Several more questions answered concerning Red wine

In this installment I continue to answer questions received from visitors, because, as you know, this website is meant to be interactive and answer your questions.  (Too bad this wasn’t always the case with politicians! Ha!) This installment covers several questions that I’ve received from visitors.

Note: You can also print this document as a handout in Adobe PDF format by clicking  here. (It requires Adobe Reader which you can obtain for free here.)

Here we go.

I’m assuming you’re incorrectly using the term “varietals” and simply meaning to refer to other Shiraz wine.  Regardless, this is a really interesting question.   Now I’m not a medical doctor, but I have a sneaking suspicion that your leg cramps could be an allergy/sensitivity to sulfites.  Sulfites are in wine. 

What’s interesting is that you say some Shiraz give you leg cramps and not others.  It could be that some Shiraz wines have higher levels of sulfites than other Shiraz wines.

Sulfites are chemicals that are naturally occur with fermentation.  However, in many cases, small amounts of sulfites are added to prevent contamination.  You’ll see at least in the US that all bottles have to contain a warning that they contain sulfites, also Australia and other some other countries. 

Now what’s interesting is that some people claim many European made wines do not add many (or any sulfites).  I have never been able to substantiate this claim for sure though. 

Another possibility is that perhaps the Shiraz wine - that does not cause the leg cramps - is organic .  Perhaps, with the amount of sulfites varying enough between wines that are organic and non-organic, just enough variance occurs to cause an allergic reaction which manifest in the form of leg cramps. 

I have certainly heard of people who have an allergy/sensitivity to certain ingredients in foods and some have claimed that even just a minute difference between them (referring to the levels of chemicals they are allergic/ sensitive to) can make the difference between whether or not they have an adverse reaction. 

You should consider discussing this issue with a health professional who possesses expertise in food sensitivities. 

An interesting experiment might be to write down the Shirazes that do cause leg cramps and which ones do not.  Then you can do some research on each one to find out whether they are organic, whether they are using less sulfites, if there’s a particular region the wines come from, particular producer, even where the grapes might originate.

“What can I do with red wine stains….”

This is an excellent question.  It’s a Good idea to attempt to clean right away do not dry.

Here’s a great thing you can try using your own household ingredients and it works great:

• A little suitable soap (recommend unscented as it has less ingredients that might interfere or also cause something to smell a certain way
• A little hydrogen peroxide
• You must use BOTH ingredients

Spray, pour, or dab the mixture on the stain

“How much sugar is in red wine?”

On average, the sugar content of red wine is .6 g / 3.5 oz. in red wine

“Can red wine, chocolate and cheese be paired together? I am suppose to teach a class on wine where do I start?”

Absolutely.  But it depends on what red wine.  While food and wine pairing can be quite a subjective topic, I would say that as a general rule, a good match is found when you either find a food and wine with similar tastes or you find ones with very different tastes and thus have a contrast. 

One example of a pairing using the suggested ingredients would be a red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon with dark chocolate, along with some hard chunks of parmesan cheese.   Of course this is one example but keeping the above principles in mind can serve you well.

Last but not least

As you know, I always enjoying sharing quality resources on wine that can enhance your enjoyment and knowledge on the subject.  Consequently, I wanted to mention a fellow Oenophile's website.

Nat Decants Free Wine E-Newsletter Wine picks, articles and humor from Natalie MacLean, named the World's Best Drink Writer at the World Food Media Awards in Australia. Natalie is also the author of Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass. For more details on this book and to sign up for the newsletter, visit www.nataliemaclean.com.