Professor Bainbridge...on law, politics, religion, culture & food

Sulfites in Wine

A reader wrote in to ask about sulfites in wine and the link to migranes. It's true that an allergy to sulfites is a real problem for some wine drinkers, which can cause severe headaches. White wines typically have a higher concentration of sulfites than do red wines, so comparing experiences with red and white wines is one way to determine if sulfites might be the problem - albeit a potentially risky one. Unfortunately, because sulfites are such an effective preservative, very few wineries make sulfite free wines. Worse yet, those that do produce what purports to be a sulfite free wine typically mean only that they did not add sulfites. Sulfites are a natural part of the fermentation process because their precursor molecules occur naturally on grape skins. Under ATF rules, wines labelled "organic" must have been made without the addition of sulfur dioxide. So if you think you might have a sulfite allergy, look for organic wines. Watch out, however, because under ATF rules wines labelled "made with organic grapes" can have added sulfur dioxide. Read the label carefully!