The beneficial properties of red wine were recognised many years ago, when Greek doctor Galeno prescribed grapes to his patients. The French Paradox relates moderate red wine consumption with a longer lifespan. Red wine is rich in many substances whose antioxidant properties are well documented. We studied the effects of red wine consumption on life span and gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster as well as in Wistar rats. Flies were divided into three groups: control (C), red wine (RW) and non-alcoholic red wine (NRW). Our results showed and increase in mean lifespan in RW flies and even more pronounced in NRW (19%) compared to C flies. To check whether this effect had a molecular explanation, we measured catalase gene expression (an antioxidant enzyme) and a marker of aging, such as 16S mRNA subunit. We found the RW and NRW groups to over-express both markers. To check if these beneficial effects could be extrapolated to mammals we determined catalase gene expression and activity in brain of rats which drank water, red wine or non-alcoholic red wine. Catalase expression was increased in RW or NRW rats compared to C rats. In conclusion, red wine and even more non-alcoholic red wine extends lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster at least in part by modifying longevity-related gene expression.