Why can't I drink red wine anymore?

[FundamentallyTired]

For a few years now my ability to tolerate red wine has decreased. I don't mean hangover, I mean immediately feeling ill after drinking a small glass (or often a few sips). Tonight I had one very small glass and I felt odd and then was sick immediately. It isn't alcohol in general as I often have one or two gin and tonics with no effects.

Weirdly, occasionally I manage to find a wine that doesn't have this effect. Anyone else developed an intolerance like this?

allergy to sulphites or oaking probably

I can't even look at wine without feeling ill, I'm guessing it's an age thing.

I'm mid 40s and like this too. Wondering if could be perimenopause

I wasn’t able to drink red wine for 5 years when I was peri menopausal. Just a few sips would make me feel really weird, and not in a good way!
So happy to be through that stage of my life.

I think it's sulphites or other chemicals used in production. More expensive quality wines don't do it to me.

I can't get finish a second glass before I feel headachy, sniffy and "hungover". With a meal, I'll drink water too so it's not dehydration.

I am sensitive to sweetners and a few other foods (dairy, soya, seafood)

Gin is fine

This happened to me in my late 30s, so I went on to drink White wine. From my late 40s I couldn’t drink that either. The only exception is a small glass of something expensive, alongside a meal.

Gin is fine though

I seem to be more sensitive to alcohol in general, in fact decided yesterday to stop drinking. I got some elderflower and fizzy water in.

seems is common in menopause www.mumsnet.com/Talk/menopause/3559431-Perimenopause-and-alcohol-intolerance

Me too. Sinice the menopause I can't drink any alcohol what soever without feeling terrible. I have no idea whyou but I really miss it.

Drink this. I don't react to this red wine whereas with others I feel gritty.

Same happened to me. Gradual process of red wine, then beer, then white white.

It's gin or nothing for me. Vodka ok too (as in it doesnt make me ill), except I don't really like it anymore!!!

Interesting. This happened to me aged about 30, when I went onto the mini-pill. Half a glass of wine = instant vomiting hangover for 2 days.
Earlier, aged about 25 when I went onto the combined pill I also developed anaphylactic-level allergies to a few foods, and started having chronic fatigue kind of reactions to exercise. When I came off the pill for TTC, suddenly all the allergies, chronic fatigue kind of thing, alcohol intolerance, all disappeared completely. (Obvs didn't combine alcohol tolerance with TTC deliberately, just noticed in passing that I could enjoy the occasional glass of wine). Since i have gone back on the combined pill, all these symptoms have started up again. So definitely seems hormone-related...

I had this for a few months last year; stopped as randomly as it started after a while.

Wow, I thought this was just me!

Now I know I can’t drink red wine anymore as I am peri-menopausal.

Like a lot of other posters, Gin is fine, thankfully

You may find you tolerate organic wines better. I find I can’t drink anything from Bordeaux now. Burgundy is ok. My bank manager is delighted with this news.

I've always been very sensitive to red wine - all other alcohol is fine including white wine but if I have red wine, I'd get an intense 8 hour migraine like I've never had before so never drank it again. It's likely an allergic reaction/intolerance to sulphites as mentioned by previous posters and red wine is also known to be high in histamines (molecules which signal/trigger allergic reactions in the body). You might have suddenly developed an intolerance which is entirely possible.

Glad I'm not alone.

@Decormad38 that is one that I am able to drink at least a glass of.

@TheBigBallOfOil interestingly last night it was a Bordeaux.

It definitely isn't alcohol cos I am fine with gin and cider etc. Just red wine (I don't really drink white). And it isn't a hangover it is immediate almost, well within an hour of drinking I vomited!

OP I had this with red wine pretty much always

then in my 30s it became any wine

last time I tried wine I came out in hives! Daren't go near it again.

Vodka and gin are fine!

I'm like this with all wine. I'm 43 and it started about 2 years ago. Previously I loved wine! It seems to be fairly common with women.

I haven't drunk wine for years because it makes me ill. One glass will give me a headache within 30mins and I'll feel really sick.

Stick to spirits and cider.

Me too! I’m 43 and red wine makes me feel crap and weird within about 30mins. Been going on about 18months.

I'm not a wine drinker but I will have a glass of red with dinner when in Paris (usually once a year, and I'm not sure why only in Paris ) and it gives me the worst heartburn. By the tend of the break even the first sip causes me pain in my chest.

Thankfully gin is fine!

Try organic red.
Between three of us we drank 4 bottle last weekend. I was fine the next day.

Bordeaux v high in tannins. I think that might be the prob. Try something like a Morgon or brouilly - still has guts but is much lighter. And report back!

This has happened to me too, first red wine, then beer/lager, then white wine. I feel horribly ill after just a few sips and within an hour it's gone right through (no additional explanation needed but you get the picture). Cider has always had an untoward effect on me, so I've never really drunk that since my late teens.

The only thing I can tolerate in small doses is gin (strange, as another pp says the same).