The therapeutic and antiseptic properties of wine have been known since ancient times. Although they did not know the chemical composition of wine, people saw the benefits of moderate wine consumption and its positive effect on the body. 157 years ago, Louis Pasteur declared wine to be the healthiest and most hygienic drink and established, after numerous researches on the chemical composition of wine, that wine has a positive effect on human health and longevity. However, today polyphenols are considered the most responsible for the health effects of wine, and the most important among them is resveratrol, a strong antioxidant, which captures free radicals and stops the increased destruction of cells. Its concentration in red wines is about 0,2 - 14 mg/L, which is 10 times higher than in white wines and the reasons are different technological procedures of grape processing and production technology. Resveratrol reduces the risk of various diseases and has a whole range of beneficial effects on human health: prevents the hardening of the heart muscle, the formation of accumulations in the brain and blood vessels, slows down blood clotting, works against inflammatory bowel diseases and diabetes. However, to date, the mechanism of action of resveratrol has not been fully explained.