Wine & health, the debate remains open: scientists confront themselves and new data emerges

It doesn’t appear to be destined for a conclusion; on the contrary, it is enriched every day with new developments, on one side or the other of the trench, the debate on the effects of alcohol, and wine in particular, on health. The latest hard-hitting intervention comes from professor Silvio Garattini, founder of the Mario Negri Institute in Milan. Interviewed in recent days by “Corriere della Sera”, Silvio Garattini, 97, criticized the presence of the Italian government at Vinitaly to promote domestic products: “the Who has declared alcohol to be carcinogenic”. Garattini added that “there are nine cancers that depend on alcohol. The first is esophageal cancer. We live in a free country and everyone can take whatever risks they want. But we scientists must provide correct information. We certainly can’t say that drinking, even in small amounts, is good for you”. A clear and categorical stance, which is nonetheless counterbalanced by numerous recent studies arriving from around the world. As argued by the scientists of the “International Academy for Healthy Drinking”, promoted by the Veronesi family (Oniverse Group, Oniwines wineries and Signorvino, the nationwide chain of wine shops and wine bars, ed), a scientific and cultural body with an educational mission, created to give wine a narrative based on scientific evidence, whose board includes figures such as Giovanni Scapagnini, Karin Michels, Giovanbattista Desideri, Eugenio Luigi Iorio, Arrigo Cicero, Paolo Francalacci and Ilenia Grieco: interviewed by WineNews, they argue that a good glass of wine consumed with meals can have numerous beneficial effects on health. Also the Irvas - Institute for Research on Wine, Nutrition and Health conference at the Academy of Medicine in Turin is taking place in these days, entitled “Moderata assunzione di vino e salute” - “Moderate Wine Consumption and Health” with professor Attilio Giacosa, president of Irvas, and professor Emanuele Albano, professor of General Pathology at the University of Eastern Piedmont (Novara). From the discussion, the need to consider wine as a food emerged, closely linked to the dietary and cultural context in which it is consumed, and to move beyond simplistic interpretations of the issue. Among the most recent studies, there are also data presented at the Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology, according to which people who regularly drink moderate amounts of wine have a significantly lower risk of mortality compared to non-drinkers and to those who prefer beer, cider, or spirits. Another study, published in the European Heart Journal, one of Europe leading cardiology journals, and carried out by researchers from the Institute of Nutrition and Health at the University of Navarra (in collaboration with Barcelona Hospital Clínic), found that moderate wine consumption in people who strictly adhere to the Mediterranean Diet reduces mortality by up to 33%, and that the potential beneficial effect of wine on cardiovascular health and mortality is neither universal nor independent of context. Scientist Silvio Garattini, in presenting his latest book “Non è mai troppo tardi. La salute è una scelta quotidiana” - “It is never too late. Health is a daily choice” with “Corriere della Sera”, stated that “hospital waiting lists are our fault. If we maintained a good lifestyle, they wouldn’t exist”. According to the scientist, “when we are invited to dinner, it is better to show up with a bouquet of flowers rather than with wine”. Garattini position, moreover, has always been very clear and adheres to strict rules: no wine, no red meat, and no butter on his table. He has long preached the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean Diet on longevity (focusing on fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes), arguing that one should eat less than necessary, getting up from the table preferably while still a little hungry.

Scientists from the “International Academy for Healthy Drinking” (which debuted at Vinitaly with the conference “Vino e Longevità. Salute, cultura, convivialità e tendenze” - “Wine and Longevity. Health, culture, conviviality and trends”) take a different view on the effects of (moderate) wine consumption. The Academy was strongly supported by one of Italy leading entrepreneurs, president of Oniverse (the fashion group with brands such as Calzedonia, Intimissimi, Tezenis and Falconeri) and Oniwines, led by ceo Federico Veronesi (which brings together wineries such as Tenimenti Leone in the Colli Albani in Lazio, La Giuva in Valpolicella, Podere Guardia Grande in Sardinia, Villa Bucci, a jewel of the Marche region and Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, the historic Pico Maccario in Monferrato, and Ert1050 in Trentodoc). Supported by a board of internationally renowned scientists, from Giovanni Scapagnini to Karin Michels, from Arrigo Francesco Giuseppe Cicero to Paolo Francalacci, including Eugenio Luigi Iorio, Andrea Sbarbati, Giovambattista Desideri, Immaculata De Vivo, Donald Craig Willcox and Davide Grass, the Academy aims to study longevity in order to rigorously address the public debate on the wine and health connection: a debate that is often oversimplified and ignores the biological and cultural complexity of the Mediterranean lifestyle. This represents an attempt by the wine world to respond to the questioning of its role, following a demonization that does not allow for a distinction between wine and alcohol in general. As explained by Giovanni Scapagnini, Full Professor of Clinical Nutrition at the University of Molise and one of Italy leading experts in nutritional geroscience, as well as the Academy founder: “The latest studies on the subject have created confusion in an incorrect way. And the ‘International Academy for Healthy Drinking’ was born precisely with the intention of creating a group of scientists who can act as a glue in telling the world how important wine actually is and how it can be beneficial”. Opening the proceedings, Scapagnini drew a clear distinction, increasingly supported by the most recent literature: wine can’t be compared to alcohol in a generic sense and occupies a scientifically distinct position in relation to it. Scapagnini mentioned the analysis from the Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology, carried out using data from the UK Biobank, the large UK biomedical database that collects health, genetic, and lifestyle information gathered between 2006 and 2022. The analysis first confirms what is already well established in the literature: high alcohol consumption is associated with a marked increase in overall mortality and deaths related to cancer and cardiovascular disease. Regular drinkers with high intake levels show a 24% higher risk of death from any cause, a 36% higher risk from cancer, and a 14% higher risk from heart disease compared to non-drinkers or occasional drinkers. However, the real news emerges when observing the behavior of moderate consumers: despite consuming similar total amounts of alcohol, the risks change significantly depending on the beverage. Those who choose wine - particularly red wine, rich in polyphenols and antioxidant compounds - show a 21% lower cardiovascular mortality rate. A figure which the authors link both to the bioactive properties of the beverage and to its typical context of consumption: wine is often associated with balanced meals and overall healthier lifestyles.
