On the reasons we drink
In the cold month of January, I tend to refrain from drinking. I see it as a way to offer a reset to my liver, or to let the engine cool down for a few weeks. Yes, indeed, I fell for this dry‑January craze, where non‑alcoholic wines become a thing — a way to monetise every aspect of our lives.
I grew up in a time when certain food would glow in the dark, people would ski without helmets, and passengers smoked on trains. Nobody wants to return to such greyer times, yet somehow our newly health‑focused society has spent the past decade targeting alcohol — and particularly wine, this staple of Western households.
In just a few years, studies were published and numerous health organisations began issuing recommendations to drink less or not at all. And people listened. Suddenly, wines disappeared from restaurant tables, and home purchases dropped as well. Prices followed: bargains emerged, wine stores tried to move their stock, and entire wine regions discounted prices due to lower demand.
When you read the wine press, writers often lament these trends. I’ve seen numerous articles or studies claiming that wine isn’t actually unhealthy, citing research showing that, in a specific population, those drinking red wine are healthier than the rest. But dig deeper, and you quickly realize the “rest” were mostly beer drinkers, often leading unhealthier lifestyles (processed food, less exercise, poorer backgrounds). Others refer to the famous Blue Zones, where people live long lives while smoking and enjoying their daily glass of wine — though even this has been largely debunked. Some cases were linked to fraud, such as families receiving pensions for deceased relatives or falsified birth certificates.
The wine community fell into a trap set by health‑conscious gurus. One cannot defend wine or alcohol as “healthy.” It is simply impossible to claim that drinking wine has genuine health benefits. This mirrors the turn taken by the cigarette industry in the 1950s, when many were already warning that tobacco was unhealthy. Big producers advertised the supposed benefits of smoking, even featuring doctors in ads. A great piece on this topic from the New York Times. We tend to frame this health‑conscious trend as a battle against wine and its culture.
This antagonistic trend fits the spirit of the times. Manichean thinking is an easy way to interpret society: villains and heroes are clear, and the narrative is simple. You see it in blockbusters, where the bad guy is obvious, and you don’t cheer for him. But think of The Sopranos. Is Tony the hero or the villain? We must cheer for him as the main character, yet he kills many of his friends. Suddenly, scenes cannot be judged in terms of simple right or wrong — they exist along a subtle line of acceptance.
We, wine drinkers, cannot pretend wine is healthy or we become the villain — the Ernst Stavro Blofeld of the story. As a community, we should embrace this health trend. We mustn’t argue that wine is healthy; we should rise above that futile discussion. We do not drink wine for health benefits.
So why do we drink wine? The reasons are countless, both personal and communal. Wine has been woven into Western culture for centuries, enjoyed from Portugal to Crimea. It has shaped European history, traveling with monks, gracing the tables of counts, kings, and emperors, and yet also present in the homes of common people. Across social classes, genders, ages, and countries, wine has been a shared experience, a unifying thread of culture and conviviality.
Wine is the Sunday lunch, paired with a roast, grilled vegetables, and a fine Châteauneuf. It enhances a meal, like salt or pepper. It can smooth a business lunch, encouraging conversation over a Claret. Or it can elevate a quiet moment, a glass of champagne with a loved one — a spark, a catalyst. Wine is a pleasure, and we should embrace it as such. Celebrate the joy of gentle inebriation.
