I open a bottle of wine almost every night. When I’m with others, sharing a few drinks encourages connection. When I’m alone, a glass of wine offers a moment to reflect and enjoy a little luxury. Drinking wine is one of my favorite daily rituals, and I consider it a precious addition to life. 

But alcohol has its downsides, and at first glance, it may seem incompatible with healthy living. Ethyl alcohol is toxic. We all know it can have detrimental effects on mental and physical wellbeing, especially in the long term. And when we drink to the point of excess, we feel it. Overindulging might lead us to eat foods we wouldn’t normally eat or avoid our morning workout the next day.

This all begs the question: does alcohol contribute to your wellbeing, or does it take away from it? I believe you can enjoy alcohol as part of a long and healthy life. However, imbibing on a regular basis can come at great cost, which is why I implement a few rules around drinking.

I never drink on an empty stomach.  

Food slows down your absorption of alcohol[*], which is the main reason I always eat something whenever I drink. 

When you have a few glasses of wine alongside a good meal, you’ll enjoy a pleasant, gradual buzz over the course of a few hours. The same amount of alcohol, taken on an empty stomach, is likely to leave you drunk almost immediately. In my experience, drinking on an empty stomach will also almost certainly result in a hangover. I have to wake up and perform every day, and a hangover will ruin my routine, so I always make sure to put out something to eat when I open a bottle of wine.

On top of all that, food and wine are meant for each other. There are few things better than a crisp Sancerre served with grilled seafood, or a delicious Sangiovese alongside a steak. Wine begs for good food. Why not indulge it?

I don’t drink during the daytime. 

In much of Europe—particularly France, Italy, and Portugal—it’s common to have a bottle of wine with lunch. It’s a romantic cultural tradition, and if you’ve visited Europe recently, you may be tempted to start doing it when you come back home. A couple glasses of wine with lunch sounds nice, but personally, I find it unsustainable. 

I don’t think or work well when I drink during the day. I never drink with lunch, and I never have a glass of wine when things are winding down at the office (even though I run a wine company). My rule is: always after 5 PM, and only after the day’s work is finished.

I only drink low alcohol Natural Wines. 

I don’t drink spirits, beers, or high-alcohol wines. I prefer to consume alcohol in a slow, steady amount over the course of a couple hours. I also avoid all sugar and additives, which, in my experience, are often more to blame for a hangover than alcohol itself. 

For those reasons, I only drink pure Natural Wines that are organically grown, less than 12.5% alcohol, and sugar free. 

Drinking only Natural Wine allows me to wake up with a clear head. Even if I have a whole bottle of Natural Wine the night before, I find I can maintain my morning exercise, meditation, and other health routines without any hardship. I also believe low-intervention winemaking leads to more complex and enjoyable wine. 

Natural Wine is the only thing I drink—always in the evening, and always with food. 

With these rules in place, I find I can enjoy alcohol almost every day. It has no negative impact on my wellbeing, and I intend to continue with it for the rest of my days. If you love drinking but don’t want the downsides, perhaps you’ll consider implementing similar rules. After all, a life without good wine is rather bleak.