Today’s Guest Post about sulfites in wine comes from Diana. Diana enjoys a strong cup of coffee in the morning and a ruby red glass of wine on the weekend. She lives with her husband, Jeremy, two sons and a pug in Tennessee. Visit her website at: www.thevintnerscellar.com
The presence of SO2 in your wine
One of the many pleasures in life is sipping a glass of red wine at the end of a busy week, or indulging in a glass over a fancy dinner with friends and family. Like a strong cup of coffee that gets me going in the mornings, a nice glass of rich, juicy, depth-ridden red wine on a Friday evening finishes off my week in blissful repose. However, the blissful-ness wears off for some of us, including my husband, and is replaced by a throbbing headache, rashing, welting, or just an icky feeling.
Looking for answers to these undesired side effects on your wine bottle’s label may lead you to think: “Aha! It’s those nasty sulfites that are plaguing me with such maladies!” I must admit, I am guilty of pointing the finger at Mr. Sulfite and his apparent unnatural addition to my vintage; just the sound of sulfite conjures up images of bubbling test tubes and green chemicals in all their unnatural laboratory-made evil-ness.
Now just wait! Let’s back up the evil-sulfite-bus for a minute and take a closer look at the facts and fictions surrounding SO2.
Meet SO2
Sulfites, known as SO2 in the laboratory world, is an encompassing term for sulfur dioxide – a naturally occurring substance that is made during the fermentation process of wine. So, rule out the assumption of man-made chemical. However, although the presence of SO2 is naturally made when the yeast metabolizes during fermentation, vintners add more SO2 for their preserving quality, antioxidant and antibacterial properties. You’re enjoying that glass of white, red, or rosé because sulfites keep it fresh and prevent oxidization.
Sulfites And Your Head
We’ve established that SO2 is an all natural substance, but even so, can sulfites be harmful? And are they responsible for the pounding that’s going on inside your head? The short answer is most likely, no. The long answer? Well, if you suffer from severe asthma or lack the particular enzymes needed to break down SO2 in your body, then go ahead and take your vengeance out on sulfites.
Given that less than 1% of the U.S. population actually has a sulfite allergy according to the FDA, your body is probably reacting to something else in your sparkling glass. In fact, your sulfite allergy is more likely to kick in when you eat one of those cute little boxes of raisins since dried fruits have a higher concentration of sulfites than alcohol.
Consider this: any wine that contains more than 10 parts per million (ppm) of SO2 must have the label ‘contains sulfites.’ Dried fruits on the other hand, can reach levels of over 1000 ppm! So if Ms. Sun Maid isn’t knocking on your head, then the sulfites in your wine aren’t either.
Viticulture 101
Contrary to popular/organic-loving/whole-foods-shopping belief, the addition of sulfites during the winemaking process is not a modern day practice. Let’s take a step back in time and look at the history of winemaking for just a minute.
The first reference to sulfur dioxide used in winemaking goes all the way back to the 1st Century A.D. when Pliny the Elder, in his encyclopedia “Natural History,” notes the importance of preserving the taste and aromas of wine by using sulfur dioxide. Fast-forwarding a few centuries to the year 1487, Germany puts forth a royal decree that sulfur be used as a preservative in wine. Our early wine-imbibing ancestors would burn wood shavings, powdered sulfur and incense inside the wine barrels to create the preservative before adding the wine.
Blame Histamine!
Before you throw your hands up in sulfite frustration, take an antihistamine! Biogenic amines like histamine may be the roadblock to your enjoying a headache-free glass of wine. These amines are naturally occurring when amino acids break down in wines, aged cheese, and cured meats and could be to blame for your headaches. So next time you imbibe, (consult your doctor first), try taking an antihistamine before you sip.
There is a very good reason why sulfites are in wine…
I did a test. I bought a bottle of 100% Organic! Sulfite-Free! (and even) Vegan! red wine before writing this article. The outcome had me dumping that liquid in all its sulfite-free glory down the kitchen sink.
Here’s the deal – without sulfites, your wine is going to go bad real fast. Unless you buy your sulfite-free wine from a local vineyard right after they bottle it and then consume it that evening, or very soon after, your headaches may result from the sour-tasting, yeasty-smelling wine, that because of the lack of sulfites, has now become vinegar.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure you can enjoy a fresh bottle of sulfite-free wine and not have the kitchen sink experience that I had. One thing I did learn though, is that when it comes to wine, sulfites are my friend.
To sum it all up remember this: Sulfite = all natural preserver responsible for keeping your wine tasting fresh, yummy and not sour. No sulfites = drink up fast and hot off the wine press to enjoy the freshness that lasts as long as perishable goods do.
Cheers!
