# Sulfate free wine **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 8, 2013, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulfate-free-wine/660469 "2013-06-08T12:26:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matt357](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@matt357](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt357)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulfate-free-wine/660469/1 "2013-06-08T12:26:33Z")
Most wines have sodium metabisulphite in them as a preservative. I am going to be making my own wine are there any alternative preservatives I can use because I am allergic to sulfates. Also what did they use in the olden days because I don’t think they has sodium metabisulphite 600 years ago when they drank wine. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulfate-free-wine/660469/2 "2013-06-08T12:42:36Z")
We never used it when we made our own wines. The alcohol was enough of a preservative for the short length of time it took to drink it all. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulfate-free-wine/660469/3 "2013-06-08T12:55:03Z")
Your wine will have sulfates even if you don’t add any; sulfates are a natural by-product of the yeast during fermentation. So yeah, ancient wine had sulfates. In fact, according to [this guy](http://wines.com/sulfite-free-wine/), ancient wines had way MORE sulfates than modern wine. But it’s true that most wine makers add a little more to use as a preservative. As far as what you can use instead, I’m not sure. I just wanted to point out that you really can’t have wine without any sulfates, so if you’re allergic, maybe you should rethink it? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulfate-free-wine/660469/4 "2013-06-08T13:37:28Z")
You are not allergic to sulfates. It is not possible to be allergic to sulfates, and, anyway, you have them naturally in every cell of your body, and there are some in practically all foods. Some sulfates are poisonous (because of what they are sulfates _of_ rather than because they are sulfates) and you may dislike the taste of some, but you are not allergic. There are also sul_fites_ (not the same thing) in some foods (I don’t know about wine) and they may not be particularly good for you. It is not crazy (though probably not really necessary) to want to avoid foods with high levels of sul_fites_. However, you still can’t be allergic to them. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulfate-free-wine/660469/5 "2013-06-08T13:45:09Z")
_Missed edit window:_ After looking at **Athena** ’s link, yes there are sul_fites_ in wine, and you probably meant sul_fites_ in the first place. Yes, too much sulfite is probably not good for you, but no, you can’t entirely avoid it, and you are not allergic. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulfate-free-wine/660469/6 "2013-06-08T15:18:12Z")
What they did in the olden days: They ended up with a lot of vinegar. Which, once it’s vinegar, keeps for years. This is one reason why you’re supposed to take a good sniff before you start drinking it, and take a small sip. Like the guy said at the end of _Year of the Comet,_ “Well, we’ll either have a nice glass of wine or a really expensive salad.” ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulfate-free-wine/660469/7 "2013-06-08T15:46:44Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > _Missed edit window:_ > > After looking at **Athena** ’s link, yes there are sul_fites_ in wine, and you probably meant sul_fites_ in the first place. Yes, too much sulfite is probably not good for you, but no, you can’t entirely avoid it, and you are not allergic. Yes, and obviously I meant sulfItes, not sulfAtes. Someday I will teach myself not to post before 2 full cups of coffee. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sulfate-free-wine/660469/8 "2013-06-08T16:33:03Z")
> [@matt357](#): > > Most wines have sodium metabisulphite in them as a preservative. I am going to be making my own wine are there any alternative preservatives I can use because I am allergic to sulfates. Also what did they use in the olden days because I don’t think they has sodium metabisulphite 600 years ago when they drank wine. Using sodium metabisulfite to discourage bacteria and wild yeast growth is not required and is actually only recommended for sterilizing your equipment. I have seen recipes recommending adding it to the wort or must, but I personally would not bother. Good cleanliness and technique will render most problems of this nature irrelevant. Great article on use of sulfur compounds in commercial winemaking > **[The Use of SO2 in Winemaking](https://www.bcawa.ca/winemaking/so2use.htm)**