Red vs White wines

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

Okay I just noticed something really strange. I had a glass of white wine earlier tonight (it was the last glass from the bottle), and after consuming that I decided I would really like to have one more glass of wine. It has been a really long day at work, and I also had a spanish exam so the wine will help me relax a little before turning in for the night.

Anyway, we uncorked a bottle of red wine. About half way through the glass I am starting to feel flush. I have never noticed this reaction before so I am rather curious.

Is there something in red wine that isn’t in a white wine that would cause a flush (aka hot flash)? Interesting reaction to say the least. I was fine until I started drinking the glass of red. Could I be allergic to one and not the other?

Call me puzzled.

#2

Red wine has many sulfites. They at best make me feel uneasy, and at worst give me a barfing migrane.

#3

Red wine typically contains tannins. I guess these may cause a reaction.

#4

Don’t ask me, I always flush when I drink. My friend insists that this is genetic and happens to we Irish. Not sure that I buy it. You aren’t Irish, are you?

Maybe it wasn’t the difference between red and white, but the fact that it was your second glass, that caused the flushing.

#5

Thanks for the quick response! I had no idea that tannins or sulfites could cause a reaction.

Fisherqueen, I am 1/2 German, 1/4 Danish and 1/4 Irish, so I am Irish but it’s diluted a bit. I have red hair and freckles if that counts. :smiley:

I tend to lose count of the glasses of wine I have in an evening, so that can’t be it. j/k :slight_smile: This is the first time I have mixed a red/white in the same night though.

So I am finding it a strange the reaction. The house temp is sitting at 72 so that can’t be it, because it is 92 outside.

#6

Try to find organic wines, and do some experiments :wink:

Seriously. There’s a whole load of ‘procedures’ used in mass-production of wine which introduce chemicals which you might have a reaction to.

#7

Wow. I never thought of that either. Thanks for the tip. I guess I will have a lot of testing to do to find out what causes the flush. With my job, it won’t be hard to kill a few bottles of red to figure this out.

Oh, to have a project manager that actually knew how to manage a project. It would relieve so much stress, on my end. After working 10 hours a day, I just want two or three glasses of wine, a hot bubble bath and find a pillow to hug.

#8

Here is a site which talks about allergens in drinks.

Here is one about “Red wine headache.”

I found them interesting. Hope you do too.

#9

I’d go with Lord Mondergreen’s answer.

I doubt it’s sulfites, since white wines typically have more sulfites than red.

(And all wines, even those labeled ‘sulfite-free’, have some sulfites in them, it naturally occurs in the fermenting process.)

Tannin sensitivity could be the issue. It could also be combined with (depending on they types of wines you were drinking) the fact that the red wine had a higher alcohol content than the white.

#10

I think there is still a debate on the sulfite issue. From a UC Davis page.

#11

Thanks for everybody’s thoughts and suggestions on what could be causing this kind of reaction in Tiggrkitty.

But, the reaction she experienced wasn’t from the wine. It was because she was thinking about me naked. :smiley:

cf’75

#12

Excellent articles! Thanks so much for sharing. I love the suggestion of keeping a journal to find out which wines cause a reaction.

Ever the comedian, eh dear? :stuck_out_tongue: Remind me to smack you when I get home.

#13

It sounds like your response could also be related to the histamines in the wine. I have had this response before and at times it is only flushing and sometimes actually hives which are quite noticeable. It has happened with wine and with hard liquor and it usually subsides about an hour after it starts and does not come back even if I continue to drink. Fortunately, I don’t mind not drinking so if I feel a little flush coming on with wine or a drink I just switch to water…however…

Not that I would recommend this :eek: but…

I once just went ahead and had a couple shots of tequila before a party (a loading dose, if you will) while I was getting dressed to get the response over with and it actually worked.

in retrospect it was a really dumb thing to do

http://www.allergyclinic.co.nz/guides/54.html