10 Things You Should Know About Sulfites in Wine

1. Sulfites are naturally occurring in all wines, this is because they are a natural by-product of fermentation. Very rarely, if ever, is a wine made that is truly sulfite free.

 

2. By adding sulfites, the natural flavors of the wine are allowed to shine through. This is because sulfites are primarily used for their anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties.

 

3. Sulfites are not related to the headaches some people get from red wine. Many scientists believe that it is actually the natural histamines that are found in red wines.

 

4. Many dried fruits contain a lot more sulfites than wine. For instance, a 2 oz. serving of dried apricots contains more than ten times the amount of sulfites than is in normal glass of wine.

 

5. In the USA, all wines that have more than 10ppm (parts per million) must show “CONTAINS SULFITES” on the label, whether the sulfites are natural or added.

 

6. Sulfites are not bad for you. In fact, the human body produces about one gram of sulfites everyday. This is nearly 100 times the amount in one glass of wine.

 

7. Wines without added sulfites spoil very quickly. This is due to the lack of oxidant and microbial control that the sulfites provide.

 

8. Sulfites were first used in winemaking by the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians to sterilize their wine vessels and have been added directly to the wine since the 17^th century.

 

9. Despite popular belief, sulfites are not just used by American wineries. In fact, most wineries around the globe use sulfites…yes even the French.

   10. Less than 0.25% of the population is allergic to sulfites and many scientists believe that it is somewhat   correlated with those who suffer from asthma.