Why does European wine not give you a hangover?

So what explains the headache-free European wine drinking experience? It might be related to alcohol levels – European wines usually have less alcohol than American wines. So enjoy your wine whether you're home or abroad, and rest assured that it's the sulfites that keep your wine happy, healthy and delicious.

Why does Italian wine not cause headaches?

This is the time of year when people tell me, as they return from their European vacations, that they drank bottle after bottle of wine with their meals and "never got a headache." They explain this miracle by saying that wines in Europe "do not contain sulfites," unlike wines sold in the U.S., the labels of which ...

Do European wines have additives?

But it's been in use since antiquity and almost all wines today contain at least some added sulphur dioxide – regardless of where they're destined to be sold.

Is wine different in Europe?

European Wines Are Labeled by Growing Region

Climate and soil composition can affect the growth of grapes. This gives wines a variety of subtle flavor differences. The taste of a wine depends on where the vineyard is located. American wine bottles don't always mention the region where the grapes were grown.

Are tannins in European wine?

However, European wines certainly aren't "less tannic" than American wines! In fact, most Americans have a sweeter palate than Europeans do, so most European wines are generally made in a style which is more tannic than US wines are. Tannins come from the red skins of the grapes.

Why Does Wine Give You a Hangover? (And ways to avoid them)

Why does European wine not have sulfites?

The truth is that European wines typically contain the same sulfite levels as American wines. The difference is that Europe doesn't have a law requiring wineries to place a sulfite warning on their labels.

Does European wine have less alcohol?

First off, one consideration is that French wines often have lower alcohol contents than typical American wines. While a powerful Californian Zinfandel might have up to 16 or 16.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) and a rich, oaky Chardonnay from Napa might have up to 14 or 14.5%, many French wines are much lower in alcohol.

Is wine stronger in Europe?

"Old World" European wines had a higher alcohol percentage than "New World" wines from elsewhere in the world. Wines from cooler climates, like Canada and New Zealand, had lower alcohol percentages than wines from hotter places like the U.S. and Australia.

Why does wine taste better in Europe?

You're relaxed. Everything is going to taste better. Reason 2: Much of wine in Europe is a local product, made by people in specific areas only for local consumption. Reason 3: Local wine often includes local grapes, which you may never have tasted.

Does Italian wine have less alcohol?

Italian regulations allow a half-point of flexibility, so wines labeled 15% abv are often closer to 15.5%, while those declaring 15.5% are likely near 16%. In the rare case that a wine has enough fruit richness and fresh acidity to support such high levels of alcohol, I don't take issue.

Is wine in Italy different?

In any foreign country you'll find wines that aren't exported to the United States. They might be small-production wines, or made in a style more popular with locals than with Americans, but there's nothing inherently or legally different about wines made abroad for domestic consumption vs. those made for export.

Does Italy put sulfites in wine?

Wines sold in the United States have the “contains sulfites” note on wine labels, but wines sold in Italy do not, simply because labeling laws differ from country to country. So the same wine—with the same amount of sulfites—will or won't carry that warning, depending on where it is sold.

Why is adding sugar to wine illegal?

Adding sugar doesn't make a wine sweeter because the sugar is consumed by the yeast when it is fermented into alcohol. Chaptalization can add up to 3% ABV to a wine. It is legal in areas where grapes struggle with ripeness, such as Bordeaux, France and Oregon. Illegal in Some Areas!

Which wine is less likely to give you a hangover?

Red wine has the lowest levels of Acetaldehyde.

Wines with high levels of this chemical include Sherry, Brandy, and some sweet wines.

Does French wine have more sulfites?

Are French wines lower in sulfites? French red wines contain an average of 60 mg/L of sulfur dioxide, while French white wines carry around 90 mg/L.

Does more expensive wine give you less of a hangover?

Sugar can accelerate the depletion of B vitamins, and some cheap wines might be on the sweet side, but some of the greatest, most expensive wines in the world are also sweet. Congeners—impurities formed during fermentation—can make hangovers worse.

Why is wine in Italy so good?

The fact of the matter is that Italians prefer wines with lower alcohol, lighter body, and higher acidity. In enogastronomic context, those wines simply tend to taste better to most people — especially when they are tasted with no pretense or social pressure.

Why is Italy so good at wine?

The native grapes of the country make up 25% of the wine grapes of the world. There are approximately 2,000 native varieties of grapes in Italy. Each one of these native Italian grapes is has a distinct taste, texture and character. It must be this unique diversity that sets Italian wine apart from the rest.

What wine do most French drink?

French people will drink different wines depending on the season. Right after the harvest in September, it's common drink wines that are best served fresh, like Beaujolais Nouveau. Red wine is most common in winter, although you can certainly drink red wine any time of year.

Is French wine healthier?

Although pouring wine into a test tube with cells bears little resemblance to sipping a well-aged Bordeaux at dinner, researchers say their findings shed light on the results of several studies that have shown that the French have lower rates of heart disease despite their love of high-fat foods.

Why does French wine give me a headache?

Tannins. Grape skins also contain plant chemicals called tannins, which help give wine its flavor. Tannins also prompt your body to release serotonin, which may cause headaches in some people.

Do French wines have less tannins?

The Gamay grape produces a dry wine with very low tannin content and high acidity. Beaujolais, Loire Valley, and Northern Rhone in France are the leading producers of low-tannin Gamay wines.

What wine gets you the most drunk?

Red and white wines (not sparkling) have the highest alcohol content, starting at 14% and reaching 20% in rare cases. The red wine bottles you'll want to buy are Zinfandels, Sherry, and Syrahs, particularly if they are labeled as 'fortified'.

Is California wine better than French?

Californian Wines Are More Alcoholic, and Less Acidic.

Owing in part to the warmer climate of California, most of its wines contain significantly more alcohol than prestigious French wines from Burgundy, the Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Champagne and Alsace, all featuring cooler or more temperate climes.