A Simplified Guide To Sulfites In Wine + What To Look For On A Label

Although lots of things are added to conventional wine, it seems to be sulfites that garner the most attention in the world of wine. Sulfites are compounds that occur naturally in some foods and are also used as a preservative. When added to wine, they will stabilize and preserve it, preventing a wine from becoming oxidized.

Sulfites will occur naturally in wine via the fermentation process but typically in scant amounts. The majority of sulfites in wine is added by the winemaker, when the wine is being bottled—referred to as "at bottling." Sulfites can come in the form of sulfur dioxide, which is why you may hear these terms used interchangeably.

The general consensus for a natural wine is that it should have little to no sulfites added at bottling. The substance is not only mildly allergenic for some, but it can strip wine of its characteristics.

However, there are big risks in avoiding added sulfur—wines can re-ferment in the bottle, for instance. Pulling off a beautiful, expressive wine with zero sulfur takes serious skill. Importer Tess Bryant of Tess Bryant Selections believes that "once sulfites are added to wine, aromatics and flavor are altered and the wine is fundamentally changed. For me, it is not so much the taste of sulfur and the presence of it: It masks some of the true identity of the wine."

There is a seemingly near-constant debate about how many sulfites can be added to a wine and have it still be deemed natural, and the debate doesn't appear to be coming to a conclusive end anytime soon.