Headaches, Adrenaline and Wine
Are you one of those people that gets headaches or gets really flushed after drinking wine? Do you turn down any and all red wine because you once got a headache or fell really flustered at night after drinking wine? Well, it happens to a lot of people and it is all due to the by-products produced during fermentation.
One reason people get headaches is that they are consuming inferior wine. Most good wine is made from the juice of grapes that have been pressed only once. This makes sure that you are getting the best and cleanest juice. Producers sometimes press grapes a second and even a third time to try to extract as much juice as they can. This is very cost effective since you are reusing grapes but the outcome is definitely not the same. When you press grapes this many times, you actually start to squeeze out some oils from the pips (seeds) and the stems. Once these compounds go in to fermentation, they produce by-products that your body doesn't agree with.
Remember that party you went to last New Year's and all the sparkling wine you had? There were so many bottles of bubbly yet the host was bragging about the deal she got. Guess what? This is a perfect example of over-pressed wine. Do you remember the hangover/headache you had that would have probably kill a small child? Blame it on the seeds and stems. So next time you are wondering why you get a headache after taking advantage of all the cheap wine on sale, this is the reason. This is the main reason why I look for great inexpensive wine from South America and the Iberian peninsula. Their price is reasonable but their wine is not questionable. There is definitely some truth to the saying that "cheap wine makes you sick" and no it's not a snobby statement.
The second reason for feeling bad after drinking certain wines is again caused by fermentation. However, in this case, the producers are purposefully causing a certain type of fermentation to take place and this is where some of the by-products pop up. The type of fermentation is called malolactic fermentation. It converts malic acid in to lactic acid, in other words, makes some wines less acidic and gives it a rounder feel. Wines that usually go through this process are most reds and many chardonnays. This type of fermentation can give the wine a creamier, smoother taste.
The problem with this fermentation is that it produces a by-product called tyramine. The tyramine initiates a chain of chemical reactions that leads to the production of adrenaline. Yes, the very same adrenaline that causes your heart to race and your blood vessels to constrict. Sure, if you were out camping, drinking wine, and suddenly your local, friendly grizzly bear were to walk through your campground, I could see how it might be an advantage. Yet, I don't think many of us are sipping on red wine in the middle of the forest on a regular basis. Instead, you are sitting at home trying to relax and let the stress leave the body. I'm not saying that everyone is going to experience this reaction but for those people sensitive to tyramine, I'd understand if they were mad at their wine for having this effect on them. So next time that you are feeling flustered and your heart is pounding after a glass or two of red wine, maybe you will understand the reason why it's happening.
Article about tyramine in wine.
Source: NASA tool used to analyze wine
