List of Wines With Low Sulfites
Low levels of sulfites naturally occur in wine as a byproduct of fermentation. Some wine makers add even more sulfites to age wine. In the U.S., wines must be labeled if the sulfite amount is more than 10 parts per million -- or ppm. Imported wines don't have label regulations, so identifying imported low-sulfite wine is difficult. Although only 1 percent of the population suffers from allergies to sulfites, there are many low-sulfite wines options. Does this Spark an idea?
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The Facts
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Red wines have a lower amount of sulfites than white wines, and dry red wines typically have the least amount of sulfites, depending on the winery. Dry white wines are a step above, in terms of sulfite amounts. Sweet wines generally have the most sulfites as measured in ppm. No-sulfite-added wines, such as organic-labeled U.S. brands, must be used within 18 months of being bottled.
Italian Wines
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Italy has more than 20 wine regions, each with different tastes and qualities of wine. Italy does produce a few wines categorized as low sulfite. Badia a Coltibuono Winery in the Italian Chianti region, creates organically grown wine. Its Chianti Classico is a low-sulfite wine with only 12 ppm per liter -- the average wine has 80 ppm. Nuova Cappelleta produces a low-sulfite, organically farmed Barbera, a kind of wine with a medium body. Vernaccia di San Gimignano's from 2006 is a dry white wine that's organically grown. It is spicy, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. It has 16 ppm per bottle.
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French Wines
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There are many types of French red wines, including a few classified as low sulfite. The 2004 Château Saint-Germain Rouge is organically grown and has 6 ppm per bottle. It's a blend wine, meaning that it's made from Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre wines, and it's a wine best served with food. The 2004 Perrin et Fils from Nature Cotes du Rhone smells like strawberries, blackberries, and pepper. It's a full-bodied wine, with many flavors, and it only has 9 ppm per bottle. The Perrin et Fils winery also has a CDR label that has the same amount of ppm per bottle. The 2007 Château Véronique Coteaux du Languedoc is a table red with low sulfites. The 2007 Château Laubarit Bordeaux White is a white wine that tastes good when accompanying food. The 2007 Perlage Prosecco Sparkling is a low-sulfite sparkling wine.
United States
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Purchasing low-sulfite wines from the U.S. is much easier thanks to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's labeling laws. Organic U.S. wine is made from organically grown grapes and has no added sulfites. This means that nearly all U.S. organic wine is low sulfite, which varies based on wine type and winery. They are also free from pesticides. Orleans Hill, Our Daily Red and Well Red are brands under the Nevada County Wine Guild that offer wine with no detectable sulfites or sulfite-free wine. It has an extensive list of white and red wines that don't sacrifice taste over sulfite usage. Frey Vineyards is the most popular brand of organic, low-sulfite wine and the winery is located in California. It was the first to begin biodynamic wine making, which is a way of naturally farming wine. It offers wines that range from a dry white to merlot. Badger Mountain Winery is in Washington, and its NSA label offers wine with no sulfites added. It offers Riesling, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, table white and table red.
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