Why are winemakers reducing sulphites, and why should you care?

If you've been paying attention to the fine print on wine labels in recent years, you will have noticed a quiet shift. More and more producers are advertising "low sulphites", "made without added sulphites" or "minimal intervention". It has become something of a selling point, but what does it actually mean, and why does it matter?

What are sulphites and what do they do?

Sulphites, or sulphur dioxide (SO₂), are compounds that occur naturally in wine as a by-product of fermentation. They are also added by many winemakers at various stages of production as a preservative and antioxidant. Sulphites do two useful things: they kill unwanted bacteria and wild yeasts that might spoil the wine, and they slow oxidation, helping the wine stay fresh during storage and transport.

Sulphites have been a cornerstone of commercial winemaking for centuries. They work. They are effective, inexpensive, and well understood.

So why are winemakers reducing them?

Why should winegrowers reduce sulphites?

Sulphites, used heavily, are a shortcut or a kind of "cheat". They allow grapes of inconsistent quality to produce a stable, predictable wine. They forgive imprecision in the cellar. A winemaker who relies heavily on sulphites can compensate for fruit that was harvested too early, handled carelessly, or processed in less than ideal conditions.

However, a winemaker who commits to using minimal sulphites has nowhere to hide. The grapes must be excellent. The harvesting must be careful. The cellar work must be meticulous. Every stage of production needs to be cleaner, more precise, and more attentive, because the chemical safety net has been reduced.

This is why low-sulphite wines, when they are good, tend to be very good. They are the product of producers who have chosen the harder path because they believe in what they are making.

Whilst the science is still evolving for proof, there is a growing body of anecdotal evidence that high sulphite levels in wine contribute to certain adverse reactions in sensitive individuals. Headaches the morning after drinking, burning in the throat when drinking, digestive discomfort, and the sense that some wines simply feel heavier than others may - all symptoms that for some people, may be connected to sulphite load rather than alcohol alone.

Enough that the EU requires all wines containing more than 10mg/litre of sulphites to carry the label "contains sulphites", which is to say, almost every commercial wine on the market.

Reducing sulphites is not a trend or a marketing strategy for producers who take it seriously. It is a commitment to better raw materials, stricter process, and a wine that sits more gently on the body.

What is the sulphites approach at Domaine Romain Julbe?

This is something I think about practically, not philosophically. I'm very particular about the grapes I select for my own wines. My rotating press method, which minimises the exposure of juice to oxygen during pressing, reduces the need for sulphites at the critical early stage of production. Cleaner fruit handled carefully requires less chemical protection. The result is a wine with lower sulphite levels than most commercially produced equivalents, without sacrificing stability or shelf life.

Regular buyers of our wines often remark on how they feel the next morning, or rather, how they don't feel the way they might expect to after an equivalent amount of wine. That is difficult to prove scientifically at an individual level, but it is consistent feedback, and it reflects what I set out to achieve.

Should you drink only low-sulphite wines?

If you have no particular sensitivity to sulphites, there may be no reason to change. But if you have ever noticed that some wines seem to agree with you more than others, or that certain bottles reliably produce a heaviness you can't entirely attribute to quantity consumed, it is worth experimenting with lower-sulphite options and paying attention to how your body responds.

And if you simply want wine made by a producer who has chosen quality over convenience at every step of the process, that is reason enough.

A votre santé!