4 Myths about Sulfites and Wine Busted

If drinking red wine gives you a headache, you’ve probably had someone tell you that sulfites are the likely culprit. Perhaps you’ve been advised to stick to white wine, organic wines, or wines made in Europe on the grounds that these will be lower in sulfites.

Let’s clear up some of the most common myths and misunderstandings about sulfites, wine, and headaches.

What are sulfites?

First, a little background: Sulphur dioxide (or SO₂) is a chemical compound made up of sulfur and oxygen. It occurs naturally in foods but it can also be produced in a laboratory.  

Sulfite has also been used in winemaking for thousands of years, ever since the ancient Romans discovered that it would keep their wine from turning into vinegar.

Sulfite is used to preserve foods and beverages, which it does by acting as an antioxidant and antimicrobial. They’re commonly used to preserve the color and texture of dried fruits. Sulfite has also been used in winemaking for thousands of years, ever since the ancient Romans discovered that it would keep their wine from turning into vinegar. To this day, winemakers use sulphur dioxide to preserve the flavor and freshness of wines.

What causes bad reactions to sulfite?

Sulfites don’t cause problems for the vast majority of people, but about one in every hundred people is sensitive or allergic to them. If you have asthma, your chances of sulfite sensitivity are quite a bit higher, about one in ten.

The most common reaction to sulfites is no reaction at all, but for those who are sensitive to them, consuming sulfites can cause breathing difficulties.

The most common reaction to sulfites is something like an asthma attack. Well, actually the most common reaction to sulfites is no reaction at all. But for those who are sensitive to them, consuming sulfites can cause breathing difficulties and, less commonly, hives or other allergy-like symptoms. These reactions can range from so mild you might not even notice them to quite severe. 

Sulfites in wine

People who are sensitive to sulfites are well advised to steer clear of wine. But there are a ton of misunderstandings and myths about sulfites in wine.  Let’s see if we can clear some of this up.

Myth #1: Organic or bio-dynamic wines are sulfite free

Almost all vintners add sulfites to wine to control bacterial growth. In the U.S., wines that are certified organic must not contain any added sulfites. However, sulfites are produced naturally during the fermentation process as a by-product of yeast metabolism.  In fact, all wines contain sulfites. 

By law, wines that contain more than 10 ppm (parts per million) sulfite must be...

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