[image from Prof. Waterhouse's v. informative wine website. Thanks for the fascinating read!]
This quest for sulfite knowledge began yesterday, when I tried a new no-sulfite-added wine.
First & most important: All the research seems to agree that sulfites in wine are not harmful — EXCEPT to those with sulfite sensitivities. Even Frey Vineyards, which proudly doesn’t add sulfites, agrees sulfites are only a prob. for the sulfite-sensitive.
Backing up: All wine has sulfites, cuz the stuff occurs naturally — even in our bodies. Most wines, however, have ADDED sulfites beyond the naturally occuring stuff, which prevent wines from going stale or spoiling.
Now super-high levels of sulfites can cause health issues, which is why there are laws regarding the amount of sulfites that can be added. The levels allowed in wine are only a problem “for a few people who are deficient in the natural enzyme to break it down,” according to Prof. Andrew Waterhouse, “wine chemist.”
How do you know if you have a sulfite sensitivity? Basically, if you have allergic reactions after drinking wine, you may be sensitive. (If you just get a headache after drinking wine, however, this is NOT due to sulfites, but some other, as-of-yet undiscovered wine issue.)
Now, about the taste — This is a bit of a toss up. Frey claims that adding excessive sulfites has the effect of “masking delicate flavors, assaulting the nose.” On the other hand, Prof. Waterhouse says no-added-sulfites wines “often have unusual aromas from the aldehydes that are normally bound and rended aroma-less by the sulftes.”
green LA girl’s conclusion: Since I obviously have no sulfite sensitivity, I’ll drink the wines made with organic grapes that I find yummy, regardless of added sulfites.
For the readers who ARE sensitive, look for the certified organic symbol (not just the word organic, which may mean organic grapes with added sulfites) on your bottle of wine.
Happy drinking :)
In your previous post on this subject you asked “I’m wondering if this sulfite-free wine is what “real†wine is.”
In response to you, and in response to “Roger, Gone Green”’s inaccurate reply to that post, my answer is: “No. Real wine has sulfites in it.” Sulfites have been a standard part of the wine making process for millennia. Sulfites are part of the essential flavor profile of wine. Claiming that “real wine shouldn’t have sulfites” is akin to claiming “real beer shouldn’t have hops” Or that “real” beer would be the undrinkable swill that the ancient Egyptians imbibed.
Now, this doesn’t meant that those who are allergic to sulfites should not try to find yummy sulfite-free wines, or that wine without sulfites is necessarily undrinkable. But Roger’s assertion that the problem of wine spoilage is a “modern expectation” is, simply, fabricated. Many of the flavors we (and by “we” I mean “everyone who has drunk wine since the ancient Greeks and Romans”) seek in wine develop only as the wine matures. If the wine turns in to vinegar before it matures, we are deprived of that. This is why we have been putting sulfites in wine for thousands of years, and why we will continue to do so for thousands more.
When the ancient Romans wanted some red wine vinegar, they were perfectly capable of _making vinegar on purpose_, and didn’t have to accidentally sacrifice an amphora of precious red Falernian. The fact that such a sacrifice might not be a total loss because the vinegar was “useful” would not make it any less of a fuck-up. Ruining potentially good wine (intended for maturation) by deciding to not put the appropriate amount of preservatives in it is a fuck-up.
Comment by peterb — February 6, 2006 @ 8:43 am
That explains the taste-difference — It seems like no-sulfite-added wine generally has to be relatively newer wine? I guess I like somewhat older stuff…
Comment by Siel — February 7, 2006 @ 2:34 pm
I am allergic to sulfites and I have yet to find a sulfite-free wine that doesn’t taste horrible. Has anyone found a good one? It has to be a white, because I break out when I drink red. Thanks!
Comment by hikerlady — May 6, 2006 @ 12:45 pm
Hmmm… Tough one, cuz I don’t drink much white wine :( I’ll try asking around –
Comment by Siel — May 6, 2006 @ 1:44 pm
I recented purchased the Heartswork Winery “Well Read” bottle of wine at Trader Joe’s in the Minne apple, and I absolutely love it! It is Organic and sulfite free according to the label on the bottle. It is red table wine, and it has a slightly sweet flavor that I really dig. I don’t drink wine very often because it makes me break out as well. It doesn’t seem to have the same bite that other wines with higher sulfite levels have. In a highly unusual turn of events I have almost consumed the entire bottle in one evening… and it only 9PM.
Comment by well read wino — November 20, 2006 @ 7:01 pm
hello!
thanks for the info on sulfites and Well Red.
i also found this by googling “heartswork winery” i bought it at trader joes and actually really like it. but the question is why don’t they use sulfites to begin with? because some people are allergic? by reading that they don’t use sulfites i assumed that sulfites were chemical additives…but reading around this post, i see that they aren’t really that bad. it’s just interesting that they don’t use them in this wine…
thanks for the conversation!
-ryanne
http://ryanishungry.com
Comment by ryanne — December 29, 2006 @ 11:31 am
I think it’s a combo of catering to people who’re allergic and of some companies just wanting to go as au naturale as possible, regardless of whether or not sulfites are harmful…. That’s just a guess though. I’ll have to remember to ask the people pouring the wine at the next organic wine tasting I go to :)
Comment by Siel — December 29, 2006 @ 11:44 pm
can sulfites and sulfates cause you to itch
Comment by Dorothy — August 9, 2007 @ 10:47 pm