Zinfandel allergy

[lala]

I've been wondering about this for years...I know that wine has naturally occuring sulfites. I also know that I'm sensitive to sulfites. What's odd is that my reaction (massive itching) varies widely between varietals/quality of wines. It's only red wines that do this, and the higher end wines are less allergenic.

Except for Zinfandel. Particularly Ravenswood Zin. Can't drink the stuff. I was abruptly reminded of this the other night at dinner. I was out with a friend, I had a glass of Cab, I didn't notice what she ordered. She never drinks more than half a glass, so when she's done, she usually pushes her glass over to me, so that if I want a bit more wine, I can sip on hers. After about 4 sips, the warning itches started, and I asked her what it was. She confirmed that it was the Ravenswood Zin, and I immediately chugged a glass of water to dilute its affects.

I also have yeast sensitivities, which may be complicating matters... I'm not complaining at all, I've found many good wines that I can enjoy. I'm just perplexed. Why Zinfandel? Why Ravenswood?

[budrichard]

Your allergy sounds like the beginning of a anaphylaxic reaction sensitivity. My wife has an allergy to sulphites but this only results in a headache. See your physician and obtain an EPI-PEN to carry with you in case the reaction becomes life threatening. I carry one because of an increased sensitivity to insect bites and stings.-Dick

[docsconz]

I'm not sure why you are having a particular problem with Ravenswood zins and not other wines, but I suspect it may not be the sulfites that are the problem. From the Ravenswood website ,

The other thing that we initiated was instead of sterilizing the must with sulfur and adding back a known cultured yeast that was bought from a yeast supply store, we used the native yeasts that actually came in with the grapes. It was my belief that you got a much wider range of flavors from multiple yeast populations. I was looking for complex wine, and the wild yeasts certainly add another note of complexity.

It is possible that you may have a sensitivity to some of the wild yeasts from that area or yeasty byproducts. Is your problem true with all Ravenswood zins or just some? They have a wide range of grape sources. For example, do you have the problem with "Napa" and not "Lodi" or vice versa? What about other zins?

I'm not sure that I would be terribly concerned about potential anaphylaxis unless you were having symptoms in addition to itching. I certainly would be very concerned if you concurrently had any difficulty breathing.

[Rebel Rose]

Lala: Her'es an excerpt from an article I wrote on sulfites. I hope it helps.

Sulfites ~ Nothing to Sneeze At

Sulfitesare a natural fruit by-product, actually found on the dusty skin of grapes before they are washed. Winemakers are allowed to use sulfur dioxide as a natural disinfectant and preservative. Sulfites are a natural by-product of the fermentation process and a necessary ingredient if wine is to age properly because they retard oxidation and microbial growth.

Many people believe it's the sulfites that give them headaches when they drink red wine. Although this may in some cases be true, it could be the tannin content which creates a histamine reaction. Tannin, an aldehydic substance naturally found in grape skins and seeds, is also a natural preservative, and is found in greater quantity in red wine. (Remember Boris Karloff as "The Mummy," craving his daily dose of tanna leaves?)

Red wines are macerated and fermented "on their skins" to extract color, flavor and tannin from the pigment-rich skins. As wines age, the tannin molecules connect in long strings, a sort of decomposition in the bottle. Therefore, we wine geeks say the tannins are "softer," or "earthy" in an older wine. Young wines with fresh tannins can taste very astringent. Compare it to eating a whole bunch of red table grapes. In spite of the wonderful juice inside, grape skins and seeds will leave a dry, abraded feeling on your tongue. People who are sensitive to products like nuts, tea leaves and cinnamon bark will often be sensitive to the woody taste of tannin as well.

Sulfites got their bad name not from wine but from salad bars, where sulfite-laden water was used to keep cut-up greens from turning brown. Some of the overdosed vegetables were found to contain as much as 2,000 ppm, and people who were hyperallergic to the chemical went into shock after eating them.

