The Chain Gang of Sulfur

Not a day goes by that someone in the shop mentions wanting a low-to-no sulfur wine. They heard that wine with sulfites gives them hangovers and that they should do whatever possible to avoid them.

But here is the thing…there is SO MUCH sulfur in everything that we come in contact with (eat/drink/wear) so honestly, that isn’t the culprit. Or at least not the only offender. Dried fruit in trail mix (why are these apricots still vibrant orange?), commercialized orange juice (think Tropicana), frozen french fries or fish sticks - just to name a few - all have way higher levels of sulfites than most wines.

So what’s up with sulfur? It’s a preservative that keeps things fresh. In small doses it’s not the worst thing in the world. As Dana Nigro writes, “Sulfur, a naturally occurring element, is permitted in organic vineyards as a non-toxic fungicide. Added during wine production or bottling, the compound sulfur dioxide protects against oxidation and microbes, keeping wine fresh, stable and free of flaws throughout shipping and non-refrigerated storage. A small but growing number of producers make no-sulfite-added wines; however, most winemakers believe some sulfites are essential to making quality wine for commercial distribution.”

Something to think about - Sulfur can be added at a lot of different times in a wines life, not just at the end when it’s being bottled. Like the photo above, in the vineyard (to protect against rot/fungus/etc). At the time of harvest, sprayed on the bunches of grapes on their way to the winery. Then in the winery when the grapes are crushed and the wine is in tank. And then again at bottling. Personally I, and many others, think that is way too much. That much sterilization essentially blocks any sort of aging ability of the wine, which should be considered a healthy living thing.

Try finding some wines that uses less that 70 ppm (parts per million) of SO2. Here is a link to RAW WINE’s list of criteria, which honestly isn’t a bad list to pull from. Artisanal wine [grown by humans in the field and not a beaker in a laboratory] with smaller production & respect for nature. With no added yeasts or enzymes, and perhaps a slight addition of sulfur at bottling to make sure that the wine tastes clean and delicious once its shipped halfway around the world, is completely fine.

If you’re in NY here are some great small shops to support:

Dandelion Wine, Greenpoint, BK
Leon & Son Wine & Spirits, Brooklyn
Henry’s Wine & Spirit, BK
Upstream Wine & Spirits, Livingston Manor
Kingston Wine Co, Kingston NY
Vanderbilt Wine Merchants, BK