Red wine red wine's heart-protecting effect found

Those seeking a longevity-boosting tipple should turn their attention to red wines from Sardinia and south-west France, a study concludes.

UK researchers discovered chemicals called procyanidins were responsible for red wine's well-documented heart-protecting effect.

And they found traditionally made wines from these areas had more procyanidins than wines in other parts of the world.

The research is published in the journal Nature.

Previous studies have revealed regular, moderate consumption of red wine is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and lower mortality.

A class of chemicals called polyphenols, of which there are many varieties, are thought to be responsible.