We Are Committed To Using The Lowest Possible Amounts Of Sulfites In Wines
As Rachel Signer expressed in her article on VinePairthe thing about sulfur is that it can prevent wine from showing its nuances. Sulfur-laden wine is predictablewhich can be a good thing. But when you try low-sulfur wine, or sulfur-free wine, the juice is surprisingly alive. A study out of UCLA concludes that organic wines do taste better, as measured in the scores of leading wine critics.
At Natural Merchants, we work to import wines that use the least amount of sulfites and other interventions in the winemaking process as possible. The resulting wines are the true essence of the winerys terroir, and the purest expression of the grape.
Breton Nuits Divresse Bourgueil
Loire Valley legends Catherine and Pierre Breton have been certified organic for nearly 30 years. Although they make about a dozen cuvées of cabernet franc, the Nuits dIvresse is the only one that is bottled without even a hint of added sulfur. Yes, you get a taste of that barnyard funk typical of many unsulfured wines, but it is merely one element of this generous, complex, and fresh cab franc. Made with fruit from 50-year-old vines and aged in barrel for a year, it will certainly help wash down a plate of lamb chops in fine fashion.
Do Sulfites Cause Wine Headaches
Those who suffer headaches after drinking wine often blame the sulfites in wine, but it is unclear whether they are really to blame. A hangover headache may come after drinking too much alcohol of any kind, but those who have migraine headaches can develop a headache after as little as one glass of wine.
Those who get wine headaches often say that they get them after drinking red wine. Since white wine contains more sulfites than red, it is unlikely that sulfites are to blame. Also, sulfites are also high in certain foods, such as dried fruit, soy sauce, and pickles. If the sulfites in wine cause headaches, these foods should cause a similar reaction.
Some experts suggest that drinking low-quality wine may cause headaches. Such wines often contain compounds that can interfere with the production of serotonin, an important brain chemical. Also, low-quality wines are often highly processed, unlike wines made using more natural processes, which could be better for your health.
It’s likely that headache triggers are different for different people. If you suffer from wine headaches or other reactions to wine, talk to your doctor about whether you should avoid drinking it.
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Does Natural Wine Cause Fewer Hangovers
Alcohol is dehydrating, interferes with sleep, and disrupts the GI system, all of which can cause a hangover, explains Cassetty. Does natural wine do less of this? Maybe, but its too early to say for sure. While there is some early research into the connection between sulfites and hangovers and likely more to come, most of the thinking around this is anecdotal, says Feiring.
If allergens are an issue, natural wine may be a better option, suggests Feiring. Its common to blame sulfites for a reaction to wine and it is possible to have a sulfite allergy, but if you can eat dried fruit, youre not allergic to sulfites. Instead, you might be sensitive to one of the many other additives used in conventional wine, including tannins, enzymes or even dairy or shellfish.
Which Wines Have The Lowest Sulfite Levels
Keeping in mind that all wines contain some naturally occurring sulfites, if you are looking for wines with the lowest level of sulfites, then organic wines are your best bet, because by label definition ” Organic Wines” are produced from organically grown grapes without the addition of chemicals during the winemaking process. Sweet white dessert wines contain the most sulfur dioxide with blush wines and semi-sweet white wines coming in at a close second for sulfur dioxide content. If you are searching for wines with the lowest levels of added sulfur dioxide, you will need to swing to the opposite spectrum and go for dry red wines for the lowest sulfite content, followed by dry white wines as the middle ground choice.
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Everything You Need To Know About Sulfite
Chermaine CheeDecember 13, 2021
Sulfites, also known as sulfur dioxide, are a chemical compound found naturally in a variety of foods. They are also frequently added to food products as a preservative because of their anti-microbial properties.
Maybe you have heard the rumours floating around that sulfites are bad for you, that sulfites in wine cause headaches or worse, and that they should be avoided. Or, maybe you have seen the ominous label contains sulfites on your favourite bottle of merlot and you want to know what that means. Either way, we have answers for you! This article will explain what sulfites are, why they are in wine, and whether you should be afraid of them .
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Why Is It Hard To Produce Without Sulfites In Wine
Because sulfur is used to prevent bacteria during production and storage, producing No Sulfites Added wines requires great care at every step:
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Myth #: Sulfites Are Inherently Unnatural
Apart from the potential allergic reaction, many people are against sulfites, because they feel they are an unnatural addition when making wine. While that view is valid, it is important to remember that sulfites are also a natural by-product of the yeast metabolism during fermentation. So even if you do not add any additional SO2, your wine will still contain sulfites.
