Older and Wiser (3) with Wine and Whiskey—Making better Choices in Quality while also Protecting Oneself from the Adverse Effects

“Any idiot can buy a good wine for $200, but a person needs skill and knowledge to buy a great wine for $30.”

Dr Gilbert Manso, co-author of my vitamin D paradigm shift in 2004, PDF included below:

Dr Alex Vasquez 2004 Vitamin D Monograph

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See the 2 videos on this page so you 1) won’t overpay at the store, 2) won’t be a chump at the table and 3) won’t get a headache/hangover afterward.

1. What is meant by the phrase “15 minutes in the glass or 30 minutes in the bottle”?

2. Know how to buy a competent bottle of wine.

3. Know how to buy a competent bottle of wine without overpaying.

   1. As my mentor (and coauthor) Dr Gilbert Manso said, “Any idiot can buy a great wine for $200, but a person needs skill and knowledge to buy a great wine for $30.”

4. What is the significance of these years with regard to the NAME and QUALITY of the wine?

   1. A wine that is 2 years or younger is called a __________.

   2. A wine that is aged in oak for a total aging time of >3 years is called a __________.

   3. A wine that is aged in oak for a total aging time of >5 years is called a __________.

5. Why do people commonly say that a wine has to “breathe” for 15-20 minutes before being consumed?

6. Know that a “Reserve/Reserva” from the Rioja region of Spain (or anywhere in Spain for that matter) is completely different from a “Reserve/Reserva” from Chile or Argentina.

7. What is the preservative commonly used in wine?

8. What is the 1) mitochondrial impact and 2) inflammatory impact of the preservative commonly used in wine?

9. QUESTION: What is the significance and literal meaning of the word MALBEC with regard to wines produced in the Mendoza region of Argentina?

   1. ANSWER: “Mal-bec” literally translates to “bad taste” or “bad mouth” because the high tannins in Malbec wine give it a disagreeable/stronger sensation than the smoother wines of Spain and Italy.

10. With WHISKEY, what is the important difference between a BLEND versus a SINGLE MALT and what is the biochemical-health impact?

11. PER THE VIDEO BELOW: Other than moderation (most reasonable) or abstinence (most prudish and boring), what can you do to protect yourself from the possible adverse effects of ethanol?

See the 2 videos on this page so you 1) won’t overpay at the store, 2) won’t be a chump at the table and 3) won’t get a headache/hangover afterward

The emphasis of this “Older and Wiser” series (launched 15jul2026) will be to share some of what I have learned, especially with regard to “Money, Business, and Legal Matters” with occasional mention of a few non-curricular topics like watches/travel/wine/whiskey/poetry which are largely unknown to us when we are younger, less experienced, and—obviously—less worldly because we have not had time to experience and appreciate the nuances that later become clear and meaningful.

non plus ultra

All videos are being re-uploaded in Feb-May 2025 to provide direct and reliable access through the substack platform:

1. Can you answer these 10 questions on dysbiosis and microbiome?

2. VIDEO with discussion of QUESTIONS and ANSWERS 1-5 with Test-Taking Strategies

3. QUESTIONS and ANSWERS for Dysbiosis & Microbiome (6-10) with Test-Taking Strategies

4. Microbiome Dysbiosis (1) Course Overview and Introduction to Major Concepts and Mechanisms

5. Microbiome Dysbiosis (2) Physiologic and Pathologic Mechanisms of Dysbiosis and Subclinical Microbial Colonizations (VIDEO:1hour,15minutes)