strange wine allergies - please help me find a pattern

Hello,

Some wines give me a mild anaphylaxis (throat tightening allergic reaction). It is not at all health or life threatening, but it is annoying enough to ruin a good meal.

Over the years, I have learned which wines do this and which wines do not, so in a sense it's not a problem anymore.

HOWEVER, as I become more of a Connoisseur I am running into strange wines and grapes that do not fit into the "merlot, cabernet, pinot, etc." - for instance, Cinsault, Carignane, petit verdot, etc. - I am afraid to try any of these for fear of ruining a good evening out.

So, I would like to make a small list here and I wonder if anyone can spot some kind of a pattern in the wines I am allergic to and which I am not, and I can then at least make some educated guesses as to what I can try and what I can stay away from.

I have NO problem at all with:

- merlot
- malbec
- muscat (only really tried dessert wines)
- shiraz
- syrah
- chianti
- rioja
- chardonnay
- champagne
- misc. pink wines in big bottles and boxes from Gallo

I am fairly certain these are safe:

- bordeaux
- concorde
- port

I have a bad feeling (but am not positive) about:

- reisling
- pinot noir
- Sauvignon Blanc (sometimes good, sometimes bad...)

I _know_ these are bad:

- cabernet
- Adriano Adami 'Garbel' Prosecco (they told me it was champagne)
- pinot grigio

Some final details:

The reaction with cabernet is the strongest and fastest. I can't even have a few sips at a tasting.

I don't think it has anything to do with sulfites, etc. - I think it has to do with the grapes themselves.

Interestingly, I made a homemade merlot once, and even though I have never ever had a problem with merlot, this one gave me an extremely strong reaction - worse than even my cabernet reaction. It was very surprising.

So does anyone see a pattern here ? Any comments at all ?

Many thanks.

Makes no sense to me -- people usually react to sulfites or histamines. White wines tend to have higher sulfite levels. Red wines have higher histamine levels. You react to both red and white wines, which does not follow a normal pattern in those people having problems with wine, especially when you tolerate Syrah, but not Cabernet, and you tolerate Chardonnay but not Pinot Grigio.

[Robin Garr]

So does anyone see a pattern here ? Any comments at all ?

No specific pattern is obvious to me, Arone. As Dr. Bucko says, the fact that you seem to respond indiscriminately to red wines and whites is a bit odd, although you never know. I'm thinking, though, that by focusing on the grape variety you may be going down a side path. After all, bear in mind that Bordeaux is usually Cabernet-based, yet you find that you can usually endure Bordeaux, but not Cabernet.

I'm thinking it's the presence of some substance that appears in many wines but that may vary in concentration. Normally I don't worry much about the risk of sulfites, as an allergy to them is rare, but your throat-tightening is a typical reaction. So maybe you have some sensitivity to sulfites and react strongly to individual wines that have a high level of sulfiting, regardless of the grape variety?

One obvious question: Irrespective of wine, do you suffer from asthma? In general, as I understand it, asthmatics tend to be more likely to be sulfite-sensitive.

I would also strongly suggest that you consider consulting an allergist. Simple tests can help isolate allergic sensitivities. And even though you haven't had a serious allergic response yet, that throat-tightening worries me. It's the kind of allergy that can develop into something more serious with age, and what's now a minor reaction could unexpectedly get worse.

I would strongly suggest checking this with an M.D., for your own comfort and peace of mind, and perhaps to help you be able to get more enjoyment out of wine.

So does anyone see a pattern here ? Any comments at all ?

I'm thinking it's the presence of some substance that appears in many wines but that may vary in concentration. Normally I don't worry much about the risk of sulfites, as an allergy to them is rare, but your throat-tightening is a typical reaction. So maybe you have some sensitivity to sulfites and react strongly to individual wines that have a high level of sulfiting, regardless of the grape variety?

One obvious question: Irrespective of wine, do you suffer from asthma? In general, as I understand it, asthmatics tend to be more likely to be sulfite-sensitive.

Well, I did think about some item in the wine other than the grapes that would cause this - but the reason I don't think this is the case is that the wines on the list that I can always drink have _never_ bothered me. I have had all sort of types and quality and source of merlot/syrah/malbec/etc. and _never_ had any reaction at all. If what you are suggesting is the case, it would seem that at least once in a while I would come across a "safe" wine that gave me a problem.

Unless there is an ingredient/aspect/something of wines and their production that would _never_ be in any of the "safe" wines and is almost always in cabernet, etc. - that was the reason I posted the list, so that someone much more knowledgeable than myself might spot a pattern like that.

So yes, I have considered that it is not the grape, per se, but if it is not the grape, it would seem to be something that is _never_ in my "safe" wines...

And no, no asthma.

Thanks.

[Jenise]

- misc. pink wines in big bottles and boxes from Gallo

That made me laugh!

Arone, I can't improve on what Bucko and Robin said, but if I can turn a little bit pedantic on you, since you're keeping track of grapes in addition to Robin's reminder about what's in Bordeaux, you should remember that rioja is (generally) tempranillo and chianti is sangiovese.

