How to choose an organic wine without sulfites?
You need to understand that wines without sulfites do not exist. It is a marketing claim used by producers, but by this term, they want to specify that no sulfites were added during production: we are therefore talking about wines with no added sulfites. Nevertheless, the mention "contains sulfites" is required on the bottle label. When grapes are fermented, they naturally produce sulfur, which acts as an antiseptic and antioxidant. As a reminder, antioxidants are used for the preservation of wine.
BLOCK_PRODUCT:coffret-de-6-vins-bio-decouverte-oe
In industrial wine, the amount of sulfur is very high, and ingesting this element can cause headaches or migraines. In other people, especially those with asthma, it can lead to attacks and anaphylactic reactions. Sometimes, even in low doses, sulfite intolerances can be felt and may cause adverse allergic reactions, which is why you should carefully research the wine you choose.
It is therefore advisable to turn to wines that contain a very low amount of sulfites. For these people, sweet and liqueur wines are strongly discouraged, as the sulfur content is higher. If you want to enjoy a glass of wine with complete peace of mind, it would be best to opt for a bottle of organic wine containing only traces of residual sulfites. Of course, always pay attention to your wine consumption and never forget your moderation buddy for aperitif time!
Discover our great Oé organic wines!
The roles of sulfate in wine production
Grape skins and stems naturally contain many essential elements of wine. Polyphenols, for example, are a family of chemical compounds that influence the color, taste, and mouthfeel of the wine. They include anthocyanins, the natural pigments of grapes, found in the skin, which give the beautiful color of red wine, color of white wine and color of rosé wine.
You need to understand that when grapes are fermented during vinification, they naturally produce sulfur. Industrial producers can afford to add a few extra grams of sulfur (also known as sulfur dioxide, sulfurous acid or anhydrous sulfur dioxide) to the production to protect the wine from oxidation when exposed to oxygen. In this case, sulfur plays a preservative role, but it is also responsible for controlling alcoholic fermentation by blocking the growth and spread of bacteria and certain yeasts. Sulfur also helps stop or prevent malolactic fermentation. Sulfur can also be used to disinfect barrels, tanks, and materials used in production to kill fungi and mold. It also plays an important role in accelerating grape decomposition and the release of tannins and aromas.
A higher dose of sulfites in conventional wines
Adding sulfur during the vinification of red, white, and rosé wines is perfectly legal. Conventional winemakers use it at almost every stage of production: during harvesting, grape reception, pressing, tank addition, mutage for sweet wines, at the end of alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, during aging, preservation, and storage, and before bottling. These few milligrams added at each stage amount to approximately 160 mg per liter in a classic dry red wine. In sweet and liqueur white wines, we find up to 400 mg per liter of sulfur. We cannot therefore say that conventional wines are wines without sulfites. When wines exceed 160 mg/l of sulfur, you should already be wary. You should also not rely on "sulfur-free" and "sulfite-free" labels. Take the time to read the ingredients and their dosage.
Labeling wine as sulfite-free or sulfur-free
On the label of certain wine bottles, the terms "sulfite-free" or "sulfur-free" are mentioned. We would like to remind you that this refers to wine with no added sulfur or sulfites and that this detail is very important. During the production of these wines, "natural" sulfites are added. During grape fermentation, yeasts develop, and sulfur compounds of varying volatility are also formed. In these so-called "sulfite-free" or "sulfur-free" wines, the amount of natural sulfur is very low.
To find out why wine gives you a headache, check out this article
Why does organic wine contain fewer sulfites?
In conventional vineyard management, fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides containing sulfur compounds are used. These will be present in the wine. In organic farming, winemakers are subject to a set of standards prohibiting the use of fertilizers, phytosanitary products, and chemicals. To produce high-quality grapes, they strengthen the vine's defenses, allowing them to limit chemical treatments. Grapes from organic farming do not contain sulfites. If no chemicals are used during cultivation, the winemaker can use conventional vinification methods for aging. This allows them to use sulfites, but to remain within the organic concept, they are only allowed a few products and a limited quantity.
The sulfite content in organic wines
To give you a clear idea of the presence of sulfites in organic wines, we will provide a few figures in this section.
In a good organic dry red wine, the sulfite content ranges from 70 to 100 mg/l and in a conventional wine, the maximum doses can reach 160 mg/l. A good white wine and good organic dry rosé wine should contain no more than 150 mg/l of sulfites while in these same industrially produced wines, sulfur can reach 210 mg/l. In conventional liqueur and sweet natural wines, the sulfite content is around 200 mg/l and this content is reduced to 80 mg/l in organic productions. In sparkling wines, there are only 60 mg/l of sulfur, and in conventional sparkling wines, there are up to 210 mg/l of sulfites. In conventional sweet and liqueur wines, the sulfite content can reach 400 mg/l, and in organic production, this content is reduced to 150 mg/l.
Other inputs are also strictly controlled in organic vinification (as is the case with organic viticulture). Only indigenous yeasts are used, and the inputs must be organic.
Biodynamic wine, a low sulfite content
Have you ever heard of the philosophy of biodynamics? If you missed the article, here it is!
In biodynamics, the earth, nature, and lunar/solar cycles are celebrated. Hand harvesting, companion planting, soil fertilization and protection using natural techniques (cow manure, herbal teas...), in short, everything is there to make a good responsible wine. Like a wine buddy, biodynamic wine also contains a very low level of sulfites. The Demeter and Biodyvin labels have very precise standards and require sulfite doses even lower than those of organic wines. At Oé, the sulfite doses in our wines are actually closer to those of biodynamic wines than to those of organic wines.
SAINS wine: a sulfite-free drink
You may also see the SAINS label on the description of certain wines, which stands for "Sans Aucun Intrant Ni Sulfite Ajoutés" (No Added Inputs or Sulfites). This term is most relevant to natural wines or nature wines. You should not confuse organic wine with natural wine.
For organic wine, it is possible to use sulfur and an input during vinification. For a natural SAINS wine, grapes from organic farming are used, and no inputs or sulfites are used during vinification. These SAINS wines contain only 30 mg per liter of sulfur.
To find out the difference between organic, biodynamic, and natural wines, click here
Conventional wines
The standards for conventional wines leave plenty of room for adding sulfites. The line between a well-done makeup and a clown face is quite fine, and it is the same principle for wine! It is easy to add that extra gram of sulfites that completely alters the product. Organic, biodynamic, and natural wines take a more respectful approach to wine for what it is and address wine with its qualities and its flaws.
Sulfur acts as an antioxidant and a stabilizer, nothing wrong with it in itself, but it must be handled with care. Regular drinkers of natural wines with no added sulfites can immediately recognize sulfur when its quantity reaches 20/30 grams per liter. For average tasters, it is simply difficult to recognize the taste of sulfur because we are not used to perceiving and differentiating this taste. Nevertheless, a conventional wine, as it contains much more additives and processing agents, can lose its true flavor. The impact on health is also important to consider.