Winemaking Witchery Series, Part 1: Sulfur Dioxide
Essays on the use of Chemical Additives & Enhancements in Winemaking
Back when I worked in a wineshop, occasionally a customer would come in, asking for sulfite-free wine. It wouldn't happen frequently, but when it did, I have to admit that I found it very frustrating. And that's because, quite simply…
There is no such thing as sulfite-free wine!
Nevertheless, I'd come to understand that there is a great deal of knowledge lacking among wine consumers, and I embraced that sort of request as a ripe opportunity to dispel the belief that sulfur dioxide is necessarily a bad thing in wine (only in excess is it potentially problematic). In fact, the every existence of wine as we know it today hinges on the antioxidant properties of this additive.
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