It is generally believed that the French paradox is related to the consumption of red wine and not to other varieties of wine, including white wine or champagne. Some recent studies have indicated that white wine could also be as cardioprotective as red wine. American and Italian scientists found in a recent study on mice that the antioxidative substances tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, found in white wine and champagne, seem to offer the same cardiovascular protection als resveratrol, found in red wine. The results of this study suggest that white wine can provide cardioprotection similar to red wine if it is rich in tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol.
Dudley, J. et al. Does White Wine Qualify for French Paradox? Comparison of the Cardioprotective Effects of Red and White Wines and Their Constituents: Resveratrol, Tyrosol, and Hydroxytyrosol. (J. Agric. Food Chem.)