The proposal has been described as an "attack on the Mediterranean diet".

The Italian foreign minister has criticised plans to place cancer warnings on bottles of wine in Ireland, describing it as a dangerous precedent to set within the EU. The disagreement has emerged from the Government’s plans to introduce warning labels on alcohol which would mention a link between drinking and cancer, the Irish Times reports. The plan has not been well received by Italy, a major wine producer, and has been condemned by industry groups as a dangerous precedent to set within the European Union due to fears of the effect on its exports.

'A glass of red wine, all the doctors say it is also good for the heart, so it is doubtful that it can also be bad for you.' 

Speaking to journalists in Brussels on Monday, Italy’s foreign minister and deputy prime minister Antonio Tajani said:

There is an attack on the Mediterranean diet, which is a fundamental part of our economy. It is also part of our identity. Our identity cannot be perverted... there is a right to defend our economic system.

Tajani also said he had mentioned Italy's grievance with the labelling plan to Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin.

I explained to him how dangerous the message is that comes from Dublin.  I also reiterated that a glass of red wine, all the doctors say it is also good for the heart, so it is doubtful that it can also be bad for you.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) maintains that there is “no safe amount” of alcohol consumption that does not affect health, which has partly informed the Irish government plans to place warning labels on alcohol bottles. Would such a label deter you from your nightly glass of red? Header image via Shutterstock  READ NEXT: 'Not a drink to share with the family' - American wine enthusiast reviews Buckfast