This study aims to develop wines low in alcohol (<8.5 °A) and calories (<80 kcal/120 ml) with superior antioxidant functionality.

In response to consumers’ growing interest in products that promote wellness, and thanks to CORFO funding, Viña Concha y Toro’s Center for Research and Innovation (CRI) is developing an innovative wine with a low alcohol content (less than 8.5º) and a high concentration of phenolic compounds, known for their antioxidant action in the human body.

The CRI is currently launching a clinical trial to evaluate the health effects of this wine. The study will compare the impact of moderate consumption of the new wine with high polyphenol content versus a control wine, with a similar alcohol content but with traditional amounts of polyphenols. The trial, which will be conducted at the Center for Molecular Nutrition and Chronic Diseases of the School of Medicine of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, will be led by Inés Urquiaga, a Biochemistry Researcher with extensive experience in the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and wine consumption.

The study will involve 60 participants, men and women, who will be randomly assigned to drink either the high polyphenol wine or the control wine. During the trial, key health indicators such as blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, fasting glycemia and levels of antioxidants such as vitamin C will be measured. These data will help to deepen the understanding of the beneficial properties of polyphenols present in wine.

As part of this clinical study, the CRI’s Social Sciences unit will take the opportunity to get to know the study participants better. Through qualitative research methods, we hope to explore their conceptions of health and healthy practices to learn how people understand and relate wine consumption to their well-being.