Because of my background in physiology, nutrition and counseling, I have to agree with the Qur'an that whatever slight benefit might be found in alcoholic beverages, the negative effects far outweigh the positive in present day society.
In the teachings of the Bah�'� Faith, anything which clouds the mind and damages the seat of the soul (i.e., the body) is expressly forbidden. That includes recreational alcoholic beverages and other systemic poisons, such as opiates, excitants, hallucinogens, and also certain behaviors that prove bad for the body, mind, and society as a whole-- such as, sexual promiscuity, gambling, arson, gossip & backbiting, all forms of prejudice, nationalism, partisan politics, religious warfare, etc.
However, the use of the word wine in religious texts is long standing, and is even part of the Bah�'� sacred texts as a symbol either for ecstatic emotion--such as in, "The wine of the love of God"-- or to mean priceless treasure--as in, "The choice sealed wine of My laws."
The Bah�'� site at BellaOnline has an article that might be of further interest: Bah�'�s and Alcohol -
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art57632.asp