There’s a lot of controversy surrounding sulfites in wine, most of it unwarranted. I for one would like to settle the score on this subject-or stir the pot-depending on your perspective.
First off, what are sulfites?
Sulfites may also be referred to as sulfur dioxide or SO2. They are not to be confused with sulfates or SO4 (sulfuric acid commonly found in cleansers such as shampoo) or sulfides (an entirely different family of sulfur compounds). Sulfites are naturally occurring in the environment, which is to say that they are found in soil. Sulfites are also a natural by-product of fermentation. Therefore any wine, sake or beer will contain some sulfites, even if the product is labeled as being organic or “sulfite-free” (I will return to that later).
Though sulfites are natural, they have also been isolated by man and used as a preservative in food products for years. Items like canned goods and dried fruit contain a fairly high level of sulfites, much more than your average bottle of wine.
Now that you understand just a little about what sulfites are and how they may be used, let’s talk in greater detail about what they mean for wine. Sulfites might be used in the vineyard and/or added during the winemaking process.
What are the benefits of using sulfites? In the vineyard, spraying grapes with SO2 at specific times during the growing season helps prevent the growth of mold and mildew, keeping the grapes healthy (this actually applies to any above-ground crop). During the winemaking process sulfites help prevent spoilage from bacteria, spontaneous or uncontrolled fermentation from wild yeasts, browning, oxidation, and they help to create a more stable and longer lived wine.
White wine and sweet wine tends to contain a higher level of sulfites. Why? As I mentioned, sulfites help to prevent browning. While browning may occur in both red and white wines, it is more evident in white wine and therefore more SO2 will be used. And since any wine with residual sugar is at a greater risk for spontaneous fermentations within the bottle, a greater amount of SO2 will be used to help prevent this and keep the wine stabilized. Red wine contains tannins, which have a natural antimicrobial quality, so a dry red will typically need fewer sulfites added than the aforementioned wines.
So why then do sulfites have such a daunting reputation? Sulfites have for years been dubbed as the culprit for headaches. This is, quite frankly, a load of crap. There is currently zero conclusive evidence showing that sulfites cause headaches. A majority of the time that headache you get has to do with the amount of wine consumed. (Be honest with yourself right now.) Dehydration from alcohol consumption is a surefire way to develop a headache.
So then why do people sometimes claim that only certain wines give them headaches? Wine is alive and it contains many compounds (histamines, flavonoids, etc.). It is very difficult to pinpoint what it is about a specific wine that may make a person feel unwell. In the case of red wines, many people are sensitive to the tannins. What you need to think about is the fact that grapes will hang from a vine for several months out of the year and in that time, many elements from the environment (including the soil and various pollens) will settle on these grapes and ultimately end up in the wine. Ever notice how your allergies might act up only when you visit certain places? This may help explain why wines from specific regions may cause a person discomfort, while wines from a different region do not. For example, “I get headaches when I drink wine from California, but not when I drink wine from Spain”.
Decades ago, people in the United States became increasingly concerned about the amount of SO2 being used in food products, hence all the hype. SO2 is a concern mainly for people suffering from asthma or an allergy to SO2. Symptoms of an allergy to sulfites are primarily gastrointestinal, but may also include hives, swelling, difficulty breathing or sinus complications. These are the same symptoms of any food allergy. As always, an allergy to sulfites can only be determined by your doctor. If you suffer from either asthma or an SO2 allergy, dried fruit will almost certainly send you to the ER.
The allowable amount of sulfites for wine in the United States is somewhere below 250 parts per million. Though it varies, the average bottle of red wine contains 40-50 ppm of sulfites and the average bottle of white wine contains 70-80 ppm. Not only is this well below the legal amount, but this is much less than other food products, as I mentioned earlier. The TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau) requires that any wine containing more than 10 ppm of sulfites include the phrase “contains sulfites” on its label. This is specifically for the people suffering from asthma or allergies. Any wine with less than 10 ppm of sulfites may legally omit this phrase. In some cases, a wine label may use phrases like “sulfite-free”, “no detectable sulfites”, or “contains no sulfites”. This is simply telling the buyer that the wine contains less than 10 ppm of SO2. As you now know, the wine still contains a minute amount of SO2, much in the same way that decaffeinated coffee still contains some caffeine.
So what is the deal with organic wine? An organic wine does not equate to a “sulfite-free” wine. If a wine label states that the wine is organic, this simply means that by law no sulfites may be added in the vineyard or the winemaking process. Please note that in many cases, a wine is made from organically grown grapes only. This does not mean that the wine itself is organic, which means that SO2 was still used in the winemaking process. Confused? Good, then you’re paying attention. A wine that is entirely organic is prone to spoilage and does not tend to be long lived, though some people will fight me to the death on that concept. One thing is for sure: a wine that is organic or made from organically grown grapes will have fewer sulfites than other bottles.
Relieved? Angry? My work here is done!
