Welcome to Dubai, an epicenter for a lifestyle of luxury. From the world’s first 7 star hotel to the tallest mega skyscraper, this city has become a playground for the affluent and those with elaborate tastes. Each of these cool Dubai hotels have something different to offer their guests.

Spend...

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Sure: everyone from Neymar to the amateur ballers at your local court are currently rocking a Lebron singlet. But there was a time when that was not the case. Back in 2010, Lebron was public enemy No. 1, having left his home-side Cleveland Cavaliers for Miami Heat.

During this season, UPROXX rep...

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Picture a scarf. It's just a rectangular piece of fabric, no? It couldn't possibly be any simpler, and yet so many men are baffled about how to wear one (or worse, convinced that it is not a real man’s accessory).

Listen up, gentlemen: a scarf is not an assault on your masculinity, nor is it di...

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With origins in both France and Spain, Grenache is best known in Australia as part of a blended trio with Shiraz and Mourvedre (quite full bodied reds). But as of late, Grenache is starting to break out and go solo with some (oh so) ‘tasteful’ single varietals.These have been dubbed, ‘warm climate pinot’, making for the perfect summer wine.Whether these ‘gentler’ varietals (which lack acid, tannin and color) are your cup of… vino… or whether you’re after a more classic Grenache, blended with Syrah, Carignan, Tempranillo, or Cinsaut, we asked a group of Australia’s top sommeliers to give us their picks for the best Grenache wines in Australia, across the board.This is what they came up with.

Route du Bonheur Grenache

Vintage: 2016Picked by: Mark Willoughby, head honcho at Esoterica Wine & Food.Mark’s two cents: Run by a husband and wife, in their house over looking the St Vincent Gulf in McLaren Vale, Route du Bonheur is a small, homely label. Wonderful people, beautiful location, rich and generous wine. Not to be confused with the Shiraz Grenache (which is cheaper and also very good), this wine is made from old bush vines planted in 1964, a speciality of the region.Many will love the Shiraz from the region, but it is for Grenache that the region truly raises its head above the crowd. A wine that offers all the bells and whistles, a little wow factor, but mostly it’s like sitting in an old leather chair…a little refined, but mostly just comfortable and embracing. An after lunch Christmas special.Buy @ The Wine Emporium $29

S.C. Pannell Grenache

Vintage: 2015Picked by: Nick Stamford, Managing Director of MW Wines in Collingwood, Australia’s largest independent wine auction house.Nicks’s two cents: Steve Pannell is the man for this variety and this wine has all the hallmarks of great Grenache – lifted, high-tone aromatics, and spicy floral red fruits that linger on the palate. Medium bodied, it’s luscious and too easy to drink.Buy @ MW Wines  $62

Yangarra High Sands Mc Laren Vale SA

Vintage: 2006Picked by: Chiara Danieli, head sommelier at Matteo Downtown.Chiara’s two cents: One of the finest vintages in recent memory of this region. 100% French old oak for 24 months, complex with layers of dusty rose petals, freshly oiled leather, cocoa powder, cassis and dark cherries. The palate is extremely layered with blueberry, dark cherries and a complexity of flavour that follows through in the rich mouth-coating palate. The tannins are velvety and voluptuous but silky.Buy @ Wine Cave  $160 (or for a more economical option, have a squiz at the 2011 vintage, available online at Dan Murphys for $32).

Ruggabellus Timaeus, Barossa Valley

Vintage: 2014Picked by Sean McManus, Sommelier at French restaurant Hubert and Italian restaurant Alberto, Sydney.Sean’s two cents: I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Abel (the man behind this vintage) one night on a wet and wild windy evening in the Clare. He invited me into his barrel room just next to his beautiful house over looking his vineyard (which I could not see) in his shed pitch black with a flash light whilst we went through and tasted some 10 wines barrel by barrel, story by story…Abel’s passion for people and winemaking was apparent. Herbs n’ spice and all things nice, this Grenache is ripping and ready to chug. Intense pepper and red fruits with lingering sweet clove and dried herbs hold the palette and declare time to put your pinky down and turn your glass horizontal. This is not atypical Grenache; this is Abel Grenache.Buy @ Drnks.com $50

St Hugo Grenache Shiraz Mataro

Vintage: 2013Picked by: Luc Wiesman, founder of D’Marge and avid wine drinker.Luc’s two cents: One to keep an eye on this summer, this award-winning Grenache Shiraz Mataro blend highlights the complexity and vibrancy of two specific Barossa Valley sites, creating what can only be described as a “party in your mouth.” Smart but not sharp; sweet yet savoury, this wine’s cherry driven up-front fruit (with with flicks of savoury spice and juicy loose knit tannin) will keep everyone from your nan to your inner city flatmates happy.Buy @ Dan Murphys $50

Côté Mas Corbierès Shiraz Grenache

Vintage: 2017

Picked by: Dan Murphy’s Wine Panel.The Wine Panel’s two cents: Generous and fruit-driven, this outstanding Languedoc Red Wine from Côté Mas offers dark berry aromas and juicy, cherry-like flavours. Enjoy this beautiful Shiraz Grenache blend now or with a couple of years’ bottle age.

