my kit wine gives me a headache:

[kglynch42]

Hello,

I'm new to winemaking and I started with a vino del vida pinot noir wine kit. I bottled on 12/26. I'm not sure if the wine is just still young, but when I drink a glass of it, I end up with a headache. I've read up on RWH (Red Wine Headache) and I'm wondering if it is possible that I messed up somewhere along the line?

Possible mistakes from batch 1:
1. starting temperature was too cool
2. went too long between end of fermentation and 1st racking
3. Did not degass well enough
4. possibility of not sanitizing enough

The wine itself tastes pretty good, it's just the headache! Too much tannins? Or methanol or histamines caused by "stressed" yeast?

Any thoughts out there? Is there anything I can add to the wine on a "bottle-to-bottle" basis that may reduce the headache?

Thanks all!

 

[Randoneur]

Possibly too much Kmeta potassium metabisulfide was added.

 

[cpfan]

Possibly too much Kmeta potassium metabisulfide was added.

Not usually attributed to RWH. Not that Wiki is the best source...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_wine_headache

kglynch42:
Do you have this problem with commercial red wines?

Steve

 

[kglynch42]

I don't have this issue with commercial wine

 

[cpfan]

I don't have this issue with commercial wine

I figured as much, but I had to be sure.

I've got no idea what might be making this fairly normal kit a headache trigger for you. I don't believe that your list has anything to do with it.

Steve

 

[Zwetschgen]

The majority of the time that people get headaches is from the histamines in the red wine. Each wine/grape is different so it's possible to get a headache from one wine, but not another. I am not a doctor, nor do I give any thing like sound medical advice, but you could maybe possibly, at your own risk, try taking an anti-histamine in the morning then a glass of wine at night. I don't suggest you wash down some benedryl with a glass of wine, maybe not a good idea. Also, someone else mentioned the sulfites can also give people headaches, but that's a tiny portion of the population, still someone has to be allergic to it, it may be you.

 

[Turock]

Yes-- I agree with Zw. Red grapes varieties have very different levels of histamine in them, and that's what gives you a headache. Sulfite does not cause it, altho it's what a lot of people think. Some varieties are much higher in histamines than others, and white grapes have far less in them. If you have a sensitivity to histamines, you have to learn which red varieties you can and cannot drink.

 

[Geronimo]

Fusel alcohols are often blamed for headaches too. Certain yeasts produce greater amounts of fusel alcohols than others, also higher fermentation temps can produce FAs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusel_alcohol

Not much research in this area, and nothing at all that's conclusive. Most alcohol purification processes have worked to eliminate FAs since the 1800's so there might be something to it. FAs are referred to as "tails".