Blame it on the amines: It's all in the yeast. A new strain of wine yeast developed at the University of B.C. helps reduce amines, chemicals in red wine and Chardonnay that produce off-flavours and trigger headaches, hypertension and migraines in many people. Food biotechnologist Hennie van Vuuren spent eight years in research and another seven years to test his genetically modified yeast, dedicating much of his life’s work as a scientist to the project.