The power of Dionysus-Effects of red wine on consciousness in a naturalistic setting.

Drinking a moderate dose of red wine (about 40.98 g of ethanol) in a wine bar designed for pleasurable drinking increases pleasure and arousal, slows the subjective passage of time, focuses attention on the present moment, and reduces body awareness. It also enhances imagination, insightfulness, originality of thoughts, and feelings of oneness with the environment, spiritual feelings, all-encompassing love, and profound peace. These changes occurred regardless of whether participants drank alone, in pairs, or in groups. Older age correlated with greater pleasure increases; younger age with greater fascination with the environment. The findings suggest that red wine in such a setting can trigger changes in consciousness similar to mystical-type states.

Study at a glance

Abstract

There is lack of research on effects of red wine on consciousness when drank in wine bars designed to enhance the pleasurableness of the wine drinking experience. Effects of a moderate dose of red wine (≈ 40.98 g of ethanol) on consciousness were examined in a naturalistic study taking place in a wine bar located in one of the most touristic areas of Lisbon, Portugal. One hundred two participants drank in one of three conditions: alone, in dyad, or in groups up to six people. Red wine increased pleasure and arousal, decreased the awareness of time, slowed the subjective passage of time, increased the attentional focus on the present moment, decreased body awareness, slowed thought speed, turned imagination more vivid, and made the environment become more fascinating. Red wine increased insightfulness and originality of thoughts, increased sensations of oneness with the environment, spiritual feelings, all-encompassing love, and profound peace. All changes in consciousness occurred regardless of volunteers drinking alone, in dyad or in group. Men and women did not report different changes in consciousness. Older age correlated with greater increases in pleasure. Younger age correlated with greater increases in fascination with the environment of the wine bar. Drinking wine in a contemporaneous Western environment designed to enhance the pleasurableness of the wine drinking experience may trigger changes in consciousness commonly associated with mystical-type states.