wine discussion, page-33

....Many consumers think that the main cause of allergy in wine is due to sulphur dioxide (SO2). Sulphur dioxide is listed as 220 on the back label of the wine bottle and has been used as a preservative of foodstuffs since Roman times over 2,000 years ago. It always amuses me when people say they are allergic to wine because of the SO2; but when I ask them if they eat dried fruit such as dried apricots they say that is alright - not knowing the dried fruit, for example, contains a lot of SO2 as a preservative!

What these people are allergic to in wine, along with most consumers, is either the histamines or tannins in the wine, both of which come from the skin of the grape hence are usually found more in red wines than white wines. is either the histamines or tannins in the wine, both of which come from the skin of the grape.