Vinotherapy is Making a Big Splash at Spas
Wine and Grapeseed Oil-Based Treatments and Products
Aug 18, 2008
Long before the polyphenol antioxidants resveratrol and quercetin in grapes were discovered, Europeans were writing of the grape’s health benefits. In the 4th century B.C. the Greek physician Hippocrates described using wine to treat his patients. In 1800s France, Louis Pasteur described wine as the most healthful and hygienic beverage. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that scientists discovered that antioxidants reduce oxidative stress and also the changes that accompany aging.
Origins of Vinotherapy
In France, in 1990 Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas gave a tour of their winery to a University of Bordeaux professor and his students. Hearing a student remark that the discarded grape seeds contained a wealth of antioxidants, the Thomases began to experiment with vinotherapy.
In 1993, A French company, Caudalie, collaborated with the Faculty of Pharmaceuticals of Bordeaux University in applying the grape’s antioxidant-rich properties to spa treatments. Consequently, Caudalie trademarked the word "vinothérapie" and introduced a line of high-end products rich in wine and grapeseed oil.
In 1999, Caudalie opened its first spa at the Château Smith Haut Lafitte vineyards near Bordeaux. Here masseuses use artisanal wine-making rakes to massage energy paths on the spine. Later, Caudalie built its Caudalie Spa at Relais San Maurizio in Italy.
Luxury Spas Worldwide Emprace the Grape
Soon, top spas began incorporating wine into their therapies. At the Patios de Cafayate wine spa in Argentina, nestled in the Calchaquí Valley, guests can bathe in barrels of bubbling waters spiked with cabernet and soak in an aromatic blend of grape syrups, juices, pips and grapeseed oils.
In South Africa, wine lovers at the Santé Winelands Wellness Center can choose between shiraz or chardonnay cocoon wraps. They can also bathe in wine caskets pulsing with cabernet jets and underwater music or enjoy a face mask laden with vineyard flowers.
American Spas
Throughout America, spas are making the grape the focus of new programs. At A Wine Country Salon & Spa in Boyes Hot Springs, California guests can enjoy full-body grapeseed oil massages.
Auberge du Soleil, a luxury spa in the Napa Valley, adopted vinotherapy as its spa philosophy in 2001 for its holistic theme. Their spa menu was inspired by a local skincare line, Napa Valley Spa Products, featuring grape seed-based oils, lotions, teas, and scrubs created from the seeds of forty-two premium Napa Valley wineries. These products are endorsed by Dr. Steven C. Herber of the St. Helena Institute for Plastic Surgery. Herber’s clinical trials have shown that finely milled grape seeds benefit all skin types.
In Manhattan, vinotherapy enthusiasts head to Delluva, the East Coast’s first vinotherapy wine spa. At the Ritz Carlton in Las Vegas Nevada, guests can enjoy Le Vin Wine Therapy, a 50-minute treatment that starts with a chardonnay sugar scrub to exfoliate the skin followed by a rich body butter using grape seed, lavender, rosemary, chamomile and jojoba.
Science-Based Skincare
Like the Caudalie line, Dr. Brandt’s skin care line is especially rich in grapeseed oil. Dr. Brandt, famous for his pioneering work with Botox, has demonstrated in clinical trials that the topically applied polyphenols in grape seeds not only effectively heal damaged skin but also aid in balancing moisture and improving circulation, thereby reducing wrinkles.
Resources:
- Susan Lehman, For Spa-Goers, Wine by the Glass or by the Bath, New York Times, December 4, 2005.
- Napa Valley Spa Products
