Cheap wine gives me headaches

It seems every month or so I will buy a cheap domestic wine at the grocery store or costco on a whim and almost without fail these wines give me a headache. $12 seems to be the threshold. With the exceptopion of a “Now and Zen” Alsace white, I dont think this has happened to me with imported wines.

Anyone else? Any theories on whats going one here? Is my brain a wine snob?

Bees

That’s exactly what I was thinking!

Why worry about the “why” and just stop buying cheap wines?

It’s funny because expensive wine usually gives me a headache, but not until my credit card bill comes in.

Because Im curious?

I dont get it

Gives me headaches too. I steer clear now.

Sure they do. “Honest honey, I HAVE to buy this ridiculously priced grand cru; the alternative village level wines make my head hurt. You don’t want me in pain do you?” And now you have posted it on the interweb, so it must be true and you can show your bride.

Nice one Berry. Very clever.

Neal, great call. Berry, how much do those muscadets cost? Not sure I believe you Mr Crawford…
(forgot the )

Nor do I.

Do bees get into the wine imparting some chemical that causes headaches?

I’m going to go with something they use in the industrial process to spoofulate the wine. The natural wine advocates are certainly right on this count–industrially manipulated crap is industrially manipulated crap. I just wish they didn’t have to create a false dichotomy where there’s only industrial crap and pure natural wine with nothing in between allowing for conscientious intervention.

The first sentence sums up my (vague and uninformed in my case) guess as well. I also agree with the rest of what you wrote. I have noticed that I get headaches from cheap wine, beer, or spirits after having consumed relatively little.

I guess that opens up another avenue, though. It might not be what’s added, but instead something resulting from poor fruit and a high volume production process with stressed yeasts. I just read about some more complex alcohols called fusel alcohols as a group. These are implicated in heat on the palate and hangovers. The additives may mask or ameliorate the flaws, but like cheap vodka mixed in juice, the impurities will still get you.

Isn’t the main difference between cheap liquor and expensive–aside from marketing–the number of times it’s been distilled? I’ve also heard funny things like Busch Lite is ‘declassified’ Bud Light.

Ive found that if Im going to get a headache from a wine it happens almost immediatly. Like within a few minutes to an hour.

In theory, something like that. I only know what Paul told me, and I don’t remember all of the details. But basically for various reasons cheaper wines may provide more opportunities for bees to get into the grapes after they are picked but before they are crushed.

There was a bit of a similar discussion (including the possibility that bees/wasps contribute to headaches) here as well.

Red wine headache solution or snakeoil - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think it might be sulfites. A lot of cheap wines are made with the knowledge that the customer will leave the unopened bottle out on the counter. Having tried making vinegar from mid-range California chardonnay once, I can testify that there are some mighty potent preservatives in cheaper wines. The stuff just wouldn’t turn.

My first and last bottle of Beaujolais gave me headache, it was a $12, 2005 Georges Duboeuf from Wholefood. forgot which cuvee.