| Red Wine & Sulfites | | | | By: Pamela Heiligenthal | << back  Page 2 of 3 next >> |
Red Wine Composition
"There is something in red wine that causes headaches", says Waterhouse, "but the cause has not yet been discovered". So if its not sulfites causing the allergic reactions, what is it? Well, seeing that wine consists of a plethora of components, its hard to pinpoint which component is the culprit. Wine composition consists of many minor components, as identified below (Waterhouse, UC Davis, 2007). Three of the most prominent are Glycerol (yeast fermentation), Acid (fruit acids that are organic to the grape) and Phenols (responsible for wine color, bitterness, astringency and some odors and flavors).
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Culprits
Tannin, on one hand, is a chemical substance, otherwise known as phenolic compounds (referenced as Phenols from the above graphic), which are derived from dark grape skins, seeds and stems as well as oak barrels that gives the wine its color, flavor and structure. Wines with evident tannins will produce a dry, puckery taste sensation, and we refer to these wines as being "tannic". Tannins are our friends, for they prevent oxidation and are in part responsible for a red wine's aging potential. Wines that are particularly high in tannins include Bordeaux, Barolo, Barbaresco, Cabernet & Syrah (Shiraz) varietals. Some of the less tannic wines include varietals like French Burgundy, Dolcetto, Barbera, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and Tempranillo.
Some experiments suggest that tannins cause a release of serotonin, which can cause headaches for people that typically suffer migraines. If you are one of those people that don't suffer from migraines, but still suffer illness from drinking red wine, this experiment is unfounded, for tannins are also found in foods like tea, chocolate and soy, yet people do not complain about headaches when consuming the later.
Then we have Histamines (An amino-based compound), which are abundant in many food products, and wine is no exception. However, the level histamines in grape skins are not high enough to cause problems for most.
Subsequently, we have alcoholic impurities such as "Cogeners", which are organic molecules that develop during fermentation. Wines with higher concentrations of Cogeners are more prone to cause illness and an interesting fact is that lower quality wines will typically have higher levels of Cogeners. Premium wines are much less likely to have impurities in their final product, so avoid low quality wines at all costs. On the other hand, many will argue that Cogeners are not to blame; a compound named acetaldehyde more likely causes it. This compound naturally converts into acetic acid and if you are one of those people that experience hangovers, your body might have difficulties converting acetaldehyde into acetic acid.
Now we move on to Tyramines, another amino-based compound. This agent occurs naturally during the fermentation process and is a compound found not only in wine, but also in alcoholic beverages, food, beer and ale. Food high in Tyramines include aged cheeses, grapes, figs, pineapple, plums, dried fruits, avocados, shrimp sauces, processed & cured meats (e.g. prosciutto, salami and pastrami), soy & teriyaki sauces, nuts, and chocolate, just to name a few.
As you read the above list, do you see an interesting pattern forming? What intrigues me is that I could not help but notice that many of these food items are something you might find on a hors d'oeuvres platter at any social function. Can we assume that indulging too many Tyramines in one sitting may cause illness? It may be a far stretch, but none-the-less something to consider, but my intuition tells me that its not the wine to blame, but rather, a combination of wine and foods rich in Tyramines that might cause repercussions for some.
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