Sulfites can be to blame if you suffer from headaches the same day or the day after enjoying wine or champagne.
But why are sulfites added to wine?
Sulfites occur naturally in all wines and play several essential roles in winemaking, particularly as a preservative. However, champagne is one of the wines with the lowest sulfite content, as it has a specific characteristic.
What is a champagne without sulfites?
Sulfites are chemical compounds derived from sulfur. They are present in the berries of the grapevines, regardless of the grape variety or the region in which they are grown. Champagne is therefore no exception and must work with wines that are naturally sulfited. Sulfites also play a major role in the champagne-making process.
One of their tasks is to protect the wine from oxidation and prevent imbalance. As antifungal and antiseptic agents, sulfites block the growth of undesirable bacteria, allowing the winemaker to better control alcoholic fermentation. In addition, they help it to proceed under the best conditions by developing the yeasts necessary for its smooth running. Finally, sulfites promote aromas and tannins, as they contribute to the decomposition of the grapes, thus preserving all the sensory qualities of the champagne throughout the production process. Depending on what the winemaker wishes to produce, sulfites can be added during winemaking.
Legislation in Champagne regarding sulfites
Another peculiarity of Champagne concerns the sulfite content of the wine. Since 2005, legislation has required the indication "contains sulfites" on all champagne labels that exceed 10 mg/l. You will then be able to see this indication on most bottles on the market. Although it is impossible to determine the exact sulfur content, it should be known that champagne is sulfited to a small extent by the presence of carbonic acid. Carbonic acid already acts as a preservative that protects against oxidation, and it gives the winemaker the option not to heavily sulfite their champagne.
Is there really sulfur-free champagne?
There is no wine without sulfur, as a tiny bit of sulfite is always produced naturally during fermentation. So it must be called "wine without added sulfites." This means that no human-added sulfur was introduced during the entire winemaking process.
champagne24 has some champagnes without added sulfites:
- Brut Nature sans ajout de sulfite from Champagne Drappier.
All Drappier Champagnes have very little added sulfur, as do all DEMETER Champagnes from Ch. de Sousa and Ch. Didier Doué.
