Health

  • British Consumers More Negative About Non-Alcoholic Wine

    British Consumers More Negative About Non-Alcoholic Wine

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    Simon Judge

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    A new study investigates how consumers in Australia, the UK and the US perceive and evaluate non-alcoholic wine. It analyses more than eleven thousand online product reviews covering 326 products sold through major e-commerce platforms, applying sentiment analysis, topic modelling and logistic regression to identify what shapes satisfaction and how perceptions vary across markets and…

  • Wine, Neuroprotection and Gut Health

    Wine, Neuroprotection and Gut Health

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    Simon Judge

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    More new research (pdf) helps to balance the currently overly-negative narrative of wine and health. Chapter 6 of Nourish Your Mind: A Scientific Approach to Brain Health explores the role of phenolic metabolites from wine and their effects on cognitive and digestive processes. The chapter examines how these compounds, particularly polyphenols, contribute to neuroprotection, gut…

  • Wine, Flavonoids and Health

    Wine, Flavonoids and Health

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    Simon Judge

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    With much debate surrounding wine’s impact on health, here’s some balancing news. New research (pdf) offers an in-depth look at flavonoids, compounds found in wine that might tip the scales in favour of moderate consumption. In red wine, flavonoids make up as much as 90% of its phenolic content. These phenols, largely derived from the…

  • The Battle Between Science and Prohibitionists

    The Battle Between Science and Prohibitionists

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    Simon Judge

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    David Morrison argues on his blog that current medical evidence does not support the claim that moderate wine consumption is harmful, though public health messaging has increasingly taken a prohibitionist stance. He critiques official health organisations, such as the WHO and the UK Chief Medical Officers, for their stringent guidelines on alcohol, pointing out a…

  • Exploring Plant-Based Alternatives to Sulphur Dioxide in Winemaking

    Exploring Plant-Based Alternatives to Sulphur Dioxide in Winemaking

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    Simon Judge

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    Winemaking has long relied on sulphur dioxide (SO₂) for its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, ensuring the stability and quality of wines. However, slight concerns about its health impacts and allergenic potential have prompted the search for natural alternatives. Recent research highlights the potential of a plant-based tannin blend (referred to as SDR) as a substitute…

  • European Wine Industry Unites to Combat Anti-Alcohol Movement

    European Wine Industry Unites to Combat Anti-Alcohol Movement

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    Simon Judge

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    The VITÆVINO Declaration is a newly launched initiative by major European wine organisations to combat the growing anti-alcohol movement, which has negatively impacted wine sales and wine culture. The declaration, signed on 1 October 2023, aims to defend European wine culture by highlighting four key points: preserving wine heritage, its economic role in rural areas,…

  • Label Design Influence on Consumer Attitudes Toward Organic Wine

    Label Design Influence on Consumer Attitudes Toward Organic Wine

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    Simon Judge

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    New research ‘healthy = (un)tasty’ intuition concerning colour in organic wine labels explores how the colour of organic wine labels influences consumer perceptions, focusing on the associations with healthiness, tastiness and purchase intentions. The research investigates the effects of red versus green labels on these consumer attitudes. The study confirms that organic labels generally create…

  • By-product of Winemaking Shows Promise in Treating Diabetic Eye Disease

    By-product of Winemaking Shows Promise in Treating Diabetic Eye Disease

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    Simon Judge

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    There’s new research that highlights the potential of using grape pomace, a byproduct of winemaking, as a source of beneficial compounds for eye health. The study examined the effectiveness of a nutraceutical formulation called Maltodextrinated Grape Pomace Extract (MaGPE) in treating diabetic retinopathy, a common complication of diabetes that can lead to blindness. The study…

  • Risks and Benefits of Drinking for Older Adults

    Risks and Benefits of Drinking for Older Adults

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    Simon Judge

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    A new study looks into the belief that light to moderate drinking, particularly of wine, offers health benefits for older adults. The research, involving over 135,000 participants aged 60 and above from the UK, reveals that alcohol’s impact varies based on an individual’s existing health conditions and socioeconomic status. For those with pre-existing health issues…

  • Wine and Health

    Wine and Health

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    Simon Judge

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    Recent declines in wine consumption have been linked to growing public health concerns, particularly those raised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) who have increasingly voiced concerns about alcohol consumption, culminating in a statement declaring that there is “no safe level” of alcohol consumption. This message reflects the influence of public health campaigns and some…

  • The Paradoxes of Dealcoholised Wine Production

    The Paradoxes of Dealcoholised Wine Production

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    Simon Judge

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    In the DrinksBusiness, an anonymous wine producer criticises the growing trend of dealcoholised wines, arguing that the process is energy-intensive, costly, and significantly alters the wine’s original qualities, resulting in a product that lacks flavour and structure. The producer contends that the necessary additives to recreate the wine’s taste and stability are unnatural and environmentally…

  • New Research Adds to the Story of Wine and Health

    New Research Adds to the Story of Wine and Health

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    Simon Judge

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    Up to recently, there has been an intriguing relationship between culture, diet and health outcomes, particularly focusing on the Mediterranean diet and the historic and cultural significance of wine. The concept of the French Paradox played a central role in this narrative, highlighting the seemingly contradictory observation that the French population enjoys a lower incidence…

