Why do "inorganic" wines contain 10 times more "sulfites" than organic wine?!


Question: I am trying to understand this.

"Alcohol " is a naturally produced chemical from fermentation? Is this correct?

And some "Sulfites" , which I am guessing are also produced along with this process of making wine or any form of alcohol? are all naturally produced.

Why do they need to add more "sulfites" to inorganic wines?

what is the reason really?

why do "organic" wines not need this as well? are these added "sulfites" more artificial than the ones which are naturally produced from fermentation or not?

and does it cause it to taste differently or have different effects on your state of mind the following morning these added artificial? chemicals?

Do less expensive wines contain more of them or not?

why so?

Thanks for your answers!


Answers: I am trying to understand this.

"Alcohol " is a naturally produced chemical from fermentation? Is this correct?

And some "Sulfites" , which I am guessing are also produced along with this process of making wine or any form of alcohol? are all naturally produced.

Why do they need to add more "sulfites" to inorganic wines?

what is the reason really?

why do "organic" wines not need this as well? are these added "sulfites" more artificial than the ones which are naturally produced from fermentation or not?

and does it cause it to taste differently or have different effects on your state of mind the following morning these added artificial? chemicals?

Do less expensive wines contain more of them or not?

why so?

Thanks for your answers!

All organic wines are not necessarily "sulfite-free". In fact, there is no such thing as a completely sulfite-free wine, but there are wines low in sulfites or free of added sulfites. When the yeasts in the grape skins are fermented, sulfites are naturally produced. Sulfites are also naturally-occurring in other plants like garlic and onions.

ADDED sulfites are used to help prevent oxidation (which occurs with exposure to air) and bacterial spoilage. Most commercial winemakers add them as a preservative. They allow the wine to last longer and be aged so the complex flavors can have a chance to develop. A small percenage of the population have serious reactions to sulfites, especially people with asthma.

Organic wines use organically grown grapes that contain no pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals. They will generally have very little sulfides, sometimes almost none. The only problem with organic wines with low or almost no sulfites is that they must be consumed quickly or they will spoil. Gross, like vinegar.

A law enacted 1987 requires any product that contains sulfites to state it on the label.

sulphites are added to wine, they're not part of the wine making process

sulphites are added to preserve the wine, and ruining it's taste and your stomach

if you're going to drink wine, drink a quality one without any sulphites

Organic wine forbids chemical additives except for a minimal amount of sulphur dioxide used to prevent the growth of organisms in the wine. Sulfites are a natural by-product of the fermentation process and even if no sulfur dioxide is added to a wine, fermenting yeasts will produce it from naturally occurring inorganic sulfates in all grape juices.

There is no direct relationship between the sulfite level in a wine and its being organic or inorganic.

All wines contain sulfites. Some occur naturally as a result of the fermentation of grapes. Some are introduced into the wine from sulfur residue on the grapes, used to prevent mold and mildew. (Organic wines can have this, too, but the sulfur must be qualified as natural or organic sulfur.) Some sulfites get into the wines from sulfur dioxide gas, used to sterilize barrels, tanks and hoses at wineries. And yes, some sulfites are added to some wines, as a preservative.

In general, white wines contain more sulfites than red wines, as red wines have natural preservatives such as tannins.

As someone else stated, the USA has required a "Contains Sulfites" label on wines since 1987. This is required on all wines that contain 10 ppm (parts per million) or more of sulfites. A typical red wine will contain 25-40 ppm, and a typical white somewhere around 70 ppm. If the "sulfites" label is not present, it does not mean that there are no sulfites in the wine -- there are ALWAYS naturally occuring sulfites in wine. It means, rather, that the wine has been tested and the sulfite content is less than 10 ppm.

The presence of sulfites in wine need be of concern to relatively few people. People who are allergic to sulfites AND who have asthma can have a life-threatening reaction to sulfites, but there is little risk to anyone else.





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