I am making a cheap wine kit - Fontana. I have made many kit wines previously. I know there is a debate about sulfite headaches, and I am one that gets them. I was wondering if anyone has ever not added them to their wine. I don't want to ruin a whole batch of wine to test it. I am making Merlot now.
Other Sulfites in wine
- Thread starter BethB
- Start date
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If you read up on Sulfite free wine, you will find out:
1) All wines have a natural level of sulfites, so the issue is added sulfites.
2) The shelf life of non-sulfite added wine is much shorter (9 months?)
3) The sulfites in kits (home made wines) tends to be much lower than commercial wine.
4) Commercial wineries with no added sulfites usually put their wines through a pasteurization process.
5) It is very difficult to work around k-meta if you plan on backsweetening the wine.
I suggest the following test with your cheap wine kit:
1) skip the k-meta, and clear the wine.
2) When you are going to bottle, bottle 1/2 the wine. Then add 1/2 of the k-meta, and bottle the rest.
1) All wines have a natural level of sulfites, so the issue is added sulfites.
2) The shelf life of non-sulfite added wine is much shorter (9 months?)
3) The sulfites in kits (home made wines) tends to be much lower than commercial wine.
4) Commercial wineries with no added sulfites usually put their wines through a pasteurization process.
5) It is very difficult to work around k-meta if you plan on backsweetening the wine.
I suggest the following test with your cheap wine kit:
1) skip the k-meta, and clear the wine.
2) When you are going to bottle, bottle 1/2 the wine. Then add 1/2 of the k-meta, and bottle the rest.
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your headaches are more likely caused by the histamines in red wine not sulfide. note that for commercial wines the sulfate level in white wines is usually higher than in reds. if you had a true sulfate reaction you would be breaking out in hives or have shortness in breath or both. essentially very serious reactions. you can try the split experiment suggested above and then taste the two wines and see if there is a difference in your reaction. Actually I would suggest taking a antihistamine before drinking wine of any sort to reduce if not eliminate the affects.
The easiest way to tell would be to eat a few hand fulls of golden raisins. If they don't cause the headaches then its not sulfides.
