Should You be Concerned that Wine Contains Sulfites?

As noted in a recent posting, U.S. wine label regulations require wines that have a level of 10 parts per million (PPM) or greater of sulfur dioxide to be labeled with the declaration “Contains Sulfites.”  And if you pay close attention to wine labels,  nearly all U.S. wines include this warning.

Let's start by putting things in perspective. If you are concerned about wine because it contains sulfites, then you also need to be concerned about many other foods and drinks. While wines can have 10-350 PPM of sulfites, canned soups, packaged meats, bottled lemon juice and frozen juices can have 500 - 700 PPM of sulfites. Dried potatoes, as well as french fries, hash browns and other potato dishes made from dried potatoes, can have up to 1,900 PPM of sulfites. And dried fruits can have more than 3,500 PPM of sulfites; that's 100 times the levels in wines!  So, sulfites are everywhere.

Why then are sulfites so pervasive?  Simple. Sulfur is a very good preservative. It has been used to keep food and drink from spoiling for thousands of years.  And today, winemakers depend on sulfur (as sulfur dioxide gas or in powdered form) to keep their grapes and wines from rapidly going bad.  Sulfites can be added anywhere in the process. They may be  sprayed on the vines to act as a fungicide, added to the grapes as they are crushed or added just before the wine is bottled.  Winemakers consider sulfites essential to producing wine.

If you are one of a very small handful of people (the FDA estimates that 1% of the general population has sensitivity to sulfites), you are most likely to react to sulfites with asthma attacks.  And this is very real for some people.  Those who are allergic to sulfites do need to be concerned about sulfites in all food and drinks.  But, for the rest of the general population, sulfites should not be of great concern.  Medical research seems to show that sulfites have nothing to do with wine headaches.  But, they are still not sure what it is about wines that causes headaches other than too much consumption.

There are some wine producers specifically making organic sulfite-free wines. But they must take special care while making and storing the wine to ensure that it does not go bad.

So, yes, if you have allergies or are asthmatic, you need to be concerned  about sulfites in wines. If you are sensitive to sulfites and love wines, then you'll need to seek out producers of organic wines and confirm that the wine label does not have the sulfite warning. And be careful when buying foreign wines. Australia is the only other country required to identify sulfites in wine.  All other country's wines will generally contain sulfites, but the label will not warn you. But foreign wine labelling regulations is a subject for another time. In the meantime, grab a bottle, pour yourself a glass and raise it to all the wine producers that are working hard to ensure that you get great wines that have not spoiled by the time you pull the cork. Cheers!

What is an AVA?

Last time we looked at all the useful information on a wine label, specifically U.S. wine labels.  Along with the type of wine, the vintage date and alcohol content, a wine label will usually tell you where the wine is from, geographically.

There are basically two categories for identifying where a wine is from; its appellation or its AVA.

An appellation is a geographical way of organizing where the grapes are grown. So, in the US, wine appellations generally are state or county names.  You'll find wine labels showing that they are from California, Oregon, or Washington. And, you'll find wines from Sonoma County, Monterey County or Santa Barbara County.  To be able to use a state's name or a county name on a wine label, at least 75% of the grapes used to produce the wine must have come from that location. The exception is in California, where if the label states "California" then 100% of the grapes must have come from within the state. 

Then there are geographical regions designated as American Viticultural Areas or AVAs.  This construct was started in the 1980's as a way to distinguish and protect very specific wine growing areas.   If a wine label states a specific AVA, then at least 85% of the grapes must have come from that region.  But, unlike many European wine growing regions, there are no restrictions on the type of grape that must be grown within each AVA.

In California, major AVAs include Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, Rutherford, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek and Russian River, just to name a few of the more than 100 AVAs across the state. AVAs typically have very unique growing conditions such as the climate, the soil type, the elevation or other physical features. And, within many large AVAs there are smaller AVAs.  So, for example, within the Sonoma Valley AVA you will find the Sonoma Mountain and Los Carneros AVAs. Also, an AVA does not have to be located entirely within a county or state. Examples include the Walla Walla and Columbia Valley AVAs that reside in both southern Washington and stretch across into northern Oregon.

