Wine Index of Salubrity and Health (WISH): an evidence-based instrument to evaluate the impact of good wine on well-being

Wine, as any other alcoholic drink, should be consumed in moderate dosages. The scientific literature reports a huge number of articles describing the various health benefits of moderate wine drinking, but none have so far summarized the different types of evidence supporting these effects. Furthermore, there is no proof that any specific wine might be more or less beneficial than any other according to its content of specific nutrients and components. The aim of this article was to identify the individual components of wine that are known to have a potential to effect on health, in order to create a wine-specific index to grossly estimate the impact of moderate wine drinking on well-being. A deep search was performed on the medical literature to choose those articles that could explain the role of the main components of wine on health. The proper dosages and the instruments to evaluate the quality of wines were identified and are described herein. Evidence supporting the role of alcohol, acidity, sulfur dioxide, malic acid, metals, polyphenols, and other components of wine on health was identified and summarized, and the various links with health benefits are described. Then a Wine Index of Salubrity and Health (WISH) was developed which, as a rapidly available and effective instrument, will help to understand at a glance the potential beneficial effect of a specific wine.