Dispirited by bad news, “Wine” columnist RICHARD CALVER warns of the dangers in trying to find solace for life’s setbacks in a bottle.  

THE heartrending news was sent via a social media chat group that’s made up of the hikers who walked Hadrian’s Wall with my son and me in June. The news was bad. 

The iconic sycamore tree at Sycamore Gap along the Wall had been vandalised, felled. 

There was a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach, stress induced by the thoughts of the mindless destruction of this epitome of symmetry and beauty that stood for nearly 200 years. 

Albeit ensconced in retirement, the day had already been stressful and I’d planned to have a glass of rose’ with my smoked-chicken dinner, eaten solo. Instead, I broke the rule of having no more than two glasses of wine when drinking alone.

One factor was the easy drinking wine I’d chosen: the Wild Oats rose’ that is made by Robert Oatley Vineyards from grapes grown in the Mudgee, NSW region. 

At under $20 a bottle, it is good value with a bouquet filled with strawberries and raspberries. While there is also a strong mixed-berry flavour on taste it has a good, crisp finish. 

It’s not disclosed on the label, but I’d reckon that the varietal used is shiraz; that would explain the depth of flavour. 

But three glasses drinking alone, even as a means to reduce stress, was too many.

Plus, it got me to thinking about whether the consumption of wine was in fact a de-stressor given that I know alcohol is classified as a central nervous system depressant, because it slows down brain functioning and neural activity. The website (addictioncenter.com) that confirmed this knowledge had some sobering comments: “Alcohol can depress the central nervous system so much that it results in impairment such as slurred speech, unsteady movement, disturbed perceptions, and an inability to react quickly. 

“Alcohol reduces an individual’s ability to think rationally, lessens inhibitions, and distorts judgment. If an individual consumes too much alcohol too rapidly, they can depress the central nervous system to a point of respiratory failure, coma, or death.”

The alcohol by volume in the rose’ is 12 per cent so the latter effects described were remote. But that is not an excuse for excess; in Australian culture it’s a given that we drink alcohol as a way to try and relieve everyday stress. 

In the past, I’ve been in many situations where stress levels are elevated; on many issues I care too much, including about the destruction I spoke of in opening this piece. 

But it is timely, as the clock ticks on, to remind myself that having a drink to forget might appear to work. 

However, the reality is, that we are often fooling ourselves because the consumption of alcohol doesn’t in fact make your mental state calmer. It can have the opposite effect. Here’s what another worthy website (sanalake.com) tells us: “While you might think drinking is relieving your stress it is putting extra, unwanted stress on both your brain and your body. 

“It is also slowly changing the chemical make up of the brain, which can cause the development of mental health conditions that can, in turn, exacerbate your stress and anxiety levels to a point where you require professional treatment.”

It still irritates me and makes me angry at my fellow man that someone could be so stupid, so low, as to chop down the Sycamore tree at Sycamore Gap. 

But maybe I should just do an extra hard session in the gym, punching the bag, rather than reaching for another glass of wine.

“The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits.” –Anon