Most wine labels show the warning "contains sulfites" causing consumers think twice about their purchase. There is a craze brewing about the "dangers" of sulfites, when in fact sulfites and sulfur dioxide are common preservatives found in many foods that simply prevent wine from oxidizing after fermentation, or spoiling once bottled. What most people do not realize is that sulfur is a natural biproduct of fermentation, meaning every wine contains at least some amount of sulfites. Even if the label says "non-detectable sulfites", by law there can be up to 10 ppm of SO2! Again, it is in EVERY wine! Do you eat grapes? What about potatoes, garlic, broccoli, onions and/or fruit juices? One serving of any one of these contains more sulfites than a glass of an everyday wine. There are more sulfites in one glass of orange juice than there are in an entire bottle of non-organic wine!!

Sulfites are mostly harmless to the majority of people. The only ones who really have a problem are asthmatics, and only about five percent of them are extremely sensitive. Despite some sticklers that believe organic wine should contain absolutely no sulfites, the more common opinion is that they should contain anywhere between 10 and 100 ppm—just enough to stabilize the wine and keep bottles and barrels free of microbes. The only time sulfites are noticeable for most drinkers is when incompetent winemakers use too much, masking the wine's flavors and giving it an acidic smell, like a lit match.

Like I said earlier, every wine contains sulfites. However, that is not the only preservative active in wine.  Red and fortified wines need much less SO2 than whites. Why? Well the reason is, unlike white wine, reds contain tannins, pigments, and color to help in preservation. Fortified wines contain lots of sugar. One preservative all three have in common is alcohol. Personally, I am not a huge fan of sulfites but they are a natural necessity!

Drink Well,

George Ryan, wine consultant at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Sunrise

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinegeorger