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

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The 100th Grape is Within Reach

My current wine quest is inching ever so close to the end. I was looking over some of the major grapes that I am yet to try and realized that I have been ignoring some important Italian grapes. The count at the time stood at 98. However out of nowhere, thanks to a wine tasting I went to last night, I realized that I have failed to check off one Italian grape that I actually first tasted back in 2006.

Anyone who had "Wines" senior year at Cornell, had the chance to try a variety of sparkling wines during the last class of the semester. You can say it was the professor's way of toasting the class, mostly seniors, and wishing them a pleasant journey after graduation. Starting off with Champagnes from France, then the cava from Spain, we were fortunate enough to finish with a sparkling red wine from Italy. It was unanimously the class favorite. It had just enough sparkle, just enough strawberry and subtle maraschino cherry flavor to make you forget about the upcoming stress that Finals were going to put on your life. It is probably the main reason that I hold this bottle of bubbly in such high regard. If you are curious to the wine's name, I'll tell you.

It is the Banfi Rosa Regale. 100 percent Brachetto. 100 percent delicious. And you can find it at most supermarkets and wine stores. And it's light red color looks great in a flute, perfect for any romantic occasion.

Having realized that I had missed this grape, I instantly knew that I was standing at the very edge of success. My next move, find a way to cross the 100 grape mark in style. Another realization I had yesterday was, that due to my little quest, my girlfriend had actually accumulated quite the high grape count as well. I was paving the way and she was catching the draft behind me to the finish line. There are not too many times that I try wine without her. So here we are, she is standing at grape #89 and I'm at grape #99.

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The Current Wine Quest

For the past year I have been trying hard to become a member of a small club. The club is based in New York and it was during my time in Ithaca that I first heard of the club. Before I continue, answer these questions, how many grape varieties do you think there are in the world? How many are made in to wine and how many do you think you have had? Let's see. Cab Sauv, syrah, merlot, pinot noir, zinfandel, chardonnay, sauv blanc, pinot grigio, and riesling. Those are the "biggies". And yet that's only 9. The club I'm interested in is called the Wine Century Club.

To be a part of this club, you have to taste at least 100 varieties of grape in wine form.

Check out the link in my links and go to the application. How many can you check off?

As of last Friday, I just checked off grapes 94,95, and 96. All thanks to the Freixenet Cordon Negro Cava and the grapes known as macabeo, xarello, and parellada. A little bit different than the grapes you have probably heard of, huh? Well, it's actually pretty easy to get in to some high numbers if you try.

You'll be surprised how many you can accumulate thanks to some of the hybrids and American grapes that many wineries produce. You've probably heard of Niagara, it's the same grapes they use for grape juice. Smaller wineries in not so common wine states grow or make many wines with these grapes. I think it got toughest around grape sixty. You have to start looking for random and rare grapes after that. Different countries with random blends still count.

If you want to give it a shot, you won't regret it. You'll learn so much about wine from other countries. Plus, you'll be able to walk in to any wine shop and throw everyone off by asking for random grapes. You never know, maybe you will realize that grapes such as Marsanne and Mourvedre might turn out to be your new favorites. Who needs those boring, typical grapes?!

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