Living to 100 doesn’t have to mean a strict regimen of steamed vegetables and joyless meals.

A healthy, balanced and stress-free life includes happy hours, time spent with family and friends and the occasional glass of wine with delicious dinners. You can consume alcohol and live to a happy 100, even up to one drink daily for women, two for men. We know from Blue Zones centenarians that this is true: People in four original Blue Zones areas drink alcohol moderately and regularly. The trick is to drink one to two glasses per day with friends and/or with food. And no, you can’t save up all week and have 14 drinks on Saturday.

Here is some of the research and studies that give us a better understanding of how wine can help lead to a longer lifespan.

Cardiovascular Can-Do with Cannonau
Sardinians are famous for their daily consumption of the robust, regional red wine called Cannonau. Cannonau wine has two to three times the level of artery-scrubbing flavonoids as other wines. Small doses of this antioxidant-rich beverage throughout the day could explain fewer heart attacks and lower levels of stress among men in this region of the world. Another reason Sardinians may experience these wine health benefits is the way they consume it–always surrounded by good friends and good food. If you’re unable to find Cannonau at your local market, dry red wines in general offer similar health advantages.

The Sardinian and Veneto wines of the company Montespada.