Sulfites in Wine

Customers often ask me for “sulfite-free” wine.  When they do, I try to be as gentle as possible in delivering the scandalous news that there is no such thing.

That’s because sulfites are a natural byproduct of the fermentation process. For this reason, it is impossible for any wine to be 100% free of sulfites. While sulfites can occur naturally, winemakers have also used added sulfur since ancient times to cure and prevent all manner of wine ills such as oxidation and bacterial spoilage.

So, what are these sulfites and why are they in my wine? For the truly wine-geeky, (this is a term of endearment) I recommend a San Francisco Chronicle article, “Reconsidering Sulfites” (www.sfgate.com), that details everything you’ve ever wanted to know about sulfites, including how and why they are used in winemaking. The article also addresses some common myths like the one about sulfites and headaches.

The federally mandated warning “contains sulfites” that appears on most wine labels is there to protect the very few people—primarily severe asthmatics—that are at risk of an adverse reaction from sulfites. Most people have no sensitivity to sulfites at all, but about 5 percent of asthmatics are extremely sensitive to them.

I’m not sure why it is that wine got such a bad rap for sulfites. Sulfites exist in many other products such as fruit juices, dried fruits, and syrups at levels that are the same or greater than those found in wine. I sometimes tell this to customers but only after I am reasonably assured that they’ve recovered from the first blow about the non-existence of sulfite-free wine.

Tags: wine | sulfites