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Select Wine By Region For Less Pain

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By GAYLE GUYARDO, News Channel 8 Morning Anchor

Published: December 14, 2007

New research shows America's wine consumption is skyrocketing, giving European countries a run for their money.

That wasn't the case just a few years ago. But just remember: Too much of a good thing can lead to the holiday Grinch visiting early in the form of a throbbing pain in your head.

Buying by the region in which the grapes are harvested could make the difference in whether you wake up with a pounding headache and stuffy nose or not.

Jim Sirna, president of West Palm Wines in Ybor City, says colder weather wines from Italy, Spain and France are the ones to shop for if you're trying to avoid a hangover. They have more acidity in them, which is the natural preservative in wines.

Sirna says vineyards in warmer regions have to add more sulfite, a common chemical substance used to preserve food and beverages from decomposition and fermentation. It also has a nasty reputation for causing headaches.

But Sirna says sulfites aren't the only culprits. Histamines also have taken some of the blame for causing wine headaches. "This unfortunately occurs in both white and red wines, and that is when you get a sinus headache." Sirna says.

Pinot noir and quintet wines are better picks for people prone to sensitivity, he says.

Inside West Palm Wines there's a cozy restaurant and storefront where you can buy high-quality wines ranging in price from $5 to $9 a bottle. Of course, you can find more extravagant picks, but the idea is there's something for everybody.

The business also holds classes designed to make wine appreciation easier to swallow – even for those of us who know very little about our grapes.

"If you come through our store, you'll notice that you probably won't recognize a lot of labels; and that's why we're here to kind of guide you through this together," Sirna says.

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