Wine, Food & Drink Q&A

Submit Your Question View More Questions

Sulfates

Please recommend a white wine without sulfates.
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW

Your question relates to many others I have answered over the years on this forum. I am sure, first, that you are asking about sulfites, not sulfates. Sulfites are the most common additive used to protect wine around the world; in other words, its usage is universal. The reason, simply, is that it is not only effective in safeguarding a wine's soundness in the bottle, but also is safe for the overwhelming percentage of drinkers (perhaps 99%). There are some individuals who suffer from particular sensitivities and must be careful about their intake of sulfites in wines, juices, dried fruits, and other comestibles. If you have not been advised by your doctor to do so, you should be free to consume wine without worrying about sulfites (alcohol itself is by far a greater concern!). Coming to your question: sulfites occur naturally as a by-product of fermentation even if they are not added. You will want to look for those with "no sulfites added" which includes all bearing the USDA Organic seal. Frey Vineyards 2020 Malbec and Syrah, just two examples, contain a mere 1 ppm of total sulfites according to the winery.


About Our 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 a leading European company. Previously, he served as senior executive of importers Frederick Wildman & Sons. In recent years, Roger has judged wine competitions in Argentina, Turkey, Portugal, China and the U.S. Roger is one of America's first Masters of Wine.

Visit Roger Bohmrich MW's web site