sick

[Thomas]

First, just about all wines contain sulfites--wherever they are produced--so get that chemistry out of your head.
Second, nothing is mandated to go into wine, except grapes.
Third, I suspect what causes the problem is a combination of oak aging, which in California is way out of hand, and heavy skin extract from red grapes, which can cause histamine build-up, which can cause headaches.
Fourth, I also believe that you make a sweeping generalization that has little foundation of proof. Many people traveling on vacation, or even business, are in an environment that makes how their body reacts quite different than when they are home and living under the stress of the daily grind.
Fifth, it seems to me that if someone has a medical problem--headaches, and such--that it is a good idea to seek medical help and to not jump to conclusions based on wives tales.