Tweezing out what is cause and what is effect is always hard in this sort of analysis. However, the Harvard School of Public Health page that I referenced does have this to say:

...moderate drinkers were more likely than non-drinkers or heavy drinkers to be at a healthy weight, to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night, and to exercise regularly. Researchers have statistically accounted for such confounders, and they do not come close to accounting for the relationship between alcohol and heart disease. This, plus the clearly beneficial effects of alcohol on cardiovascular risk factors, makes a compelling case that alcohol itself, when used in moderation, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

I haven't checked the original research to see how well they handle things like "former abusers of alcohol who are now non-drinkers" skewing the results. I'm sure there'll be more studies going forward.