Why Does Red Wine Contain Sulphites?
Red and white wine contains sulphites, to preserve it from going off on the shelf, to stop it from going cloudy, and to maintain its light colour in the case of white wine. This is not the only food or drink that contains this treatment. Dried fruit and many other foods have been prepared using it, as it stops discolouration, and decay. If you buy dried apricots in a packet, they are a lovely orange colour and succulent and tart. However if you go to a health shop, or a supermarket with a wider choice, you can buy apricots and other dried fruits without sulphites. They are blackish in colour and less tasty, but good for you, as they are dried naturally. For this reason, I buy young wine from the vat from an organic producer and drink it before it goes off. The Italians pour some oil onto the top of stored wine, to stop the air getting to it. Commercial producers however, need to use Sulphites for shelf life.
