08/19/08 Sulfites

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. Recently a listener wrote to ask a question that I hear often, "Linda, I am so confused about sulfites in wine, can you explain what they are?" The topic of sulfites and wine confuses most consumers. I think the passage of federal legislation in 1988 requiring that wineries indicate on the labels that sulfites are present in wine, seems to be what surrounds much of the confusion. Sulfites are not some weird artificial chemical or by-product of modern chemistry. They are found in the vineyard, they are an anti-oxidant acting as a natural preservative. They are an expected bi-product of the wine fermentation process. Unfortunately, not enough sulfites are produced during fermentation to keep the wine fresh tasting and stable for very long, so additional sulfites are added by virtually all wineries. Although, you may see labels that read, no added sulfites. Meaning that there are no sulfites added by the winery and only those that occur during that natural process are in the wine. I will assure you that no winemaker worth their credentials ever adds more sulfites than are necessary to preserve the wine. To the average person sulfites are not an issue. However, there are individuals who have severe allergic reactions, not only in wine, but in dried fruits, nuts and vegetables. You most likely know if you have sulfite allergies by the time you are drinking age. And, by the way, sulfites are not likely what gave you a headache that time when you drank too much wine. I hope this helps you to understand something about sulfites in wine. Thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.