And finally, AVAs are not stagnant. In 2014, the Paso Robles AVA located in California was divided into 11 separate AVAs.   This allows the wineries within each of the 11 unique regions to truly show off their distinct  geographical characteristics and climates and develop wine making  identities for themselves.

So start paying attention to the appellations or AVAs of wines that you enjoy. You'll find that there truly are distinct differences between wines of different regions and common characteristics of wines within a region.  Cheers!

What Can be Learned from a Wine Label?

When looking for a bottle of wine it's easy to be persuaded by the label.  But, too often, the persuasion comes from a fancy graphic on the label or a cute name.  There is actually a lot of good written information on the label of a wine bottle.  For this time, let's look at wine labels in the United States.

First, the wine type.  Although mandatory, the wine type may or may not be specific to the type of grapes used to produce the wine.  But, the label will tell you if the wine is a varietal (made from a specific grape) or a blend.  If a wine label specifies a varietal, such as a Chardonnay or a Cabernet Sauvignon, it must be produced by using at least 75% of that grape type. Otherwise, wine producers refer to them as a "Blend" or "Table Wine."

Next, the location where the wine is from.  If the wine label refers to a state or county, at least 75% of the grapes used to produce the wine must have come from that location. Except in California, where if the label states "California" then 100% of the grapes must have come from within the state.  Then there are specific appellations or AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) such as 'Napa' or 'Sonoma.'  If a wine label states a specific AVA, then at least 85% of the grapes must have come from that region.

The vintage, or year when the grapes were harvested, is actually optional on US wine labels.  If a year is stated, then at least 85% of the wine must come from the harvest date shown.  But, if the wine is labeled with a specific AVA, then 95% of the grapes must come from the stated harvest date. The date on a wine label has nothing to do with when it was bottled or released, it simply refers to when the grapes were picked.

Then there are the 'special designations' on a bottle of wine. Words such as "Reserve" or "Private Reserve" may appear on the label, but there is no regulation on these terms in the US.  So, while a winemaker may use the term, it may or may not be anything more than a marketing tool.  But, if you do find that a winemaker produces a particular wine, say a Merlot,  and then produces a Merlot with a "Reserve" designation on the label, it generally means that it is higher quality or finer wine.

Estate wines are those where the wine is labeled "Estate Bottled." This means that the winery grew 100% of the grapes on its owned land, and the winery did all the wine making process (crushing, fermenting and bottling) on the same land.

Alcohol content is required by law to appear on the label.  And, a lot can be determined from this number. Generally, low alcohol content wines (10% or less) are going to be sweeter and higher alcohol content wines (12-14%) are going to be dryer.  So if you have a preference in the amount of sweetness in your wines, pay particular attention to this number.

Then sulfites. If wines contain sulfites, it must be stated on the label.  And generally, all wines are going to have sulfites because it's a preservative.  But, it is used in extremely low levels (approximately 50 parts per million). So, these level are usually undetectable or will go away with brief decanting. 

There's a quick overview of the technical terms on a wine label.  In future articles we'll dive into more specifics in each of these areas.  So get out there, read a few labels with this new found information, pick out a bottle of wine with either a fancy label or one from a great AVA such as Alexander Valley, and enjoy it. Cheers!

Taking a Bottle of Wine to a Party

Oh boy!  You've been invited to a party and asked to take a bottle of wine.  Now what?  You don't think you know a thing about wine but are expected to show up and not embarrass yourself.  Well, fear not!  

There are several things to consider. First, who will be attending the party. If this is an invite to the bosses house for dinner, that's one thing. If it's a after-work happy hour, a beach party or picnic, that's another.  The primary thing to consider is who you are buying the wine for. 

So, let's start from the easiest position to be in.  If you are invited to an after work happy hour, a beach party or picnic with a big group, don't fret.  Just about any bottle will do.  The point will be to enjoy some food and wine and have a good time.  Show up with a chilled bottle of Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon  Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, a Rosé or White Zinfandel and your bottle should be a hit.  