Other products which have been documented as having high sulfite contents include canned pineapple, fresh tomatoes and potatoes, tomato juice and some frozen juices.

Consumer protection groups lobbied for laws banning the use of sulfites in salad bars and for warning labels on products containing more than 10 ppm, a level that often occurs naturally during fermentation. The legal limit for wine is 250 ppm; most winemakers add much less---about 80 ppm.

Sulfur dioxide smells like burnt matchheads, and may elicit a sneeze or a slight burning sensation in the nose. Many people are sensitive to sulfur dioxide, and their reactions may range from a tingling nose to nausea when drinking wine with higher sulfite contents. Allergic individuals are those with hypersensitive reactions, usually asthma.

According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, wine drinkers may ingest up to 10 mg. of sulfites a day, while people who eat in restaurants, and who enjoy foods like fresh salads, potatoes, shrimp, or avocado dip, typically ingest from 25 to 100 mg. of sulfites during one meal.

[lala]

I'm not sure why you are having a particular problem with Ravenswood zins and not other wines, but I suspect it may not be the sulfites that are the problem. From the Ravenswood website ,

The other thing that we initiated was instead of sterilizing the must with sulfur and adding back a known cultured yeast that was bought from a yeast supply store, we used the native yeasts that actually came in with the grapes. It was my belief that you got a much wider range of flavors from multiple yeast populations. I was looking for complex wine, and the wild yeasts certainly add another note of complexity.

It is possible that you may have a sensitivity to some of the wild yeasts from that area or yeasty byproducts. Is your problem true with all Ravenswood zins or just some? They have a wide range of grape sources. For example, do you have the problem with "Napa" and not "Lodi" or vice versa? What about other zins?

I'm not sure that I would be terribly concerned about potential anaphylaxis unless you were having symptoms in addition to itching. I certainly would be very concerned if you concurrently had any difficulty breathing.

Aha! It could be the yeasts...I always assumed sulfites, but as I mentioned, I have a problem with yeast, too. This is worse in products that use natural yeasts...like sourdough bread, so this makes absolute sense. I don't think it's the tannins, as I drink lots of tea without problems.

It's the blended Zin, not a territorial, but I can't rule out the territorial, as once I started reacting to the Ravenswood zin blend, I stopped drinking Ravenswood.

I went to their site, and they say that the blend uses up to 40% of their own Zin. I don't recall having much of a problem with Napa/Sonoma wines, so maybe it's something on grapes from another grower?

Wow. So how the heck do I find out what terroir I'm allergic to? Rhetorical question - I really don't know how one would do this!

Thanks for the help! Damn, but I love this site

Edited April 26, 2004 by lala (log)

[primowino]

I'm not allergic to Zinfandels, I just never seem to like them. Maybe we don't get good examples here in the UK, but my overriding reaction is usually that the wine has not enough body and/or depth of flavour to overcome the level of alcohol. Do you get lower alcohol level examples to try in the US or are they all 13 - 15%?

[Rebel Rose]

Do you get lower alcohol level examples to try in the US or are they all 13 - 15%?

Zinfandel grape clusters don't ripen evenly, so in order to achieve maximum flavor and pigment, winemakers pick somewhat late, resulting in clusters with, ideally, a few raisins, and plenty of ripe berries with toasty pips.

The problem with exports may be that many, although not all, zins available in the UK are large production wines that have undergone layers of filtration to make them stable. Stability is tougher in a high alcohol wine like zin because the higher levels tend to suspend more particulate matter. So, you may not be getting our finest purple unfiltered, unfined, old vine, high pepper zins.

Edited April 28, 2004 by DoverCanyon (log)

[ctgm]

If you think that you might be allergic to Zin have you tried any Primitivos and do you get the same reaction

[lala]

Have not tried those. Are they related?

[Rieslingfan]

Yes primitivo and zin are related. They are both versions of a grape from central Europe that I can't spell correctly...Crejnak or somehting like that.

[lala]

I don't believe I've ever had that. I see some experimenting is in order !