Journal - Is this guy an alcohol addict? Help diagnose

[Sushi]

My best friend (the guy is of my age) was "accused" by his therapist of having an alcohol problem. He was shocked and denied. He tried to argue reasonably and prove he's not an alcoholic in any sense of that word (poor guy didn't know he scores an own goal that way). But the therapist was intransigent, "you have a problem, you are addicted to alcohol, and if you are not then prove it - do not drink till our next session". Oh well, my friend intended to spend a weekend with his girlfriend, drinking wine, eating and watching movies. So he politely told his therapist to fuck off. Now, let me present you his questionable drinking pattern in time span of last 3-4 weeks, as he was fortunately writing down every occasion when he was drinking and the exact amount he drank (due to his therapist pressure):

-the said weekend comes, he and his girlfriend share 3 bottles of wine in 3 days
-then he takes a break to prove his therapist he can stop when he wants to: no alcohol, no cravings, he's dry for 11 days
-then the guy has his birthday party and drinks 2 bottles of wine in 10 hours, *alone* (he has broken up with the girl in the meantime), he is drunk and suffers from a slight hangover next day
-7 days later he meets with a buddy, they drink 1 litre of wine, but he drinks of it more than his pal does
-5 days later he drinks a bottle of wine, alone (it's mid-week)
-2 days later he buys a litre of wine and drinks it on Friday and Saturday, alone again
-5 days later he drinks a glass o wine in restaurant to the meal eaten at noon with a family member, then 2 beers (0,33 l.) in the evening, at home, alone

It was 2 days ago. Another weekend has just come, he's completely sober and thinks he may buy himself a wine today, even if he is going to be alone again. And that's quite probable he will be - the guy is a loner, once upon a time diagnosed schizophrenic even. Before he broke up with his girlfriend drinking alone was very rare for him but happened sometimes. Sometimes he drank a glass of wine or two before noon but it was very rare too and he never "cured" his hangovers with alcohol. His drinking model was evolving over years towards regular drinking of moderate amounts of wine (during last year it was 1 bottle once or twice a week, sometimes 1 wine+1 beer when really lashing out with his girl). There were times when he drank hard liquor and he was sometimes getting really drunk then, not just buzzing like he does nowadays. Sometimes he was binging on weekends (partying). But this time is long gone. Last time he blacked out while drinking was 7 years ago. Primarily he was a pothead for many years, addicted to cannabis, wake and bake, cannabis and psychedelics lover holding alcohol in a slight contempt and never really considering his drinking to be a problem (or maybe once, 7 years ago).

His therapist's opinion probably was influenced by the fact that my friend got drunk for first time in a primary school and that alcohol was his second drug (after nicotine). He is a so-called polysubstance user, now trying to quit his cannabis addiction (or at least reduce his usage to occasional - last time he smoked 10 days ago) and not really doing well with a prospect a being sober till the end of his days: his current opinion is that he is not going to be a total abstainer, never ever no matter what. His experience with various psychoactive substances is extensive and he considers himself well trained with spotting signs of possible addiction developing. He was binging on cannabis and smoking 7 days a week whenever he had any bud to smoke. It doesn't look to me like he is replacing cannabis with alcohol. He doesn't seem to recreate his cannabis usage model with alcohol; at least this is how I see it. But do SWIY think his drinking may be a problem really? Does it look like he is on a way towards alcohol addiction? My buddy believes that someone who downplays him stopping nicotine, someone who says that it was least harmful of his addictions and easiest to combat and at the same time argues that smoking cannabis kills, doesn't deserve to be his therapist and should return to reading books before attempting therapy of addicts again. So he broke up his therapeutical relation with that guy after just 3 sessions. But maybe my friend is wrong and his therapist is right? Feel free to ask any questions you need to ask.