A better understanding of how sulfur dioxide breaks down and binds during winemaking, better winery hygiene, and more careful viticultural practices to ensure healthy grapes have all greatly helped to reduce the need for SO2 additions during winemaking. Today, there are many winemakers who refrain from adding any SO2 until after the fermentation is complete.
Why Add Preservatives To Wine
Sulphur dioxide is a good thing in winemaking it helps the wine get to your palate in the best condition possible. It defends the grapes & wine against nasty bacterias and oxidisation. Just like we consume vitamins to keep us healthier for longer, we add SO2 to wine for longevity. I will touch on this more below, however, unless you suffer a reaction from sulphur dioxide there is really no health benefits to drinking only preservative free tipples.
This brings me to the point mentioned above having the best quality grapes in pristine condition means a lot less sulphur dioxide needs to be added. Just prior to vintage and during vintage, you may drive past vineyards which have netting covering their vines these nets are to help stop birds and pests damaging the grapes. The more damaged the grapes are at harvest, the more sulphur dioxide will be needed to produce an enjoyable and drinkable wine.
As you may also know, oxygen isnt a good friend to wine as soon as the wine has a large exposure to oxygen it will slowly start to deteriorate. The sulphur dioxide during the winemaking stage will help neutralise any oxygen that may get near the wine so it can be bottled and sealed up for your delicious consumption.
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Organic Kosher Wine Options
Now that we have covered the gamut of wine rules and regulations in regards to organic and no-sulfite added wines, by definition, on a label, we can look at the kosher wine options that exist, sadly there are few.
It all started with Four Gates Winery making wine from Organic CCOF grapes, in 1997. After that, we had some wine from Yarden Odem Winery that used Organic grapes as well, but the label kept getting into trouble with the USDA as there was no way to state using Organic Grapes in those days.
We had the first TRULY organic winery in the Bashan Winery until they closed and we had the lovely Harkham wines from Australia, but they are really hard to find here in the USA now, and they would not get the USDA Organic wine label, as they do throw in a sparingly small amount of sulfites. My guess is, they sell perfectly well in Australia, so why bother with shipping.
So, where does that leave us now actively, outside of Four Gates and Yarden Odem Chardonnay that are not organic wines, but rather a wine made with organic grapes?
We have three options today:
What Wine Does Not Contain Sulfites
6 Wines We Love That Have No Added Sulfites
- Mouth.com. Coturri Winery Carignane Red Wine 2015.
- Plum Market. 2016 Domaine Marcel Lapierre Morgon Beaujolais.
- Triton Wines. 2013 Stellar Organics Chardonnay.
- The Organic Wine Company. Badger Mountain NSA Cabernet Sauvignon 2016.
- Frey Vineyards. Frey Vineyards 2015 Organic Pinot Grigio.
- Organic Wine Exchange.
. Just so, does all wine contain sulphites?
All wine, beer and cheese contain some natural sulfites. The presence of natural sulfites is so small that it normally does not present a problem to anyone but the most sulfite-sensitive. Most wines with added sulfites contain only 25-150 ppm, although the legal limit in wine is 350 ppm.
Similarly, can you make wine without sulfites? As a final note, there is no such thing as making a wine without any sulfites at all. In part, because sulfite is actually produced during the fermentation. It’s a natural byproduct of the fermentation. As you can see, making wine wine without sulfites can be easily done.
Beside above, what are the side effects of sulfites in wine?
A small percentage of the population is sensitive to sulfites and may experience side effects like headaches, hives, swelling, stomach pain, and diarrhea. In those with asthma, these compounds can also irritate the respiratory tract.
Which wine has the most sulfites?
A well made dry red wines typically has about 50 mg/l sulfites.
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Are Italian Wines Sulfite Free
Wines sold in the United States have the contains sulfites note on wine labels, but wines sold in Italy do not, simply because labeling laws differ from country to country. For most of us, sulfites arent a problem, and are part of many things we consume, like dried apricots, molasses and blue cheese.
How Is Preservative Free Wines Made
We have briefly touched on this above. Basically, the first step in making a wine without preservative 220 in, is to have the best quality fruit to work with. Using netting as explained above to keep the grapes in pristine condition right before harvesting is a good practice to ensure no damage comes to the fruit alongside harvesting the grapes by hand.
Naturally high phenolic content in the grapes is also a big help and again there are various vineyard practices that can be employed to enhance the phenolic levels in grapes. Basically, phenolics are an antioxidant that is good for heart health. Once the grapes are picked and ready for processing, keeping them nice and cool and away from as much air as possible will also help.
As Great Southern winery, Bunn, puts it:
Preservative free wines are made with utmost care and minimal intervention.
