Controlling the Grapes of Wrath
The Vineyard Press Wine Newsletter


July 28, 2005


Hello Wine Enthusiast,

With this sweltering, relentless summer heat, I know the smog and pollution can make me prone to headaches. For some, red wine can trigger a headache too – poor you! I can't think of a worse fate (I'd have to give up my day job). This edition of The Vineyard Press is all about RWH, or red wine headaches - what causes them and how to overcome them. So, if you know of someone who sufferers from these, be sure to pass this newsletter along. We wine lovers have to band together and support disabled wine drinkers floating around aimlessly wondering, why me?

Cork and Karma is hosting another fantastic Wine Club event in August. You'll find details in the events section - The True Taste of Portugal!

Be sure to visit the new section of the newsletter entitled: 'Ask the Educated Wino' for this edition's list of the most common questions about wine.

If you live in Quebec, be sure to check out my new wine appreciaton course at John Abbott College, starting this fall.

And are you entertaining this summer? Of course you are! Well, be sure to read my '10 tips for summer wine entertaining.'

Here's wishing you a cool, refreshing, libacious summer!

Cheers,
Sandi

P.S - Please forward this wine newsletter to anyone you think may enjoy it. For those that have forwarded it on to others, thanks. And if you would rather not continue to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe at the bottom. I will honour all unsubscribe requests.


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CONTROLLING THE GRAPES OF WRATH

"Not tonight honey, I have a headache."

This may not be a familiar phrase for you, but to many it is - and not for the naughty reasons you may be thinking. RWH, a not-so-new phenomenon, (red wine headache - not to be confused with a hangover) is a popular theme in the 'no-wine-drunk-here' scene. Invariably, whenever I tell people what I do for a living (it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it) I can usually expect 1 in 10 chance of someone saying, "Oh, I can't drink red wine, it gives me a headache." In this edition of The Vineyard Press, I hope to give those of you who are sufferers (or if you know some unfortunate soul)... hope, understanding and some new strategies to overcome and conquer, what I see as, a terrible loss of joy. If I can help one new person discover the pleasures of wine appreciation in all its splendour, then hey, this article is not in vain!


The amount of research and material on this subject is not 'aplenty' for reasons that you might expect. Who would sponsor or fund this type of research? But in my travels, I was able to find what experts are classifying as 'potential theories' for RWH. There are four.

1. Sulphites – These are preservatives, and are found in many everyday foods - such as dried fruits, lunch meat and cheeses. For winemaking, sulphites are used as an anti-oxidant, anti-microbial or antiseptic to clean containers and to kill unwanted yeasts during vinification (winemaking). The common misconception about sulphites is that white wine actually contains more sulphites than red and sweet whites contain the most. As for dried fruits, they contain the highest levels of sulphites. So if you think you may be allergic to the sulphites in wine, you may want to try this simple test - try eating some raisins or dried apricots and see if you get a headache.

2. Tannins – These are found in the skin of the grape and give that tea bag sensation or puckery feeling in your mouth after drinking red wine. Tannin is also found in cheese, nuts, chocolate and tea. Researchers theorize that tannins cause the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that transmits nerve impulses in the brain. High levels of serotonin can cause headaches and may be elevated in people who suffer from migraine headaches. But this doesn't explain why people who don't get migraines get RWH. Now this theory is kyboshed too! You don't hear of people getting headaches from tea, chocolate or nuts, do you?

However, alternative thinking on the subject of tannin focuses on the type of wood the wine was fermented in. There are generally two types of oak used in the production and aging of wines – American oak and French oak. American oak tends to impart a rather strong oaky flavour in the wine, whereas French oak imbues a softer and less pronounced note to its wines. Some people have claimed they can drink French and Italian wines and not get a RWH. Could this be you?

3. Histamines – These are found in plant and animal tissue and cause allergic reactions with such symptoms as: gastric secretions, decreased blood pressure and dilation of capillaries (among other things). Red wine is 20-200% higher in histamine content than white wine. Histamines are found in grape skins, but researchers believe they are not present in high enough concentrations to be problematic. When researchers tested this theory in parallel test groups, giving one a low level histamine wine and the other a high level, their was no difference in the results (Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, February 2001).Hmmmm...

4. Tyramines – These are found in many foods: cheeses, figs, avocados and chocolate, and also in full-bodied red wines - specifically Chianti. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is a liver and brain enzyme that is used to clean up amines in the body. MAO is used in the liver to inactivate tyramine and change it into a harmless acetic acid. Otherwise, tyramine can cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure.
MAO activity is inhibited with the release of hormones during stress and PMS, with alcohol consumption. Researchers have discovered that people who have sluggish MAO activity or are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (in some antidepressants) may not be able to inactivate tyramine, which may cause the red wine headache.

So what does this all mean for a RWH sufferer? It means that a little more investigation on your part may be required - but it's for a good cause. What you may find is that you can drink some reds and not others. Start by trying different brands, different grapes, and different countries of origin. Try drinking a half glass of red wine to start and if you are going to get a headache, you should have one within 15 minutes. If you don't get a headache, stick to that wine for the rest of the evening and limit yourself to two glasses. Another great tip is to take aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen before you start drinking wine. And just as important, keep a journal of the wines you drink with results so you can keep track of the triggers and effects of each wine. Be not afraid my wino-wanna-be and good luck. Karma is on your side!