“An ideal introduction to classy, modern European wine.”

Buy @ Dan Murphys  $17.99

Z Wines Rustica Grenache

Vintage: 2016

Picked by: Dan Murphy’s Wine Panel.The Wine Panel’s two cents: The Z Wine Rustica Grenache has a vibrant purple colour with a youthful hue. A perfumed bouquet bursting with violet, crushed strawberry and raspberry aromas coupled with subtle white pepper and star anise notes making a truly intriguing and inviting Grenache wine. Ideal to consume while young.Buy @ Dan Murphy’s $14.60

McLaren Vale ‘The Hundred’ Grenache

Vintage: 2016Picked by: James Halliday Australian Wine Companion.James Halliday’s two cents: Made from 93-year-old, dry-grown bush vines, this is a stunning grenache; the perfumed bouquet shows raspberry coulis, dark plum, toasted hazelnut, game and floral characters. The palate is equally gratifying with pristine fruit flavours and rounded mouthfeel, wonderfully complemented by velvety texture and fine tannins. Flavoursome, generous and delectable. At its best: now to 2026.Buy @ Willunga 100 $35

Blood Brother Republic Blewitt Springs McLaren Vale Grenache

Vintage: 2015

Picked by: Cellarmasters.Cellarmaster’s two cents: Acclaimed winemaker, Mark Jamieson, has won many awards for his rich, flavoursome reds and it shows in this stunning McLaren Vale Grenache. Sourced entirely from dry grown vineyards in the Blewitt Springs sub-region renowned for producing world class Grenache, this exotic wine is uncompromising in its quality and is not to be missed.Buy @ Cellarmasters  $21.25

Rey Noble Garnacha

Vintage: 2016

Picked by: Luc Wiesman, founder of D’Marge and avid wine drinker.Luc’s two cents: This garnacha (grenache) shows its Spanish colours (flavours?) with a splash of tempranillo. And that’s not all the improvement the brothers at Viña Zorzal have done. To create an interesting, easy to drink wine (at an affordable price) Rey Noble have done away with the crazy-long oak ageing process, instead choosing to focus on harvesting quality grapes, picked at perfect ripeness and chaperoned into the bottle for your drinking pleasure.Buy @ Vino Mofo  $18RELATED: The Best Australian Shiraz, According To People Who Drink It For A Living

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There are 5 so called “blue zones” in the world, where people consistently live—nursing home free—all the way up until a ripe old age: the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa, Italy’s Sardinia, Costa Rica’s Nicoya, the USA’s Loma Linda and Greece’s Ikaria.

These communities come from about as different cultures as you could find—which makes the similarities even more powerful. Clearly we are missing something over here in Australia, where the average life expectancy for a woman is 85.7, and just 80.3 for men (in the US it’s even worse: 81 for women and 76 for men).

Compare that to Japan’s Okinawa, whose residents are five times more likely to live past 100 as their compatriots elsewhere in Japan (where the average life expectancy is already quite good: 90 for women and 84 for men).

Or, if you need further convincing, compare Italy’s Sardinia, where men live the longest and healthiest of anywhere on the planet (especially with regards to cardiovascular disease, or the lack thereof), to Australia and its heart disease statistics, which are enough to give anyone a coronary…

So what is it about these communities’ rural approach that allows them to live disease and illness free for so long, and to have more ‘centenarians’ than anywhere else in the world? Well, despite their differences, there are some interesting similarities.

This is what we can learn from them.

Okinawa

Okinawa, a group of 160 islands off the south coast of Japan, has been dubbed ‘the land of immortals’—and become a global centre for longevity research—as it is home to more than 400 centenarians. Their success has been attributed to two things.

Firstly: the nutritious local diet. Okinawans consume lots of tofu and sweet potato, and a small amount of fish. They are also the only known culture with a tradition of self-imposed calorie restriction (hara hachi bu), on top of a traditional diet that has few calories to start with.

Secondly: the strong sense of community. Okinawans don’t just sign over their ‘rents to a nursing home—they maintain active social circles (both intergenerational and among older residents) and this strong community has been found to reduce stress and foster a strong sense of belonging.

In terms of applying this to your own life, try adding a couple of their recipes to your weekly rotation, and invite some friends round to eat them. And be good to your parents. Remember: you’re next…

Sardinia

Sardinia—a large Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea—has one of the highest percentage of people living to 100 or beyond in the world. While genetics play a role in this (Sardinia was first settled around 6,000 BC, and is home to one of the world’s few “founder” populations, which scientists have called a “genetic goldmine”), there are also a number of habits we can learn from Sardinia’s “100 club.”

“Most reports seem to agree that a glass a day of the local wine helps keep the doctor away. An active life in the relatively stress-free environment of the beautiful Sardinian hillsides probably also contributes,” (The Guardian).

Even if we can’t magically imbue Sardinia’s healthy mountain air, fresh milk, organically grown vegetables and startlingly pure groundwater, we can certainly quaff a glass of wine and lead a more active life (or at least try to). That, plus eating good food (something that, if we are honest, we all know how to do, but lack the willpower to enact).

