Sadly, there are many people out there who say that wine causes them headaches – even migraines. Sometimes it’s easy to pass this off as a hangover (and/or blame it on the questionable wine your friend brought over last night), but there may be more to it than that – there are several (organic) compounds found in vino that you may actually be allergic to. When a recent round of migraines forced me to consider the frightening possibility of this being my own situation, I decided to look into it a bit more. (Personally I have yet to decide which is a worse fate – life with migraines, or life without wine.)

Fortunately I’m now pretty sure that my headaches have nothing to do with my favorite libation, but if you think you are cursed, maybe I hope this will help you figure out what’s going on. If you can pinpoint exactly what hurts, at the very least you may be able to determine which over-the-counter medicine to take before the next wine dinner or tasting that you just have to go to.

(Rather than scattering this post with lots of links to the same place, I’ll just confess that most of what I didn’t know here came from Wikipedia – as well as a couple of tidbits from a good medical friend who is internet-shy and will therefore remain anonymous)

Beaujolais might just be the perfect wine.

(Actually I’m trying to be diplomatic; I’m pretty sure that Jean Foillard’s 2007 Morgon – pictured here – IS in fact the perfect wine.)

If I were pressed to come up with my “Desert Island Top 10 Bottles” (à la Nick Hornby) it would be up at the top of the list along with Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose, Ostertag Munchberg Riesling, and Quintarelli Amarone  – not only because it’s amazing, but even more so because it is the most refreshing red wine I’ve yet found. Ideal for that island heat.

“What??” You say. “You mean that stuff with the colorful label that comes out in November?”

For centuries, the city of Verona in Northern Italy’s Veneto region was best known as the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Today it has become synonymous with wine – specifically the Valpolicella (and Amarone della Valpolicella) made in the hilly area from which it takes its name, just outside of town.

Since 1967, Verona has also played host to VinItaly, the world’s largest wine fair, which begins tomorrow and has provided me with the perfect excuse to come enjoy spring in my favorite part of the world. It’s a bit intimidating, however – 5 days, more than close to 4,500 exhibitors, and God only knows how many tasters from more than 100 countries. I hope I’m tough enough to keep up.

My first post comes direct from Cafayate, Salta, the source not only of some of Argentina’s best (and unknown) wines but also of its most impressive landscapes. In the two days I’ve been here I have honestly been torn about whether my time is better spent tasting wine or taking photographs.

With an average vineyard altitude of almost 5,500 feet above sea level and as many cactus as grapevines, the terrain here in Cafayate is like no other wine producing region in the world. The high altitude, desert climate, and drastic temperature contrast between daytime highs and nighttime lows result in concentrated, idiosyncratic wines that reflect the unique geology of the land as well as the artistry of the local winemakers. I must say that even after almost a year and a half tasting wine in Argentina, I have been impressed since I got off the plane in Salta.

Email address: aa@aaepstein.com

Moto: “Good wine is a necessity of life” (Thomas Jefferson, via Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants)

Location: New York, US

Work place: Wine consultant, wine blogger, broker

For the very special evening with your loved one which wine you would open: Domaine de Trévallon Rouge – the oldest I can get my hands on

Best wine bargain: Pulenta Estate La Flor Malbec

Your favorite varietal: Corvina – I love the Valpolicella

Best aphrodisiac: Rosé Champagne

Last bite on earth: Pizza at Pizzeria Belle Arti in Bologna, Italy

Adventurous food and wine pair: Masochistically spicy Thai curry and Brut Zero Champagne

Short bio:
Aaron Epstein has been passionate about wine since before he could legally drink it, and at 27 he now has more than 5 years of professional wine experience. His love of the grape was born in Spain, took root in Italy, and has since led him around the world to work wine jobs in almost every aspect of the industry, most recently in Mendoza, Argentina. He is preparing for a return to his home city of New York, where he will be racking up airline miles as a wine consultant, wine blogger, and broker for some of South America’s finest wines.