Why do wines in the usa have sulfites?
Sulfur dioxide (SO2), or sulfites as they are best known in the wine world, is a chemical compound that occurs naturally at low levels during the process of wine fermentation. It is also added by many winemakers during the fermentation stage of winemaking to protect and preserve the wine’s character, flavor and color. Sulfur Dioxide is both antimicrobial and antioxidant in nature – making it one of the top allies available to vintners, as it impedes the oxidation of the wine and prevents it from fermenting its way to vinegar. Sulfur dioxide is also utilized in most wineries as part of the housekeeping regime – harsh chemicals (think bleach) would be a tough sell as a cleaning option for fermentation tanks, equipment, hoses, valves and other process hardware so sulfur dioxide is often the cleaner of choice. Current FDA regulations in the United States require that all wines, both domestic and imports, that contain 10+ ppm of sulfur dioxide state “Contains Sulfites” on the label. This la