“We ate what we grew. If you wanted vegetable soup one day, you had to go collect the ingredients yourself… We didn’t need to think about eating healthy. We ate what we had, and it was healthy,” one resident told USA Today.

And in terms of the wine, Zelinda Paglieno, a local Sardinian centenarian, added that you should not abuse her secret, lest it backfire: “Two fingers width of red wine, and no more, at lunchtime every day.”

Nicoya

Costa Rica isn’t far from the U.S. geographically, but it’s miles ahead when it comes to longevity—particularly the elevated town of Nicoya, a city on the Peninsula of the Guanacaste province. In this town, residents possess a remarkable “plan de vida,” which translates “reason to live,” which Blue Zones reports, “Propels a positive outlook among elders.”

This is built on a strong focus on family, and—as visitors attest—a unique ability to listen and laugh. “Nicoyan centenarians,” the Blue Zones report points out, “Frequently visit with neighbours, and they tend to live with families and children or grandchildren who provide support, as well as a sense of purpose.”

In addition, they drink water high in calcium, do physical labour their whole lives, take in the sunshine (sensibly), live a relatively stress-free life, eat a light dinner and consume lots of whole grains, un-sweetened dairy & vegetables.

“Their traditional diet of fortified maize and beans may be the best nutritional combination for longevity the world has ever known,” (Blue Zones).

Loma Linda

Loma Linda, a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States, is home to a community of about 9,000 Adventists. These guys adhere to a strict version of Protestant Christianity, take their health very seriously, and bring their city’s average life-expectancy up.

“They live as much as a decade longer than the rest of us, and much of their longevity can be attributed to vegetarianism and regular exercise. Plus, Adventists don’t smoke or drink alcohol,” (Blue Zones).

But their advice expands beyond exercise and diet—and can be applied whether your hero is Jesus or Richard Dawkins.

Foremost among it is to find a “sanctuary in time.” While this doesn’t have to be a 24-hour Sabbath, it does involve a weekly break from the craziness of life; to focus on your family, God (if you’re not religious, insert nature here), and camaraderie with your mates.

Doesn’t sound too bad, right? It also relieves stress, strengthens your social networks, and provides consistent exercise, which all add up to keep you ticking along.

Their next piece of wisdom, while slightly left field, is to snack on nuts. Studies show Adventists who consume nuts at least five times a week have about half the risk of heart disease (and live about two years longer) than those who don’t.

As they are not significantly genetically different to the rest of America (unlike some of the other centenarian communities, which live on islands), there’s no reason this shouldn’t work for you too.

Same goes for giving back to your community, consuming meat in moderation, eating light dinners (and more fruit & veggies), and drinking plenty of water.

Ikaria

Ikaria is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, 10 nautical miles southwest of Samos, where; “One third of (the) population lives past the age of 90 – and they spend every day doing what they love,” (BBC).

This, like the previous “blue zones” mentioned, comes down to the trifecta of: healthy diet, active lifestyle and strong family ties.

As the BBC reports, “Ikarians make an effort to stay closely connected to their families and neighbours, and the elderly play significant roles in the community.”

“Grandparents often help raise grandchildren or run businesses.”

When asked, residents also credit their longevity to following their passions well into old age, with one 81 year old man excitedly telling the BBC about the Ikaria Senior Regatta, a boat race for which the minimum qualifying age for captains is 70: “Twenty participating crews sail a 14-nautical-mile route from neighbouring Samos island to Ikaria and back.”

“It’s not really a race… The regatta shows we can still do it and we are capable.”

“There’s always something to do with your time,” he added. “But when you do things that make you happy or others happy, how can you not feel healthy, feel better or feel good?”

“Do something in your life that stirs your passion.”

Another theory the same man points to, is the island’s lack of stress: “No-one really sets appointments here… It’s more like ‘see you in the morning, afternoon or evening’. We don’t stress.”

“Time is an important part of life on Ikaria… but not the way most people think,” (BBC).

RELATED: Sex, Wine & Naps Are Among The Health Secrets To A Longer Life 

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The transitional season is about saying goodbye to winter heaviness and hello to cool, lighter pieces (or vice-versa). The weather is certainly warmer in the lead up to summer. Which means men need an eye-catching outfit but without the instant sophistication of a tailored top coat or styled layers....

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Learn how to wear a denim shirt. There was a time when these were reserved solely for unfashionable dads, but we’re pleased to announce that that time has passed. Now fashionable dads can don the denim shirt, and so can you. Dress it up, dress it down, layer it, leave it open.…the possibilitie...

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Jane Austen said, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

We say it's a truth universally acknowledged that a single man is drowning in crappy dating advice that will never find him a wife (or, ahem, whatever he m...

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There's no denying it: a fleece vest is comfy. Convenient. Warm. Versatile, even. However, along with a pair of slacks and a button down Oxford, these Patagonia monstrosities have become the winter uniform for New York's tech bros and investment bankers.

But wait: isn't New York a city of fashion...

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