DO ALL WINES CONTAIN SULPHITES?
All wines do contain sulphur compounds, and almost invariably sulphur dioxide, a commonly added preservative. Yeast produce sulphur compounds as a byproduct of metabolism. The level they produce is usually enough to require the “contains sulphites” addition to labels. Yeast typically produce around 10 ppm (10mg/L) but may produce more. It is thought not to be harmful unless one is very allergic to sulphur compounds. There are varying degrees of sulphite sensitivity, ranging from sinus inflammation to, in extreme cases, respiratory failure. Many winemakers, both commercially and at home, are trying to reduce sulphite levels. Sulphite is often added to the wine as a microbiological and oxidative inhibitor in wines, the amount wildly ranging depending on the producer. Often the value may as well be related to the colour of the eyes or the height of the chief winemaker. 🙂 Ways to avoid using sulphite are to increase the amount of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), the alcohol content of your wine
