If you can't wait to crack that bottle of red wine, rather than cellaring it, you may be doing yourself a healthy favour.
A new study of 16 wines from Australia and New Zealand has found levels of healthy antioxidants, existing mainly in red grapes, decreased significantly over time.
CQUniversity lead researcher Mani Naiker said the compound, trans-resveratrol, was proven to have cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic effects.
"The more you consume this compound in your food or in beverages, it is perceived to give you better health benefits," Dr Naiker said.
"When we compare younger bottled wines with mature red wines, we have proven that as the wine ages the concentration of this important bioactive compound decreases by about 75 per cent over a 16-month period.
"That is a huge decrease in the concentration of this particularly important health-benefitting compound."
The study published in the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, found the concentration decreased in some wines by as much as 96 per cent.
After the initial resveratrol levels were measured, the bottles were resealed and stored in darkness in their original packaging.
"Irrespective to where we got the red wine from, which variety it was, the process of that compound, the loss was the same," Dr Naiker said.
"I might just leave it with the French paradox that having a glass of red with a meal everyday is good for your health.
"Now you know, you might want to go with a young red rather than an old one."
Increased demand for young red wine
Master of Wine Peter Scudamore-Smith said the popularity of younger red wines had increased "hugely".
"It's been to do with the advent of millennials showing their preferences for wines that their parents don't enjoy," he said.
"They explore new things … with the younger generations it's buy now, drink now or in a casual situation in a bar or bistro, drinking by the glass.
"Plus 55s are still drinking a lot of full-bodied reds, whereas the younger generations want something that's really snappy, really vibrant, really fresh and coloured, not old, oily and high alcohol."
The wine expert said the increased popularity of younger wine was due to a generational change rather than for health benefits.
"It's just a total coincidence rather than a nutritional issue," he said.
"The whole process of making wine has really, over the past five to 10 years, been reinvigorated, rethought.
"There's probably 100 grape varieties sold in Australian bottle shops now and previously, 20 years ago, there was probably only about 15."
