Histamines & Wine – What You Need to Know

They can trigger symptoms like headaches, flushing, or restless sleep — especially if your body struggles to break them down.

During perimenopause and menopause, fluctuating oestrogen levels can reduce your ability to process histamines, which is why wine sensitivity can increase.

Histamines form during fermentation and ageing — particularly malolactic fermentation, which softens acidity in reds.

That’s why aged reds often contain more histamines than young whites, rosés or sparkling wines.

Good cellar hygiene, reducing oxygen and temperature control help to keep levels lower.

There’s no legal requirement for wineries to list histamine levels on labels, so it’s not easy to tell.

Here’s what helps:

🍇 Look for organic producers – careful, temperature-controlled winemaking keeps histamines down

📊 Some wineries publish results – under 0.5 mg/L is generally considered low

✨ Favour fresh styles – young whites, rosés and sparkling

You can’t spot it on the label (yet!) — but I’ll flag wines I find that are made with lower histamines and no added sulphites.

This isn’t about restriction — it’s about choice, and knowing what works for you.

Follow @‌ElizabethWineGirl for wine finds that combine flavour, balance and wellbeing.

Elizabeth x