  • Heightened Alcohol Sensitivity After COVID-19 Recovery

    Heightened Alcohol Sensitivity After COVID-19 Recovery

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    Simon Judge

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    There’s new research that looks into alcohol sensitivity experienced by individuals after recovering from COVID-19, known as Post-acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). It presents case series of patients who, after contracting COVID-19, began experiencing adverse reactions to alcohol that they hadn’t faced before, such as severe hangover symptoms from small amounts of alcohol. This suggests…

  • Reducing Wine Consumption Through Serving Size

    Reducing Wine Consumption Through Serving Size

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    Simon Judge

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    New research titled ‘Impact on wine sales of removing the largest serving size by the glass‘, published in PLOS Medicine, explores the effect of reducing wine serving sizes on wine sales. The study, conducted across 21 licensed premises in England, used an A-B-A method to compare wine sales during periods with and without the availability…

  • Wine and Eggs Diet Ineffective

    Wine and Eggs Diet Ineffective

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    Simon Judge

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    The ‘wine and eggs’ diet has recently been highlighted as the most ineffective diet in a survey of 2,000 British dieters. This diet, which made a comeback on social media after originally appearing in Vogue magazine, suggests a daily intake of three to five eggs and a bottle of wine. It scored a 50 percent…

  • Young Britons Lead the Surge in Low and No Alcohol Drinks

    Young Britons Lead the Surge in Low and No Alcohol Drinks

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    Simon Judge

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    Harpers is reporting revealing insight into the changing habits of UK drinkers. The latest YouGov poll, conducted in partnership with the Portman Group, has highlighted a significant shift towards low and no alcohol beverages, particularly among the younger generation. The survey, now in its sixth year, shows that nearly half of the 18-24 age group,…

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Did You Know?

In 2024, the UK was the second-largest export market for Champagne globally, after the United States. More

Local UK bottling of wine which represents about 40% of imported wine. More

Around 1% of people, typically severe asthmatics, have a sulphite sensitivity. More

A large 80% of Australian wine arrives in the UK in bulk. More

Only about 0.02% of Australia’s landmass is dedicated to vineyards. More

In 2024, New Zealand produced only 1% of the World’s wine. More

In 2024, the US imported 37% of World production of Pinot Grigio and the UK was is in second place at 27%. More

In 2024, the UK was South Africa’s largest export market, with 40% of total exports. More

In 2024, the United Kingdom imported 22.3 million bottles of Champagne, a decline of 12.7% compared to the previous year. More

Larger Champagne producers source grapes from as many as 80 different vineyards throughout Champagne. More

Champagne houses and growers collectively produce around 300 million bottles annually. More

In 2025, the Champagne region was home to about 2,124 Champagne houses and approximately 19,000 growers. More

Provence is one of the leaders in the conversion to organic viticulture, with 61% of vineyards certified. More

8% of the South Africa’s grape production is Fairtrade-certified. More

Up to 80% of wine aroma compounds come from grape skins. More

Glycerol is the third-largest component of most dry wines after water and alcohol which is why they so often feel ‘smooth’ or ‘silky’ in the mouth. More

Humans are more than 400 times more sensitive to bitter than sweet. More

Humans can detect the earthy molecule geosmin at about 100 parts per trillion and camels are so sensitive to it they can locate damp ground from roughly 50 miles away. More

During the phylloxera crisis of the nineteenth century, 90% of Europe’s vineyards were destroyed. More

In 2025, for La Vieille Ferme, also known as “The Chicken Wine”, sales surged by 49.4% to £110.8 million. More

In 2025, in the UK, Yellow Tail held the top position with sales, marking a 9.8% increase over the previous year. More

In 2024, the UK was the second-largest wine importer in volume and value. More

In 2024, the UK was the fifth-largest wine-consuming country globally. More

In 2025, global wine consumption continued its downward trend, estimated at 214.2 million hectolitres, the lowest since 1961. More

In 2025, online alcohol sales had a 20% increase in value over five years. More

In 2025, the number of UK vineyards rose to 1,104 and wineries to 238, with land under vine expanding to 4,841 hectares, a 510% increase since 2005. More

Moët Hennessy alone commands nearly 46.66% of the Champagne market, with the top three producers together holding about 61%, and the top five controlling over 72%. More

In 2024, the Champagne market was worth roughly €3.92 billion. More

In the marketing year 2023/24, white wine accounted for roughly 55% of Spain’s output, whereas red and rosé together made up about 45%. More

In the UK, 92% of wine is consumed within 48hrs of purchase. More

The majority of wines, 95%, use commercial rather than wild yeast. More

Between 0.5 and 10 litres of water, per litre of wine, are needed for cleaning during winemaking. More

Machine harvesting can achieve up to 100 tons of fruit per day vs 1 ton for a human. More

In Germany, 2025 was the smallest wine vintage since 2010. More

The majority of vineyards, 90% in 2019, are farmed with heavy chemical interventions. Only 6% are organic. More

90% of low and coastal areas in south Europe and California will no longer be able to produce good wine by the end of the century. More

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