Professor Attilio Giacosa, president of Irvas (Institute for Research on Wine, Nutrition and Health), at the round table titled “Moderate Wine Consumption and Health”, held in recent days at the Academy of Medicine in Turin, summarized the key points that emerged from the discussion with Emanuele Albano, professor of General Pathology at the University of Eastern Piedmont, moderated by Giuseppe Poli, professor of General Pathology at the University of Turin: “in the current debate, there is an increasing tendency to consider wine exclusively as a source of alcohol, isolating it from the dietary and cultural context in which it is consumed. This is an oversimplification that does not reflect the complexity of the scientific evidence”, stated Giacosa. “Moderate wine consumption in adult life, mainly with meals and within a Mediterranean dietary pattern, is associated with a reduction in mortality risk and with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, senile dementia, and diabetes. However, it is also necessary to correctly address the debate on cancer. Saying that alcohol is a risk factor for cancer is correct, but it must be well explained: the risk is linked to prolonged abuse, not to moderate consumption within a balanced lifestyle. There are specific situations, such as in women with a predisposition to breast cancer, in which it is right to avoid alcohol completely. But turning this principle into a universal rule for everyone is not scientifically correct. The point is always the same: oversimplifying means losing sight of the reality of the data”, declared professor Giacosa. The starting point of the discussion is shared: “excessive alcohol consumption is a well-established risk factor, and there is no doubt about that - explains Emanuele Albano, professor of General Pathology at the University of Eastern Piedmont - however, from a biological and epidemiological perspective, it is important to distinguish between levels and patterns of consumption. The effects of alcohol on health are dose-dependent and influenced by many variables, including duration of exposure, individual factors, and context. In the case of wine, we are dealing with a complex matrix: in addition to ethanol, it contains bioactive components such as polyphenols, whose role is still under investigation, including their effects on the gut microbiota. This doesn’t allow for simplistic conclusions, but requires a cautious approach based on the full body of available evidence”.
The main news of the study conducted by the Institute of Nutrition and Health at the University of Navarra, in collaboration with Barcelona’s Hospital Clínic, lies in the fact that it is the first study to separately analyze the role of wine within the Mediterranean Diet, allowing researchers to distinguish whether the potential benefit is attributable to wine itself, to other alcoholic beverages, or to the diet as a whole. The research combines data from two studies, “Predimed” and “Sun”. Overall, more than 18,000 individuals were followed for over 20 years to assess the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, with and without wine consumption, and the occurrence of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke, as well as all-cause mortality.
In the “Predimed” study, subjects who adhered strictly to the Mediterranean Diet while excluding wine showed a 23% reduction in overall mortality. However, when moderate wine consumption was added to this dietary pattern (at least 7 glasses per week, but fewer than 3 per day), mortality reduction rose to 33%, representing an additional 10% decrease, and a lower incidence of cardiovascular events was also observed. Once consumption exceeded 3 glasses per day, however, the benefit disappeared. Therefore, when Predimed and Sun were analyzed together, the significant association with lower mortality remained only among those who met both conditions: high adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and moderate wine consumption.
The United States has also recently revised its position on alcohol consumption. Whereas under the Joe Biden administration there had been discussion of health warnings on bottles and downward revisions within the “no safe level” framework, the most recent “2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines”, published by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, don’t specify how many glasses of wine, mugs of beer, or shots of spirits should be consumed. Instead, they include a general recommendation: “Limit alcohol consumption for better health”, as stated in the document summary. “Consuma meno alcol per una migliore salute generale” - “Drink less alcohol for better overall health”.
In conclusion, the relationship between wine and health remains a complex field. The international scientific community has not reached a unanimous consensus, and the debate remains open, fueled daily by new evidence that at times strengthens one position and at others the opposing one. In this context, rather than absolute certainties, nuances and individual variables emerge, making any definitive synthesis difficult. Information and continuous updating therefore remain essential tools for navigating this issue, always guided by common sense and moderation.