I love wine, but only the reds. During these summer months, I would really like to be able to enjoy a chilled glass of white, but it has always hurt my stomach, much in the same way that apple juice did when I was a kid. It’s a dull, but very intense pain that is only alleviated by ceasing consumption.
I’ve tried pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, riesling and chardonnay (and perhaps others I’m unaware of). Also of note is that I can – and love – to drink champagne, although my “champagne” indulgences are normally sparkling wine, technically speaking.
I have three questions:
[ol]
[li]Why does white wine hurt my stomach?[/li][li]Why does champagne (seemingly only carbonated white wine) not hurt my stomach?[/li][li]Is there a varietal of white wine, or a source region that I should try, that might not cause stomach pain?[/li][/ol]
Thanks for any information you can provide to support my summer drinking efforts.
There are massive variations in styles among many wines. Riesling especially has many very different styles. So I wouldn’t say that having tried one riesling, for example, necessarily rules out all rieslings. However, it seems that you might have some sort of allergy or medical condition. I don’t think getting intense stomach pain from something like apple juice or wine is normal. Have you talked to a doctor about this?
IANA wine maker, doctor or chemist, but it sounds like it would be the acidity in the wine. The higher the acidity, the greater the pain. White wines made in cool climates tend to have greater acidity, although this can be manipulated by the wine maker. So wines made in northern France around the Loire (Sancerre etc) will be more acidic than, say, an old style Napa chardonnay. I say old style because the trend has moved away from the blousier, richer style white wines. In sweet wines, the winemaker will up the acidity to balance the natural richness.
So look for white wines made in warm climate regions. As the sugar turns into alcohol, they will be more alcoholic though. Some grapes - such as sauvignon blanc - benefit from cooler climates, whereas the aforementioned chardonnay can put up with higher temperatures. White wine without acidity tastes like pop: not nice. For example, Brown Brothers in Australia (warm climate) make low alcohol sparkling rose from the muscat grape (withstands warm weather) that has very low acidity, and hardly tastes like wine.
Have you tried any of the ‘white’ varieties of traditional reds? White zin is probably the best-known of these, but I find white merlot to be quite refreshing on a hot day! Note, these wines are not actually ‘white’, they are more pink/rose.
Just for the hack of it, try some Rose and see how that sits with you. Rose is usually served at similar temperatures as white wines, maybe slightly warmer if it’s a little higher quality.
In terms of wine acidity, here are some good links:
It sounds like it could be malic acid in particular that bothers you, since both red and sparkling whites undergo malolactic fermentation, which turns malic acid into lactic acid. But chardonnays and pinot gris sometimes use it as well and you’ve had issues with those too, so I’m not really sure. I guess you could try to find a white that definitely underwent malolactic fermentation and then see how you react.
Could be a sulfite allergy, which can definitely cause stomach pain as well as hives, breathing problems, etc.
Reds contain less than whites. Sparkling wines and Champagne are usually on par with whites though. Sweet wines typically have the most, followed by roses, dry whites, and dry reds.
If you’ve ever had a similar reaction to shellfish or dried fruits, could certainly be sulfites.
Keep in mind the limit for sulfites in food is 2000ppm, while the limit in wine is 350ppm, and most wines fall between 50-100ppm.
[moderating]
I moved this thread from GQ to Cafe Society with the other food and drink threads. I know the OP has some general questions, but more of the foodies (and winos :D) hang out in CS.
[/moderating]
