I drink a fair amount of wine - chardonnays and blends mainly in the whites,
and all of the red varieties. BUT, whenever I drink merlots, it seems I
wake the next morning with a headache.

Now, the only problem with this is that I can't believe the chemical
composition of a merlot is significantly different from any other red. So
is it just coincidence? Is it psychological? Or are merlots really
different for some reason? And has anyone else experienced anything
similar?

Tim

Tim S Roberts wrote:
I drink a fair amount of wine - chardonnays and blends mainly in the whites,
and all of the red varieties. BUT, whenever I drink merlots, it seems I
wake the next morning with a headache.

Now, the only problem with this is that I can't believe the chemical
composition of a merlot is significantly different from any other red. So
is it just coincidence? Is it psychological? Or are merlots really
different for some reason? And has anyone else experienced anything
similar?

Tim

Try something made from Sangiovese.

In article , says...

I drink a fair amount of wine - chardonnays and blends mainly in the whites,
and all of the red varieties. BUT, whenever I drink merlots, it seems I
wake the next morning with a headache.

Now, the only problem with this is that I can't believe the chemical
composition of a merlot is significantly different from any other red. So
is it just coincidence? Is it psychological? Or are merlots really
different for some reason? And has anyone else experienced anything
similar?

Tim

I cannot address the compounds in Merlot, or most other wines, for that matter
- Calling Mark Lipton!

However, I experience similar problems with Pinot Noir. I love many examples
of that varietal, from Burg clones, to those of CA and WA/OR. However, with
the same general quantity of PN, as most other wines, reds & whites, I awake
with a headache. I hate it, as I love PN's. I just try and schedule my day a
tad later, if I know I'm doing a PN-tasting, or heading to a favorite FR
restaurant, where the Burgs are likely to flow.

Now, my wife suffers GI problems with most reds, except (as UC stated)
Sangiovese, and Zinfandel. Why this is, is beyond my comprehension. I'm just
offering these antecdotal ruminations to show that you have company, though
maybe not with regards to Merlot. OTOH, I probably do fewer Merlots, than many
other red varietals.

Hunt

Tim S Roberts wrote:
I drink a fair amount of wine - chardonnays and blends mainly in the whites,
and all of the red varieties. BUT, whenever I drink merlots, it seems I
wake the next morning with a headache.

I get headaches with wines at times but never seems to be a particular
wine that does it. Reds more so than whites. I used to think it was
sulfites but someone else here pointed out that its whites that should
have higher sulfites.

Easy to solve. Don't drink Merlot! To me it's a rather non-descript
wine lacking much complexity or depth. Theres also a glut of crap
Merlot at least in the USA market because its more or less become a
entry level wine. I have found a few Merlots that are truly great but
its a rarity. In those cases the winemaker broke from the traditional
Merlot style. Its a grape that needs to go back to whats its good for.
Blending!

On 14 Aug 2006 17:13:33 -0700, "UC"
wrote:


Tim S Roberts wrote:
I drink a fair amount of wine - chardonnays and blends mainly in the whites,
and all of the red varieties. BUT, whenever I drink merlots, it seems I
wake the next morning with a headache.

Now, the only problem with this is that I can't believe the chemical
composition of a merlot is significantly different from any other red. So
is it just coincidence? Is it psychological? Or are merlots really
different for some reason? And has anyone else experienced anything
similar?

Tim

Try something made from Sangiovese.

Try addressing the question.

Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com

Ed Rasimus wrote:
On 14 Aug 2006 17:13:33 -0700, "UC"
wrote:


Tim S Roberts wrote:
I drink a fair amount of wine - chardonnays and blends mainly in the whites,
and all of the red varieties. BUT, whenever I drink merlots, it seems I
wake the next morning with a headache.

Now, the only problem with this is that I can't believe the chemical
composition of a merlot is significantly different from any other red. So
is it just coincidence? Is it psychological? Or are merlots really
different for some reason? And has anyone else experienced anything
similar?

Tim

Try something made from Sangiovese.

Try addressing the question.

Uhmmmmm....I did!

Tim S Roberts wrote:
I drink a fair amount of wine - chardonnays and blends mainly in the whites,
and all of the red varieties. BUT, whenever I drink merlots, it seems I
wake the next morning with a headache.

Now, the only problem with this is that I can't believe the chemical
composition of a merlot is significantly different from any other red. So
is it just coincidence? Is it psychological? Or are merlots really
different for some reason? And has anyone else experienced anything
similar?

Perhaps, you are head over heels in love with Merlot and you drink more
of it than you usually do with other wines.

Karen

Tim S Roberts wrote:
I drink a fair amount of wine - chardonnays and blends mainly in the whites,
and all of the red varieties. BUT, whenever I drink merlots, it seems I
wake the next morning with a headache.

Now, the only problem with this is that I can't believe the chemical
composition of a merlot is significantly different from any other red. So
is it just coincidence? Is it psychological? Or are merlots really
different for some reason? And has anyone else experienced anything
similar?



A lot of people seem to get headaches from red wine. There are a lot of
articles on the web about it.

Here is one:

http://www.beekmanwine.com/prevtopbd.htm

Try taking an aspirin before drinking your merlot, see if it helps.