Those who enjoy nothing more than settling down with a wine hamper may be pleased to learn the practice may be good for their health.

Scientists have discovered drinking red wine can reduce the likelihood of a person developing Alzheimer's disease.

They found resveratrol - an organic compound contained in the beverage - has the ability to combat the toxic attributes of proteins that are linked to the condition.

Rensselear professor Peter Tessier explained: "We've shown how resveratrol has very interesting selectivity to target and neutralise a select set of toxic peptide isoforms."

The investigators claimed the finding to be a step forward in the pursuit of understanding the large-scale death of brain cells seen in some neurodegenerative diseases.

Researchers from the Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris recently suggested individuals who consume up to half a bottle of wine a day are likely to be more healthy than those who do not drink the substance at all.