Q&A: Wine & Food Questions
Sulfates
Thanks for the note on sulfur dioxide - but what are sulfates? Had an Ontario wine recently that gave me a tremendous headache and I saw (too late) on the label that it contained sulfates. Are wineries obliged to indicate sulfates on the label? Juudy
Answer From Expert Roger C. Bohmrich, MW
Sulfates and sulfites are not the same chemically although they are easily confused. The statement on a wine bottle would be "contains sulfites," which is mandatory on wines sold in the U.S. containing over 10 ppm. Sulfites occur naturally as a result of alcoholic fermentation, and they are also added at all stages of production from the grape to the finished wine at bottling. In fact, sulfites in various forms are the most common additive in wine around the world and have been used since ancient times. There are many possible causes of wine headaches, and some are not yet fully understood. However, the prevailing scientific opinion is that sulfites are not one of the causes.
About The Expert
Roger has enjoyed a lengthy career in the wine trade as an importer and retailer, and at present he is an educator, speaker and consultant. He set up and managed Millesima USA, a New York merchant affiliated with Europe's leader in direct sales of fine wines to consumers. Previously, he served as senior executive of Frederick Wildman & Sons, traveling regularly around the world to visit wineries and taste the new vintage from barrel. Roger became one of America's first Masters of Wine in 1993.
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