Wine Law

compounds in the wine were responsible for these beneficial health properties. The healthy components of wine turned out to be the components of the grape itself. In a grape’s structure, we can distinguish, from the inside out, the seeds, the endocarp and the mesocarp (which form the pulp) and the exocarp and the epidermis (which form the skin). The different tissues that form the fruit contribute in a different way to the biochemical composition of the grape. The final composition of the berry depends on the genotype of the variety, the environmental conditions (climate, soil, water and crop management) and the interaction between genotype and environment. Of all these components, the most relevant substances of the grapes and wine, regarding health protection, are the phenolic components. In turn, within the phenolic components, the most relevant are the polyphenols, that is, those that have more than one phenol group in their structure. Finally, among the polyphenols, the most important is resveratrol, a polyphenol that belongs to the stilbene family. Given that a litre of wine has approximately 1-7 mg of resveratrol in it, the moderate and responsible consumption of red wine per day recommended will be around 125 ml for women and 250 ml for men. These volumes of red wine contain the optimal concentrations of resveratrol for health benefits. 2.1. What is Resveratrol? Resveratrol is also an antioxidant molecule, that is, a molecule capable of neutralising free radicals – the mechanism of action by which these molecules induce their beneficial effects on health. In nature, resveratrol can be found in two isoforms: cis and trans, the latter being the most abundant, stable and powerful form of resveratrol. In vitro and in vivo studies, in cellular, animal and human models, as well as epidemiological studies, support a series of beneficial properties for the health of the molecule’s compounds. Among the properties of this substance, we can highlight its activity as a cardiovascular protector, anticancer, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic. There are also numerous scientific studies that demonstrate the benefits of resveratrol as a protector in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and metabolic disorders, such as diabetes. This natural polyphenol also acts as a photo- protector, preventing, for instance, skin cancer, which is why it is suggested the possibility