The Science of Drinking Well. La Via del Vino: Wine, Health & the Mediterranean Way of Life

What are the secrets to a long and healthy life? Drawing on the study of centenarians in the world’s famous “Blue Zones,” Giovanni Scapagnini, professor of neuroscience and nutrition, embarks on a fascinating journey through biology, history, and lifestyle to explore the true secrets of healthy aging. In the lives of those who live beyond one hundred, the author identifies one fundamental constant: wine, not as a vice, but as a natural and mindful companion to the meal, as well as an essential part of social connection. Today, this deep-rooted culture faces significant challenges. On the one hand, conviviality is declining, as meals become increasingly rushed and solitary; on the other, medical research can sometimes adopt alarmist tones that tend to equate alcohol with smoking. Yet reducing wine to nothing more than the molecule ethanol means overlooking its most important element: context. Without downplaying the scientific data, Scapagnini rejects oversimplifications and alarmist labels. Through an honest and rigorous examination of “relative risk,” the professor will demonstrate that wine consumed in moderation, as part of the slow, shared meals typical of the Mediterranean diet, is biologically and humanly distinct from any form of excessive consumption. By placing wine in the proper context within everyday habits, Scapagnini puts its risks into perspective without denying them. His is not an uncritical praise, but a concrete proposal for combining health, scientific evidence, and the pleasure of socializing.