Question for the wine experts

[Cookie]

I'm finding that a lot of wine has food coloring in it to enhance its natural colors. I'm sure that doesn't bother a lot of people, but I'm allergic to food coloring and I love wine. Because wine apparently doesn't have the same guidelines or regulations as most things consumable requiring the ingredients to be listed on the bottle, this usually comes as an unpleasant surprise after drinking it where my mouth is purple and I don't feel well. Are there any tips for being able to tell what wine has food coloring and what doesn't? I'm really insanely frustrated by it.

[KiaKat]

Look for natural or traditional wines. That doesn't necessarily mean organic, though a lot of organics can be classed as natural. When you look at the back of the label, there are a few distributors that will almost guarantee a lack of additives. Jenny & Francois, Rosenthal, Savio Soares, and Louis/Dressner are a few.

Your mouth turning purple isn't usually due to the food colouring (which is usually grape-skin extract), but to the type of grape. Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah, Syrah/Shiraz, and Sangiovese will be the worst offenders. Most of the time, colour extract is used in Pinot Noir to give it more depth and richness, or to hide a bad year.

I don't know that artificial food colourings are allowed in wine, actually. I'd been taught that every country restricts what can be put in a wine, even if they still allow far too much in terms of adjustment.

[Cookie]

Kia, I knew you'd come to the rescue! Good to know that the natural colorings are coloring my mouth, too. That would explain why after some, I wasn't having a reaction. There are a couple I'm downright sure they were colored. (My reaction is like being on bad crack. Hard to miss.) But those were kind of crappy wines anyway. No loss. And my google searches turned up use of artificial coloring in wine, so I was really worried. It's nice to know I can relax a bit here.

[Seshat]

It might not be food colouring at all. It might be sulphates or even tannins. Neither are likely to be listed independently on the label, because they're simply part of the grape (or in oak-barrel-aged wines, some of the tannin comes from the barrel).

If you google 'red wine headache' you can get a lot of information about sulphates (sulfites) and tannins, and other things which affect some people but not others.

[Cookie]

Yeah, I've known a lot of people that had issues with red wines. I can drink a lot of them without a reaction, though.

[KiaKat]

Sulfites are a bit of a red herring. What they are is Sulfur Dioxide, SO2. Which is not only a natural byproduct of fermentation (all non-distilled alcoholic beverages have some), but is also found in many other foods, such as eggs. There are a few people who are genuinely allergic to sulfites, but the allergy is *incredibly* rare and usually diagnosed in childhood. Unfortunately, they've become a bit of a whipping boy for the organic movement, due to their use as a preservative in wine. Most winemakers use minimal amounts, unless it's a particularly commercial operation. And nearly all wineries use them in the field as pest control (safer than pesticides) and in the winery for cleaning (safer than bleach). They're also higher in white wine than in red, due to the natural preservative found in red wine: Tannins.

Tannins are a more likely culprit. They're found in red wine, black tea, and certain fruits & veggies. What they are is a chemical found in nature that makes your tongue dry out and teeth feel like they've grown fur. Used in leather tanning and fabric making, they're a particularly useful natural chemical. They can also cause headaches in some people, especially when they've been artificially added or supplemented. If these are the problem, then low-tannin wines like Gamay won't cause as many issues, but a wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Nebbiolo will.

Another possible culprit is the alcohol itself. Note the alcohol level of the wines you're having issues with. Some of them might be 14 or 15%, or even higher. If you're used to drinking a glass of 12-13% ABV, that extra couple points could be dehydrating you more than you're expecting. Make sure you're drinking at least 8oz of water for every 5oz of wine.