The Healthiest Red Wines in The World

Our philosophy here at Wanderlust Wine has always been to import organic, biodynamic or sustainably farmed wines. In keeping with this growing trend of conscious drinking, we’re also looking to offer some of the wines that are proven to be beneficial to our health too!

But what is it about a wine that makes it healthy?

What is Considered ‘Healthy’ About Red Wine?

Wines are made of complex strains of various compounds, such as acids and proteins. It’s what gives them the aromas, structures and age-ability that we all love.

Amongst these compounds include those with antioxidant properties such as procyanidins and resveratrol. Wines, especially red wines, can have relatively high levels of these compounds that are scientifically proven to have numerous health benefits, including combating cardiovascular diseases.

The Tannat grape, for example, is a subject of scientific praise due to the high levels of phenolic compounds in its thick skins. Tannat wines can contain up to four times the procyanidins than that of an average glass of red wine (120 mg/L vs 30-40mg/L), suggesting that drinking these wines is a healthier option than the average glass of red.

The French Paradox

Have you ever heard of ‘The French Paradox’? It’s a well-researched phenomenon that refers to people who live on the Mediterranean coast of France who consume a diet high in saturated fats yet have statistically fewer cases of death from coronary heart disease. Studies show that this phenomenon may be due to the cardioprotective benefits of the local red wines.

France surpasses many countries in average life expectancy. They live longer partly due to the common practice of drinking rustic red wine with meals. Documentation shows that the French consume 2–3 glasses daily. The traditionally made wine reduces the unhealthy effects of high-cholesterol foods common in their diet, including bread, cheese and rich desserts.

One of the Blue Zones in the world – Sardinia, Italy

And it’s not just the French that have benefitted. The beautiful Italian island of Sardinia is one of Italy’s best-kept secrets for a relaxed, sun-soaked life, but it was the profile of its local inhabitants that caught the scientific eye.  An unusually high percentage live to well over 100. In fact, the island was found to have 10 times the number of centenarians compared to the United States. Scientific reports conclude that similar to the French Paradox, despite the local Sardinian diet consisting of high-fat foods, it is counteracted by 2-3 glasses of local red wine (from Grenache, known locally as Cannonau) every day.

Other grape varieties that have been analysed include the likes of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz which have been found to be rich in antioxidants, especially flavonoids, that can help reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure. The likes of Merlot, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel contain a good amount of anthocyanins and resveratrol, which has been linked to anti-ageing and improved cardiovascular health.

The Unexpected Health Benefits of Red Wine

Red wines contain around 10 times more polyphenols than white wine. This is because the winemaking methods allow the fresh juice to stay in contact with the grape skins for an extended period of time. This extracts the highest concentration of polyphenols that end up in the wine.

Polyphenols include flavonoids, such as quercetin and catechins, that are primarily responsible for the deep colour of red wines and have been linked to heart health benefits. Non-flavonoids, such as resveratrol, have gained attention for their potential anti-ageing properties and ability to promote heart health. They also include tannins, which are famously found in the skins, seeds, and stems of grapes, and contribute to the structure of red wines and are associated with reducing the risk of heart diseases.

These groups have polyphenols that have been shown to help with:

1. Cardiovascular Health

Helping to slow down the progression of atherosclerosis, protecting the heart cells from tissue damage after a stroke, decreasing triglyceride and cholesterol accumulation, regulating blood pressure levels, reducing inflammation, and preventing oxidative stress.

2. Improve Cholesterol Levels

Improve cholesterol levels by raising levels of good HDL cholesterol by as much as 5 to 15%, and lowering LDL levels.

3. Lowering the Risk of Cancer

The accumulation of free radicals plays a major role in the development of chronic and degenerative diseases, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative diseases. The antioxidants in certain red wines help counteract oxidative stress. They act as free radical scavengers that prevent and repair damage caused by oxidation. Resveratrol can also block the multistep process of carcinogenesis, including the various stages of tumour initiation, promotion and progression.

4. Fighting obesity and weight gain

Red wine may help to fight obesity. Due to a compound found in grapes and other fruits (like blueberries and passionfruit) called piceatannol, blocks an immature fat cell’s ability to develop and grow by binding to insulin receptors found in fat cells and blocking insulin’s ability to control cell cycles.

5. Helping Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

Research indicates that people who eat a Mediterranean diet, consisting of red wine, vegetables, fruits, fish and olive oil, have a 28% lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and a 48% lower risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease.

Responsible drinking

Of course, it’s not as simple as all that. These health benefits are predicated on light-to-moderate consumption. This means 1-2 glasses a day for men and ½ -1 glass per day for women. We encourage our customers to follow alcohol consumption limits issued by the NHS and the government, and any person with cardiac issues should discuss drinking with their GP or doctor.

There are other ways to increase your daily consumption of vascular-protecting polyphenols without drinking alcohol. Wine just happens to be a fun way to do it!

Tips for Responsible Drinking

As much as we can talk about the healthiest wines available, all this conversation is caveated by the negative effects of alcohol. Excessive consumption can have numerous detrimental impacts on physical health, such as liver cirrhosis and cardiovascular issues, and mental health.

It can be all too easy to drink too much, but there are some very handy tips to help you manage that without losing the enjoyment we all have for these wonderful wines.

1. Consume Wine with Food

As you travel around the wine regions of the world, especially the historic ‘old world’ areas of Europe, the wine culture goes hand in hand with food. It’s so rare to simply open a bottle without having something to eat alongside, from entrees/tapas/antipasti to full meals. Wine and food complement and elevate each other’s flavours, promote social interaction and relaxation, and more importantly help you slow down, drinking and eating less, whilst appreciating them even more.

2. Smaller Pours for Each Glass

The piece of information that surprises most wine drinkers is that wine glasses are rarely designed to be filled more than a third full. Most are even less. You don’t have to fill the glass to the brim, the wine in the bottle is not going to run off! Not only does that mean that you’ll drink more slowly, but also the wine in the glass, whether a cool white or a heady red, will remain in great condition in the glass and the bottle.

3. The 3:4 or 2:5 Method

Many people open a bottle by habit. You come home from work, sort the kids out, make your dinner, sit on the couch in front of the TV and open a bottle. It’s the ‘normal’ process of the week. But it’s those one or two glasses each night of the week that can add up quickly leading to excessive weekly consumption. The 3:4 method means that you only open a bottle 3 nights a week, and spend 4 nights alcohol-free. The 2:5 means 5 nights alcohol-free. It’s a considered choice, it’s taking ownership, and it also means those nights you do reach for the wine, you can afford to drink better wines and much more guilt-free.

This Blog post is written by Mike Turner
Freelance wine writer, presenter and judge

Mike is a regular contributor for The Buyer magazine and is a certified educator and ambassador for Bordeaux, Rioja, Ribera Del Duero, Barolo and Barbaresco, running trade and consumer events across the UK from his base in the East Midlands.

Next in our trend and craving series: Why is Chilled Red Wine a Trend Now?