Answers to frequently asked questions about sulfites in wine. What are sulfites? Sulfite describes forms of sulfur (sulfur dioxide, for example, or sodium sulfite or sulfate) that are present in wine. Sulfur is a nonmetallic element that is very common in nature and is, in fact, essential to life itself. Sulfur has been used since ancient times for many purposes, including the cleaning of wine receptacles by both Egyptians and Romans. Sulfur has been a food additive since the 17th century and approved for such in the United States as long ago as the 1800s. Sulfites are currently used for [...]

Nature is a thing of beauty, as is wine. When the natural approach to making wine is enlisted, a rather unique and expressive version of fermented grape juice is the result. While it is currently on an upward trend among buyers and consumers alike, this style of wine making is not new, and it can even be traced back to the eighth century BC. Natural wines are, in short, a result of minimal intervention from the winemaker, and they are quite unlike other wines on the market. Moreover, in drinking these wines one may even feel as if the juice [...]