By Scott Miller

It's that dreadful season again for many of us who suffer from some form of hay fever. If your sinuses are currently suffering from allergies, consider waiting before opening any special wines, or any wine at all.

Indeed, around the world right now there seems to be a wave of serious allergy attacks. In Japan, a massive allergy outbreak is underway as the pollen volume in the air is expected to be up to 30 times higher than 2004 in some places and two to three times more than average. In the US, over 40 million people suffer from springtime nasal allergies. Locally, the Seattle Times reports "tree pollen is flying like the snow that has not."

Once "sensitized," allergy sufferers are in for a rotten time of it. I happen to be one of the folks seriously suffering from whatever it is that is in the air this week. I share your pain.

But beyond the stuffy nose, and scratchy-throat misery, I've also lost most of my sense of smell and taste! The completeness of this condition is such that today I did not have any smell or taste reaction to even a strong red wine which was open about a week too long... My one sip was of a faintly vinous liquid, a bit thicker than water, crossing my lips and going down. Not offensive to me, though my friend who also tasted it assured me it was NOT FIT FOR CONSUMPTION (which is what I expected really, knowing that it was and the time it had been open). We immediately poured it down the sink. "Wow," I thought. "This is serious."

And so it is. Allergy victims around the world are having to suffer through a period in which wine is simply not worth drinking. Good bottle or bad bottle--it doesn't matter. Because enjoying wine really is all about the taste, the smells, the flavors and interactions with the air and with food. If these senses are dulled, or even shut down, a joyless quaffing of a wine is pointless for you, and an injustice to the wine.

For many, time is the answer. Others may attempt to "fight back." The options for treating allergy symptoms have grown immensely in the last few years. There are many products and sources of information, articles and opinion available. Either way, this grim period should pass. Then once again, we can pick up a glass and enjoy a toast to the greatness of Wine, Food, Friendships and Good Living. Perhaps with a renewed appreciation to boot!

At least I certainly hope so. While looking up some facts on allergies and loss of smell and taste, I found some fascinating and truly frightening information--stories of people who have lost their sense of smell (and therefore most of taste) permanently!

Loss of smell, either temporarily or permanently, is known as anosmia. Temporary loss is quite common, and can be caused by a stuffy nose from an allergy, cold or infection. Common causes of long term smell loss are typically due to an ongoing process in the nose and/or sinuses, specifically rhinitis (inflammation in the nose), nasal polyps and/or sinusitis. Other causes of permanent loss involve brain damage to the olfactory nerve and/or the brain's olfactory center. However, according to the University of Connecticut's Taste and Smell Center, a serious bout of nasal allergies can also cause a long term smell disorder, especially in older adults...

So...yikes! We learn something new everyday. Take care this allergy season. Minimize your allergy/sinus triggers (beer and wine, for instance) and get better soon.

I, for one, am looking forward to my allergies running their course and fading away. Then I will be celebrating the restoration of all my senses!

"Gesundheit!"

Additional Reading

If you experience a smell or taste problem, or like me, find a curious fascination with the mysteries of the senses, take a look at the links below:
June Russell's Health Facts: Alcohol and Allergies
Smell and Taste Disorders Public Service Brochure
Harvard Medical School: Smell and Taste Disorders
Merck Manual: Smell and Taste Disorders
Anosmia Links Page of Dr. Karl L. Wuensch (Ph.D.)
Anosmia Foundation

Scott Miller is CEO of WineSquire.com