The Onav Scientific Committee comments on Ireland’s labeling proposal that is much discussed these days. And it points out that not enough is said about the work done by science over the years.
“It has been 30 years that the scientific world has been addressing the issue of the relationship between wine and health, and it is well established by many studies that moderate consumption is protective against the development of coronary heart disease and diseases associated with oxidative stress,” says Professor Vincenzo Gerbi, chairman of the ONAV Scientific Committee, a unique body established by the National Organization of Wine Tasters. – The potential health benefits of wine have been mainly attributed to polyphenolic compounds, particularly flavonoids, present in abundance and in bioavailable form in wine. It is therefore surprising that this part of the scientific research is completely ignored in the recent debate and only the deleterious effect of ethanol, whatever its origin and mode of consumption, has been emphasized.”
Over the past 30 years there have been thousands of scientific publications confirming the usefulness of wine, from those on the effects of resveratrol to those on longevity, from its protective role with respect to cardiovascular disease to its ability to prevent neurological degeneration.
“In 2010, UNESCO declared the Mediterranean diet an intangible heritage of humanity. The Greek etymology of the term “diet” refers to “lifestyle,” of which the habit of moderate wine consumption is a full part,” Gerbi continues. – I believe that the Irish example can be followed by other Nordic countries with serious problems of alcoholism, but the effects on the population will surely be modest if not accompanied by a campaign of dietary education, to be started from an early age, based not only on elements of medicine, but also on cultural aspects that enrich young people with interests and curiosity, reducing boredom and the search for obnubilation, a substitute for happiness.”
The ONAV Scientific Committee, is composed of some of the most important members of the scientific world: in addition to Professor Vincenzo Gerbi, Luigi Moio, president of OIV, Professors Osvaldo Failla, Milena Lambri, Luca Rolle and Anna Schneider, internationally renowned oenologist Graziana Grassini, ONAV President Vito Intini and ONAV Director Francesco Iacono. It is a unique structure of its kind in the world of associations involved in popularizing wine knowledge and has a specific task. Its role is to constantly verify the contents of the Taster courses in the three levels and promote the knowledge of this figure, at the center of ONAV’s training activities. “The Taster is a person who approaches wine as an element of knowledge and personal enrichment, including learning to make better use of their senses, without neglecting the cultural and social aspects related to alcohol consumption,” Gerbi concludes.
