Research tells us that listening to music has multiple positive effects on us. Music soothes us, energizes us, makes us laugh and cry, heals us and brings us together.

To the listening public, there are three elements that carries music home to us. First, there’s the beat and that’s usually what catches our attention. You know how it goes — suddenly your head is nodding up and down or your foot is tapping to the beat, right? Gotta love that beat!

Secondly, there’s the melody — that combination of musical notes that imprints a melodic picture in our brains or recalls memories. It’s those beautiful notes that give us joy, comfort and a feeling that, at least for a few minutes, things are good. A song requires a melody. No matter if it’s classically majestic, hip hop popular or western cool — it better have a melody. Gotta love that melody!

And then, to bring the song home, it needs meaningful lyrics. Lyrics that will make you think, feel and react to the beat and melody. They make the song “yours” and it’s why you remember it. It’s the grand finale. Gotta love those lyrics!

Additionally, research also tells us that sipping a good glass of wine has multiple positive effects on us. (Note the word sipping!)

To the wine loving public, there are three elements that bring wines home to us. First, there’s the aroma that catches our attention. As you pull the cork from a bottle of wine, there’s that once in a lifetime moment to smell the wine as the winemaker wants you to sense it. You smell and a smile comes to your face. Gotta love that wine’s aroma!

Secondly, there’s the taste — that combination of oral senses that brings wine to life. It’s those tastes that provide the joy, comfort and a feeling that, at least for a few minutes, things are good. It doesn’t matter if the wine is red, white, rosé or orange, taste must be there. Gotta love that taste!

And, then to bring it home, the wine needs a meaningful finish. The finish makes you know something good has happened –you think, feel and react to the finish. As it lingers or quickly disappears from your throat, you remember it. It’s the grand finale. Gotta love that finish!

Over the years, many musical artists have entered the wine making world and their wine reflects their artistic abilities. From cool Americana music to rocking heavy metal music, these artists have synced the universes of song and wine. A few examples…

Almost 20 years ago, Dave Matthews began making wine when he purchased Bleinheim Vineyards in Virginia. His family owned vineyard embraced an organic approach to wine making by not using any artificial fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides in the growing of the grapes. The name of the family venture comes from lyrics within the Dave Matthews Band’s album called “Before These Crowded Streets,” and the vineyard’s acreage provides a spectrum of wines from Cabernet Sauvignons to Viogniers. He also works with California wineries to produce The Dreaming Tree series of wines — wines that have a cool label and are very tasty and memorable.

The Aussie rock band AC/DC entered wine making over a decade ago when they partnered with the Australian winery Warburn Estate Winery. Again, the names of the wines reflects many of the songs performed by the rock band. Back In Black is a Shiraz that has a noticeable spicy aroma, taste and finish. What would one expect from Back In Black? The band’s Cabernet Sauvignon is called Highway to Hell and their sweet Moscato wine is named You Shook Me All Night Long. Oh, yea!

The artist Sting and his wife, Trudie, began their wine making venture in Italy with their II Palagio winery. They are also into organic wine making and many of their wines are named after his songs. Their first wine was named Sister Moon and it’s aged for two years in French oak. It’s very dry with its 14.9 percent alcohol content and it’s a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The taste is classic red cherry and has some spiciness to go along with its soft finish. When We Dance is a Sangiovese based Chianti that smells, tastes and finishes like a Chianti should.

Last but not least there is a new whiskey — OK, it’s not wine but… — on the market made by master distiller Dave Pickerell for the heavy metal rock band Metallica called Blackened American Whiskey. It’s a blend of whiskeys that is finished in black brandy barrels for a few weeks. But, you know there has got to be sound waves when Metallica is involved. As the whiskey ages in the barrels, it is blasted with low hertz sound waves from some of Metallica’s songs. This black noise causes the whiskey to further interact with the barrel’s wooden staves which enriches the whiskey’s taste. It’s on my Christmas list!

Wine, whiskey and songs — what great combinations to bring people together. I recently became a member of “The DNP Show Therapy Group” that meets periodically in a local restaurant. Why do we meet? Because it’s nice to sit with friends (and friends to be), to sip some wine, to have a cocktail and to just enjoy each others company. We treat each other with trust, respect and humor as we enjoy our wine and song.