Given the recent news that the USDA may drop the current recommendation of one alcoholic drink per day for women and two alcoholic drinks per day for men in the soon to be released update of the USDA dietary guidelines, and the American Heart Association’s new statement that alcohol may have no to little impact or could even be beneficial on heart health, we are fortunate to have just the right person to respond to this and sort it all out for us.
We welcome vintner and physician Dr. Laura Catena back to the podcast. With her unique dual background in medicine and winemaking, Catena shares her researched perspective, emphasizing the importance of scientific integrity, the value of moderate wine consumption in historical health data, and the need for ongoing research free from bias. She challenges the absolutist messaging that no amount of alcohol is safe, and urges a more balanced, evidence-based conversation.
Wine is a cultural drink. That’s how our guest today, Laura Catena sees it. As a fourth generation vintner, whose family staked a claim for Malbec in Argentina more than 100 years ago and pioneered high elevation viticulture, Laura knows wine’s cultural, agricultural, scientific, economic and global history. Laura also knows the science behind the risks and benefits of alcohol consumption. That’s why she’s an outspoken voice on proclamations from the World Health Organization and other entities that are saying that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
In response, Laura created the In Defense of Wine website to show the credible science about alcohol and health. And as we veer closer to the USDA update on alcohol consumption, we’re grateful to have Laura here to help us sort out the real science and the anti-alcohol propaganda and how we can make the best decisions for ourselves when it comes to alcohol consumption.
Reuter’s reporting on USDA Dietary Guidelines and alcohol consumption, June 18, 2025 https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-drop-guidance-limit-alcohol-one-or-two-drinks-per-day-sources-say-2025-06-18/
Latest statement from the American Heart Association, June 9, 2025 https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001341
Dr. Laura Catena’s In Defense of Wine website https://indefenseofwine.com/
Breast cancer https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/09/women-should-avoid-all-alcohol-reduce-breast-cancer-risk
NASEM report Review of Evidence on Alcohol and Health https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/review-of-evidence-on-alcohol-and-health
Catena Zapata Winery https://catenazapata.com/