Body-conscious women may like to buy a few wine gift hampers as it has been revealed that those who drink the beverage in moderation are less likely to gain weight in the long term.

An investigation carried out by Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston has found that females who drink red wine on a regular basis tend not to pile on the pounds in later life.

The research, which is published in the American Medical Association's Archives of Internal Medicine, surveyed around 20,000 women regarding their alcohol consumption over 13 years.

How the body processes the fluid is perhaps why the tipple does not result in weight-gain, the authors suggested, as the liver may turn alcohol into heat and not fat.

Earlier in the month, it was revealed that more South African wine is now bought in Britain than the French variety, with its sales increasing by 20 per cent over the last 21 months.