We’ve had a number of customers now ask us about sulfites in wine. Are they naturally occuring? Can a wine really be sulfite free? Am I allergic to them? So we’ve decided to tackle some of these questions. What are Sulfites? Sulfites are compounds that contain the sulfite ion, which is the base to sulfuric acid. They occur naturally in wine in small amounts. Why do winemakers add more sulfites to wine? Winemakers can add sulfites for wine for a number of reasons, but the main reason is wine preservation and prevention of oxidation. An oxidized wine has a stale taste and aroma and can even appear a brownish, copper color. The additional sulfites are crucial to preserving a wine’s structure and taste during its life and can extend its age. Wines without added sulfites are not meant to age and should be pure acai berry drank relatively soon. On average wines without additional sulfites last at most 18 months. Are some wines really sulfite free? No. Like we said all wines have some sulfites that occur naturally. In the United States, in order to advertise a wine as ?sulfite free’ the level of sulfites in a wine has to be less in 10 parts per million (ppm). I have a reaction, headache, etc. to red wine. Is it the sulfites? Some people are allergic to sulfites. However if you have a reaction because of sulfites it would happen when you drink any wine ? red or white. A good test to see if you are truly allergic to sulfites is to eat something with high natural sulfites (dried apricots ? have ten times more than wine). If your reaction to sulfites is high you should consult your doctor and possibly avoid wine together.