So what causes that dreaded, lingering, debilitating wine headache? Believe it or not, despite the centuries of winemaking and decades of research, nobody seems to know for sure.

So I’ve assembled a few experts to weigh in on the problem, which will, no doubt, be prominent in the coming days.

There is one consensus across the board from these experts as to the primary cause of wine headaches, though—drinking too much alcohol! So stay hydrated with water, don’t drink on an empty stomach and pace yourself!

Aside from that, here’s what they’ve got to say about the possible wine headache culprits.

NEIL HADLEY (Master of Wine, Past Chair of the Institute of Masters of Wine, G.M. Global Export team at Australia’s Wakefield Wines)
“I think young wines have much higher levels of free sulfur, and I think smelling and ingesting that promotes a common allergic response of people getting persistent and unpleasant sinus headaches.

“Sulfur dioxide is a wine preservative that binds with oxygen in the wine. Over time it becomes less aggressive, and in doing so allows the wine to mature and be preserved over the course of its life. There are wineries that attempt to make sulfur-free wines, but we need sulfur dioxide in most commercial winemaking. They use it in the peanut industry and lettuce industry as well. Funny enough, it’s high-acid young white wines that you tend to see it most aggressive.

“As for people who get red wine headaches, well, thankfully I’ve never been afflicted with the problem. I haven’t gotten into the medical aspects of it, but the diuretic and dehydration effects of both tannin and alcohol is definitely there. The other thing I think is very important is to look at young wines, rather than red or white. Young wines are going to be more aggressive because the sulfurs haven’t bound properly. And then in a young red wine you have the double whammy of probably a high sulfur load and quite an aggressive young tannin situation.”

HEALTHLINE.COM (purported to be the fastest growing health information site, with 200 million visitors a month)
“Here are some possible theories regarding wine headaches.

Histamine: Grape skins contain histamine. White wine is made without the grape skin, so it has a lower histamine content than red wine, which is made from the whole grape. A histamine sensitivity could make you more susceptible to a headache. Keep in mind that some other foods contain more histamine than alcoholic drinks. These include aged cheese, eggplant, sauerkraut, spinach, fish, sausage and salami.

Tannins: Grape skins also contain plant chemicals called tannins, which help give wine its flavour. Tannins also prompt your body to release serotonin, which may cause headaches in some people. Red wines have more tannins than white wines. Tannins are found in a variety of foods, including tea, dark chocolate, and some berries and nuts. Tannins are thought to trigger migraines even in people who take preventive treatments.

Sulfites: Sulfites are compounds that help preserve red and white wine. If you’re sensitive to sulfites, you’re more likely to experience breathing problems than headaches, though. Higher amounts of sulfites can also be found in certain fruits and dried fruits, chips, pickles, raisins and soy sauce.”

JOHN SZABO (Canada’s most renowned Master Sommelier)
“I’m not a medical doctor, but it’s histamines for the most part, not sulphites.”

HARVARD.EDU (Consumer health education division of Harvard Medical School)
“Getting a headache after drinking red wine seems to be common, but no single explanation has been found. Several theories have been proposed, but none has much evidence behind it.

“One theory holds that the culprit is histamine, a compound found in grape skins. Red wine contains more histamine than white wine because it’s made from the whole grape (including the skin), not just the juice. Some people have a shortage of an enzyme that breaks down histamine in the small intestine. Alcohol also inhibits the enzyme, so the combination may boost histamine levels in the blood, which can dilate blood vessels and cause a headache.

“Tannins, another grape-skin constituent, could be at fault. Tannins are plant chemicals that impart flavour to red wines and contain antioxidants. But they also spur the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which at high levels can cause headaches in some people. Other plant chemicals (polyphenols) may be involved.

“Some experts think that sulfites, a preservative in wine, are to blame. But sulfite sensitivity usually causes breathing problems rather than headaches. Moreover, many white wines and other foods also contain sulfites.

“These potential culprits vary from wine to wine, so if you don’t want to give up red wine altogether, you might try different brands or grape varieties to see how they affect you. When you try a new red wine, start with less than half a drink. If it’s going to give you a headache, it’ll do so within 15 minutes.”