José Andrés Has Given Us His Blessing To Drink Wine At 7AM

Celebrity chef and humanitarian José Andrés recently embarked on a project that showcases his culinary expertise and warm, engaging personality. His new television program "José Andrés and his Family in Spain" is just that: a culinary voyage of discovery and rediscovery as Andrés goes to Spain with his three young daughters, all of whom were raised in the U.S. by their Spanish-born parents it premiered on Dec. 27 on Discovery+.

One of the many places Andrés returns to is Barcelona, where he grew up, and visits the famous "Boquería" market with his kids. In case you haven't gotten to see the show yourself, there are many nuggets of wisdom to be gleaned from it.

One of the most valuable was seized upon by TV Line's Kimberly Roots in her interview. She informed the chef that one of her key takeaways from the show was, "that cava — Spanish sparkling wine — for breakfast is acceptable," referring to the moment in which Andrés visits the Boquería market and there are patrons drinking cava in the morning (via TV Line).

José Andrés talked more about the episode and the incredible (but expensive) market, explaining how it was a place with an intensely personal history for him. He also noted, "[Y]eah, in these places you learn that you can be drinking a sparkling cava, Catalan cava at 7, 8 o'clock in the morning."

Some Americans might not embrace wine drinking very early in the morning, per The Wall Street Journal. But it's not beyond the pale in European countries like France, Spain, and Italy – and might not be a bad idea for the rest of us as well (via The Independent). Numerous sources cite the health benefits of drinking wine because of its high dosage of antioxidants and resveratrol (via WebMD), but many people might assume it's limited to lunch and dinner.

This needn't be the case, suggest some experts, and breakfast might even be the best time to try a glass of wine: Your palate is more sensitive and your ability to assess a wine is generally greater than it is later in the day (per Travelling Corkscrew). Very light breakfast fare can be challenging to find good wine pairings for, but savory dishes – especially bacon – open up a host of options (and ANCX). What are some of the best choices for early bird imbibing? Wine distributors Robin Copestick of Copestick Murray and JC Cailles Lo both recommend sparkling wines like cava or prosecco. Copestick explains, "Prosecco and sparkling wines.. allow you to cleanse your palate after indulging in rich foods such as a cooked breakfast."

Sounds like a little morning cava is just what the doctor – and the sommelier — ordered. Salud, José Andrés. Sounds like you've got company (via Twitter).