Next, if you are invited to someone's house for a big party, whether it be an open house or a birthday party, again it's hard to go wrong.  The big group will just be looking for a bottle that can be opened and enjoyed while socializing at the party.  Along with the previously mentioned white wines and rosés, you might venture into the reds wines and consider some popular Red Blends, Zinfandel, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Inexpensive versions of these can easily be found in the $10 range. And, like the beach party or picnic, it will be easy to introduce your wine with little threat.

Next comes the smaller couples party where you are to take a bottle of wine. Now your wine will be noticed. If you know the hosts well, ask what type of wine they'd like for you to bring.  They know what food they are going to be serving and should give you some direction on a white versus a red.  Otherwise, show up with a nice bottle of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Merlot in the $15 price range.

A harder situation is when the boss invites you over for dinner or you are in a social situation where you are trying to make a strong positive impression.  Even if you weren't asked to bring a bottle of wine, you should show up with one.  If you are trying to impress, plan on shopping by price and find a nice bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, or Zinfandel) in the $20 price range.  Yes, that may be a bit pricey compared to what you would usually spend, but you want to impress.  And, spending a few extra dollars will be well worth it.

Finally, if you've been invited to someone's house where you know they are big wine lovers, you want to be looking at the upper shelves at the 'nice' wines.  If you can go $20 to $40, do so.  And focus on the red wines. A nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah or a fine red blend should impress. 

Oh, and whether it's a picnic party or a small gathering, be sure to look around at what other wines show up.  It will give you a better sense for next time. And, you just might want to drop off your bottle and try someone else's wine that you've never tried before.  

So, boldly go out there, pick up a bottle of wine to share and, most of all, don't worry. Your wine will be appreciated and rapidly consumed.  Cheers!

When to Not Decant a Wine

As discussed last time, decanting a wine can make a real difference. Decanting allows for some quick evaporation and exposes the wine to oxygen. Both improve the flavor of the wine, usually in just a few minutes or up to a couple of hours.

But I recently opened a bottle of red wine, poured a small taste in a big wine glass, gave it a few swirls and tasted it. I then went ahead and began serving it right out of the bottle.  The questing came up "Why aren't you decanting that wine?"  

Well, upon my first taste of the wine, I immediately knew the wine didn't need to go into a decanter.  It was velvety smooth, had soft fruit flavors and a wonderful finish. There were no strong odors, no sharp flavors and no bitterness right out of the bottle. It was as good or better than many wines are after spending time in a decanter.  

Going back a couple of weeks, the topic here was swirling wine in a glass. Some wines can immediately be 'decanted' by just pouring them into a glass and giving it a few swirls.  In the case of my recently opened bottle, all it needed was that minute in the glass.

I experienced another example of not decanting during a recent visit to a tasting room. While enjoying tasting some great red wines, the server suggested that I might like to try another of their wines that was not on the standard tasting list. She searched around, found the bottle, opened it and pour a small amount in a couple of glasses, tasting one herself. She then set the two glasses aside and had me continue trying a couple more of their 'standard' wines. In the meantime, she gave the other glasses of 'special' wine a few more big swirls and retried her glass. With a nod of her head, she pronounced that it was ready.  Upon serving it to me, she explained that right out of the bottle, it had a bit of sharpness that she claimed went away with just a couple of minutes in the glass.

Another reason for not decanting is when you are dealing with older bottles of wines.  Wines that are 15 or more years old probably don't need decanting.  These wines, if they were properly stored, will have already mellowed during the time spent in the bottle. Exposure to too much air can actually make an older, delicate wine go 'flat' or 'flabby,' loosing its delicate flavors.

So, would my recent bottle of wine gotten better had I decanted it for thirty minutes to an hour?  Hmm?  I guess I'll never know.  But, I do know that it was amazing right from the bottle.  The bottom line is that you shouldn't just automatically send all wines to the decanter.  Pour yourself a quick taste from the bottle and then decide if it's already great, or if it could use a bit of time mellowing in a decanter.  Cheers!