Organic wine, sulphite free wine, preservative free wine, biodynamic wine, low sulphur wine, no added preservative wine – is it any wonder that people are confused!? Perhaps the biggest misunderstanding is that people (wrongly) assume that organic wine is low in sulphites – it is not. Sulphites are a natural compound of sulphur and oxygen, and are permitted in organic wines. Some organic wines will contain less TOTAL sulphur than mass produced wines, but they will likely have just as much active FREE sulphur as any other wine. This is because winemakers like to leave a certain amount of free sulphur to hunt out rogue oxygen molecules (and sugars and other compounds) dissolved in the wine, to prevent it oxidising in the bottle. Whether the wine is organic or not, they still need to leave the same amount of FREE sulphur in there.
It’s likely that organic wines will contain less BOUND sulphur and therefore also less TOTAL sulphur, as the regulations for organic wines tend to be more strict than for normal wines, although these regulations will differ between organic bodies and countries/regions. This BOUND sulphur is partly responsible for the hangover/headache, whereas it’s the FREE sulphur which is responsible for causing the allergic reaction in sulphite intolerant people. If you are intolerant to sulphites it’s possible you may be able to safely drink one or two organic wines, but simply being certified organic doesn’t mean a wine will be safe for you. You need to find wines that are low in FREE sulphur. There are only a handful of ‘No Added Preservative’ wines or ‘No Added Suphur’ wines produced globally and frankly most of these are awful quality. However www.goodwineonline.co.uk specialise in wines very low in FREE sulphur (although there is no official classification for this and producers don’t put this information on the label). If you have a reaction to sulphites in wine try some of their recommended low sulphite wines, they should be absolutely fine for you, and of course they’re all selected for their great taste too.
Thank you for publicizing this info. I can only agree with you about the above stated.
But I can tell you as a producer of organic wine that it is a lot easier to talk about than to produce a real organic wine.
If we are talking about sulfites, the real challenge is to find the right dosage in added sulfites. In the latest laboratory tests we have made for our Cabernet Sauvignon D.O.C. C.T. 2003 we got a result of 0 ppm sulfites. After 2 years of maturing in oak barrels and about another minimum 2 or 3 years of ageing in bottles sulfites can decompose to a zero level. The wine is still sterile and will remain so if stored in a proper place.
This is a good result, if you think of all people who love a glass of premium red wine but have their problems with allergic reactions due to sulfites.
Thank you
Pivnitele Birauas
Hi Pivnitele,
I’m always pleased to find people like yourself, striving to produce ‘real’ organic wines. It seems to me that recent advances in technology and equipment are making it possible to produce quality wines with very low sulphite levels which will keep in good condition for several years – although it isn’t easy and requires skill and dedication.
I’ve just discovered a Chilean winery producing Chile’s only ‘no added sulphur’ wine which is delicious. The winery owner has been researching and working to make this possible for 40 years! I also know Alaine and Philippe Viret in France who have pioneered their own system of Cosmoculture – a combination of organic and biodynamic principles, and the study of plant biology, combined with some ancient beliefs about the earth’s natural energy. The results are amazing, with top class sulphur free wines which will keep for over 10 years!
I’m sure there are other people striving to make similar wines in small wineries all over the world. I wonder what advances would be made if we could bring all these people together to share their knowledge and experiences?