Make It Your New Yearï¿½s Resolution to Drink Low Sulphite Wines

21 December 2012

Make It Your New Yearï¿½s Resolution to Drink Low Sulphite Wines

After reading this article your New Year’s Resolution could be to switch from standard mass-produced wines to low sulphite wines that could spare you from the physical side effects and consequences of a sulphite allergy.

Your standard bottle of wine has a lot more in common with dried fruits, processed vegetables and canned soups than you may originally have thought. All of these foods contain varying concentrations of a molecular compound called sulphites which is used as a food preservative and food enhancer which prolongs the shelf life and boosts the taste and flavour of goods you see every day on supermarket shelves. That is not to say that your bottle of wine is pumped full of sulphites to prolong shelf life but this is only half the story of how grapes end up in your bottle of wine.

Sulphites are actually produced naturally in the wine making process and are a natural byproduct of the fermentation process of grape sugars by yeasts. Natural wines are produced in optimal conditions free from contamination by sulphite molecules in the wine making process. The major concern with natural wines is expense and a lot of people assume that natural wine has a limited shelf life and lacks the maturation process of standard wines and will gain a “vinegary” taste if it is not consumed straight away. Wine making is a craft in itself and the switch to more mass production means that consumers are suffering with their health! Natural wines are a great alternative for people who suffer from sulphite allergies as there is only the natural amount of 10 milligrams per litre of sulphites in the wine which in the world of wines means it is “Sulphite Free” and safe to drink in moderation. Why should you put your life on the line for a cheap bottle of wine?

Did you know that if you are suspicious about a bottle of wines sulphite content you can probably smell it? Any wine that contains 40 milligrams per litre of sulphites can leave a smell like a freshly struck match. Trusting your senses is not the most recommended method of checking the sulphite content of a bottle of wine as you could always check the label. In the European Union the maximum sulphite level for red wine is 160 milligrams per litre and for white wines and rose the acceptable level rises to 210 milligrams per litre. Even though restrictions have been put in place the difference between the natural sulphite concentration of 10 milligrams per litre and 210 milligrams per litre is actually shocking!

If you suffer from asthma this means that you have a 10 per cent risk of being allergic to sulphites and asthmatics are at an increased risk of the more extreme reactions to drinking wines that contain a higher concentration of sulphites.Symptoms vary from hives and itchiness, an upset stomach and flushed skin and vomiting to the more extreme symptoms of problems swallowing, dizziness, a drop in blood pressure and problems breathing. If you experience any of the extreme symptoms it is advised that you seek medical attention immediately.

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21 December 2012

Make It Your New Yearï¿½s Resolution to Drink Low Sulphite Wines