the compound only when it is needed. If the mold and bacteria are defeated, the resveratrol goes away. This may be one of the reasons that the amount of resveratrol in a wine made from the same vineyard changes from year to year.

How the grapes are processed also changes the amount of resveratrol that winds up in the bottle. Fermenting the grapes with the skins allows resveratrol to get into the wine, and not using filtration prevents the resveratrol from being stripped from the wine.

How long does this life-enhancing compound last in the bottle? Le tested 10-year-old bottles and found resveratrol in them, although the amounts were diminished.

A comment that appeared in a Sept. 29 U.S. News & World Report story by Alex Markels prompted Le to do more research. To benefit from the compound, the article stated, "Studies ... indicate that resveratrol breaks down within a day after you have uncorked the bottle."

Le conducted a study with several opened bottles of wine, some left at room temperature, some kept chilled. After more than two weeks he measured the amounts of resveratrol remaining in the wines. It decreased only slightly. Le says that the antioxidants in wine probably help preserve the resveratrol even after a bottle is opened.

He added, "If you have an opened bottle of wine around for more than two weeks, you're not a wine drinker."

Jeff Richards' wine column appears Saturdays