Decanter World Wine AwardsSainsburys first sulphite-free wine
- Monday 25 February 2008
The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stellar Winery in South Africa will be part of Sainsbury’s So Organic range. Priced at £4.99, it will be available from mid-March.
Sulphites, in the form of sulphur dioxide (SO2), are almost universally added to wines to protect against unwanted microbial growth and oxidation.
While there exists a small niche for ‘natural wines’ made without using SO2, these wines are not widely distributed, and they frequently have strong ‘farmyard’ or ‘funky’ odours.
This will be the first widely distributed, inexpensive SO2-free wine.
SO2 is thought to be harmless at the levels typically found in wine, but some asthmatics react badly to it. A glass of wine contains around 10 mg of SO2, of which a small portion will have been produced by yeasts during fermentation.
Stellar’s winemaker Dudley Wilson told decanter.com that modern production techniques make the use of SO2 less critical than in the past. Proper control of oxygen during winemaking, careful bottling, and sterile filtration makes it possible to produce a stable, fault-free wine without SO2.
‘Standards of hygiene in cellars are much improved. With the selection of healthy good quality fruit at optimum ripeness in the vineyard, there is little need to use large amounts of SO2 at the start of the wine making process.’
He added that big reds rich in phenolic compounds are better suited to this approach. ‘Not all wines are SO2 free candidates.’
The Sainsburys Cabernet carries a neck tag, labelled ‘no added sulphites’, explaining what this means and warning customers ‘once opened, do not store this wine’.
In Australia, Hardys produce a range of three NPA (‘no preservative added’) Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay made from Riverland fruit without sulphur dioxide additions. These retail at AUS$15, but are not exported.
Have your say!
Rudolf Sillen
June 03 13:31
Some sulphite is created during fermentation. Thus even without any addition wine contains up to 30 mg/litre. Additions up to a total of about 60 mg/l is acceptable. WHO suggest maximum intake of sulphites should 0.7 mg/kg bodyweight. For a person that is about 50 mg/day. A normal white wine contains about 150 mg/l so the limit is passed when you have been drinking half a bottle! Buy organic wines where sulphite normally is less than 60 mg/l.
Red wines contain tannins (polyphenols)requires less sulphites if any.
Low sulhite levels can mean that the wine is less suitable for storing.
Beth Allen
January 17 16:02
No added sulphites is easier to locate than sulphite free as it is naturally in all grape products, (but not enough to make me wheeze). More expensive wines are less likely to have lots in ie over £10, but Booths do one red wine and looks like Sainsbury's now do one red. Not found a cheaper white one yet.
lisa
January 11 20:54
does anyone know if you can buy the 'new wine' drops in europe or UK, the stuff u add to wine to remove the preservatives etc.....apparently its got hydrogen pyroxide in it.....interesting....but its made in australia......
Alvina Duncan
November 03 01:43
live in b.c. canada, love to find out where i can buy sulphite free wine .