The more you know, the better you drink: The new drinking culture in Italian wine production areas

Abstract

Introduction: The paper complements an epidemiological analysis of secondary data that compared levels of consumption, alcohol-related mortality and morbidity in territories in Piedmont (N-W Italy), characterized by a different involvement with wine culture, and which showed lower alcohol-related risks in areas of production. Aims: The main aim is to shed light on these epidemiological results through qualitative methods, focusing on meanings attributed to drinking and on mechanisms of regulation that could explain why in wine-producing areas alcohol-related risks appear to be lower. Methods: Eighty-one in-depth individual interviews have been conducted. The sample consisted of males and females, from three cohorts (aged 18–25; 45–52; 70–77 years) and covering two areas (with higher versus lower vineyard acreage). Results: In areas characterized by wine production the traditional alcohol socialization process within the family is more persistent. In these areas, the traditional drinking culture has been not only valued, but also renewed, by emphasising the importance of proper drinking and the knowledge related to it. Conclusions: The alcohol socialisation process and the emphasis on wine as a cultural product seem to be the most relevant protective factors, contributing to the lower alcohol consumption and counteracting the widespread risk of alcohol consumption patterns.

Keywords:

• Drinking cultures
• alcohol socialization process
• qualitative research
• generations
• wine production
• at risk drinking

Declaration of interest

This work was supported by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo (bank foundation), Piemont Region, three municipalities, Federalimentare (National food association), and a web crowdfunding.

No conflicts of interests are related to the present study. Franca Beccaria in her career she has received financial support for her research from EU research funds, international, national and local scientific research funds, included governmental, NGOs and industry funded agencies. She is a member of the Scientific Laboratory of the Osservatorio Permanente sui Giovani e l'Alcool (Permanent Observatory on Youth and Alcohol) in Rome, an association which is mainly funded by the Italian Breweries Association. She receives no compensation for this work, though her expenses for one/two meeting/s per year are reimbursed.