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Is Natural Wine Always Fizzy
Carbon dioxide is a natural by-product of fermentation, but conventional winemakers de-gas their wines to remove any fizziness, explains Feiring. Natural winemakers, on the other hand, bottle the wine as is. Any fizziness will go away on its own, but you can decant natural wine and give it a good swirl to dissipate the gas.
The Truth About Sulfites And Your Health
While sulfites are Generally Recognized as Safe by the FDA, there are many people who say these compounds can have disastrous effects, including headaches, hangovers, and hives.
The red wine headache is a common complaint attributed to sulfites. While there is some recent research that shows sulfite concentration in wine can induce headaches, there are other studies that indicate histamine is more likely the cause. As it turns out, red wine has significantly more histamine than white wine.
Another side effect usually attributed to sulfites is the dreaded hangover, that painful combination of throbbing headache, body aches, fatigue, nausea, and thirst. However, rather than blaming sulfites alone, don’t forget to pay close attention to the alcohol levels of your wine since this could be the more probable cause.
While the jury is out on the effects of sulfites in headaches and other wine-drinking side effects, sulfites seem to play a significant role in triggering asthma. Some research shows a link between wine consumption and asthma, with 3-10% of asthmatic adults exhibiting adverse reactions to sulfites, including potentially life-threatening reactions.
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Wines We Love That Have No Added Sulfites
Sulfites have a bad rap. Theyre blamed for the splitting headache you get after one or two glasses of wine…and the foggy hangover you wake up with the next day to boot. But are they really the culprit? Heres what you need to know about these compounds, plus a few of our favorite low-sulfite wines to add to your cart ASAP.
Top 4 Wine Sulfite Removers: Eliminate Headaches
Disclosure: We earn commissions if you purchase products from retailers after clicking on a link from our site.
For some wine drinkers, theres nothing quite like a glass of your favorite vino after a long day. Dinner also seems to become a lot more entertaining with a few glasses of good wine. However, for many people, the dreaded headache that comes after all this wine drinking can be quite a pain in the neck!
If youve recently joined the amazing world of wine drinking, you might be surprised to read the words contains sulfite on the label. You might be even more surprised to learn that sulfites are believed to be the culprits responsible for your headache the next day! What exactly are sulfites? Are they bad for you? Why are they in wine? Can they be removed from wine and if so, how?
Todays article highlights the answers to these questions and a few others regarding the removal of sulfites from your favorite vino. Keep reading for all the answers you need about sulfite remover from wine.
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Does Wine In Italy Contain Sulfites
Sulfites are a naturally occurring byproduct of wine, and sometimes winemakers choose to add additional sulfites to prevent a wine from spoiling. Wines sold in the United States have the contains sulfites note on wine labels, but wines sold in Italy do not, simply because labeling laws differ from country to country.
What Wines Have No Added Sulfites
6 Wines We Love That Have No Added Sulfites
- Mouth.com. Coturri Winery Carignane Red Wine 2015.
- Plum Market. 2016 Domaine Marcel Lapierre Morgon Beaujolais.
- Triton Wines. 2013 Stellar Organics Chardonnay.
- The Organic Wine Company. Badger Mountain NSA Cabernet Sauvignon 2016.
- Frey Vineyards. Frey Vineyards 2015 Organic Pinot Grigio.
- Organic Wine Exchange.
. Keeping this in consideration, does all wine contain sulfites?
All wine, beer and cheese contain some natural sulfites. The presence of natural sulfites is so small that it normally does not present a problem to anyone but the most sulfite-sensitive. Most wines with added sulfites contain only 25-150 ppm, although the legal limit in wine is 350 ppm.
are all organic wines sulfite free? Organic Wine is wine without added sulfites. Under the USDA National Organic Program, sulfites are a synthetic food additive. They are not allowed in organic wine or any other certified organic food products, such as dried fruits, jams, salad dressings or juices.
Beside this, can you make wine without sulfites?
As a final note, there is no such thing as making a wine without any sulfites at all. In part, because sulfite is actually produced during the fermentation. It’s a natural byproduct of the fermentation. As you can see, making wine wine without sulfites can be easily done.
Which white wine has least sulfites?
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Orleans Hill Winery California
Tony Norskog and Donn Berdahl distribute 150,000 cases of USDA-certified organic wine each year to 46 states. They are the worlds largest producers of USDA-certified organic wine. Our Daily Red, the flagship product, is available in almost all grocery stores for less than USD 10. The Alexandria and Zinfandel varietals are also quite popular. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Cote Zero are some other examples. The manufacturers claim that their wines are literally sulfite-free and hence, come with the label no sulfites detected. They say that they actually remove the natural sulfites during the manufacturing process.
