The use of wine as a medicine is not a new idea, but one that has been rediscovered and given credibility due to current research findings. This research examines the use of wine as a medicine in the past and currently. The whole question of wine and health is put into a more balanced and proper perspective, instead of the ill-informed, negative anti-alcohol view. The aim of the thesis is to document the history of the uses of wine as a medicine, particularly in Australia. The author uses a social ecology framework,which is concerned with the interrelationships between the domains of the personal, social and environmental, with a critical, holistic transdisciplinary understanding approach. One aim of the research is to change the perception of wine from one of a drink for special occasions to one of a daily health drink taken in moderation with a meal / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)