Good luck getting to the root of your allergy. Anything that restricts your breathing should be taken very seriously.

Cabernet from different areas should produce the same result, regardless of location grown. "Throat tightening" is a VERY serious issue. You should carry injectible epinephrine-who knoes when someone will cook with wine? I would seriously have you consider another hobby!

Just to put everyone at ease - the reaction I have does not affect breathing at all - it just tightens my throat making it slightly annoying to swallow unless I drink a lot of water with things.

Certainly not something to take lightly, and I will keep track of it over the years, but it has never affected breathing in any capacity.

It's just annoying. You wouldn't know anything was happening if you were sitting with me, but it's enough to ruin the enjoyment of a meal, etc. - takes about an hour to go away completely.

I was really hoping there was some kind of smoking gun in the fact that all merlot is fine _except_ for the homemade merlot I made.

Also, RE: cabernet vs. bordeaux - I am very inexperienced with bordeaux, and the one that I have tried is 65% merlot and only 20% cabernet sauvignon.

I should go to see an allergist I suppose, but I am pessimistic about that. I think in the long run I will just need to try them all a few times and just build a better list for myself

Thanks again.

[Jenise]

Well, Arone, you have a curious allergy to be sure. I suppose it's fairly similar to a (supposed) allergy I have to melons--some, not all, and of those I react to some are worse than others. Orange melons are always safe, but forget me ever eating honeydew again. And the reaction is different to any other allergy I have--the back of my mouth feels hot and hairy. Doesn't affect my breathing (which is significant since I have asthma and that's very easily done), but it's a reaction nonetheless and very annoying. I recently discovered that a friend who is Chinese gets the same reaction and to honeydew worst of all as well, but she says it's not an allergy but a missing enzyme that Chinese are prone to. Many friends and members of her family have the same issue. (I'm not Chinese, but the point is I've found people who have the same problem who have a different explanation for it.) Anyway, since my melon issue doesn't cause the same reaction as other allergies, Annabelle might be right about it being an enzymatic problem and not an allergy at all.

And perhaps that's an answer for you--maybe your issue isn't an allergy either.

I'm just guessing here..have you considered that you might be sensitive to certain yeast strains? Maybe a spore or two (or more?) left over from primary fermentation?

Richard

ok, we need an MD here. if it doesn't affect your breathing is it really anaphylaxis? is it even an allergy? i mean, could alcohol itself cause your throat to constrict - if it had been sensitised by, say, acid reflux.

I'm not an MD, but I wonder if this is an allergic reaction at all. I'm wondering if it's an anxiety reaction actually. Take it from someone who knows from personal experience - that throat-tightening thing is a very common anxiety reaction.

So, here's a possible scenario -
When you drink a Cabernet for example, you know the reaction you've had before. You're monitoring your throat - "am I OK?" - "am I still OK?" You're thinking about your throat, and of course that is just the thing that causes it to tighten. You've developed a mild Cabernet phobia. Now you're monitoring for all varietals, and sometimes, when you've had a rough day, you're all stressed out and susceptible to anxiety, your throat might tighten again. Whoops! Now that varietal is on your bad list too. The homemade Merlot - well, you don't really know if it's good, or even OK to drink, you have anxiety about it, and your throat begins to tighten. Maybe you'll eventually have a throat-tightening reaction to most or all varietals and you won't be able to drink anything. What a shame that would be.

Please don't self-diagnose, or put too much stock in what I or anyone else here says - go see a doctor! Wine is too great a thing to give up needlessly!

Dave

Hi Arone,

My son has several food allergies, so I have done lots and lots of research on allergies.

It sounds similar to what Jenise was talking about...it's called "Oral Allergy Syndrome". This happens to people who usually have seasonal allergies(although not always) to certain trees or weeds, and when you eat certain fruits, vegetables, or nuts, your body mistakes the proteins in them for the pollen that you are allergic too. It usually causes mild swelling of the lips and/or throat. My son has this to all raw fruits and veggies and my husband has it to most tree fruits, such as apples, pears, plums, and peaches. It usually develops in adulthood.

This would certainly explain the mild effects and the fact that it happens for only certain varietals. My only thought is that normally cooked fruits and veggies are ok, since cooking them denatures their proteins pretty easily. I would have thought that the fermentation process would have been enough to also denature the proteins, but that may not be true.

Our family Dr. also has Oral Allergy Syndrome to apples. However, he can eat some apples and not others. Granny smiths are the worst for him, but he is fine with McCantosh.

If this is the case for you, then unfortunately there is no pattern...it will just have to be trial and error. I suspect the reason you reacted to your homemade Merlot is that you are probably allergic to merlot, but in commercial wines the fermentation process is enough to denature the protein, but your process may not have denatured all the proteins because it's probably more delicate, less heating, etc. although I can't be sure since I am not a winemaker.

Sorry that you have to deal with it, especially with wine, what a bummer.