Michel Torino Cuma Organic Torrontés 2008, Cafayate, Calchaqui Valley, Salta, Argentina
Price: $13
UPC 7790189040074
Score: 87/100
Remarks: 'Roses, jasmine and nectarine skins assault the senses'. A very interesting white wine at a good price. Floral notes on the nose, with plenty of fruit. Young bright and aromatic, CUMA means 'bright and pure', both viticulture and winemaking at Cuma meet certified organic guidelines. Good value even for all of my younger followers...
Graham Beck Shiraz - Viognier 2006, Coastal Region, South Africa
Price: $15
UPC 006004867000917
Score: 88/100 and also 88/100 Wine Access International Value Wine Awards
Remarks: 'Smoky, resin, peppery, sausage meat mixed with ripe fruit'. Blackberries on the nose as well as leather notes. This is a big full bodied wine with 15% ABV, so it goes well with 'big' meat dishes (this is pairing the weight of the wine to the weight of the dish), and will benefit from some aeration or splashing prior to drinking. This was even enjoyed by my Chardonnay only girl.
What Are Sulphites?
Sulphites are a naturally occurring compound that nature uses to prevent microbial growth. They are found on grapes, onions, garlic, and on many other growing plants. No wine can ever be "sulphite free", since they come in with the grapes.
The easy way to see if sulphites are a problem are for you is to eat a food high in natural sulphites - say, dried apricots. On average, 2oz of dried apricots have 10 times the sulphites as a glass of wine does. If you eat those apricots and have a reaction, now you know it's time to talk with a doctor.
| Why Add Sulphites to Wine? Winemakers have been adding additional sulphites to wines for millennia. The Greeks and Romans used sulphur candles to sterilize their wine barrels and amphorae. Sulphur protects damage to the wine by oxygen, and again helps prevent organisms from growing in the wine. This allows the wine to "last longer" too, which lets it age and develop all of those complex flavors we all love and enjoy so much. If you didn't add sulphites, the wine would turn into vinegar in a matter of months. |
What's the Problem with Sulphites?
Sulphite allergies are a problem for some wine drinkers, just like some people are very allergic to peanuts. Humans can be allergic to just about anything. For people who have a sulphite sensitivity, the sulphites can lead to serious headaches. White wines have more sulphites than red wines, so this can be a way to determine if sulphites might be the problem. Sulphites, used improperly, can also give a rotten-egg smell to a wine. There is no consensus on any other problems caused by sulphites.
What's Different about a Wine Without Added Sulphites?
A wine without added sulphites might be drinkable by those with only a mild allergy to sulphites. These people might be OK with the "natural sulphites" but have a reaction when they have a wine with "added in sulphites". Remember that a wine without added sulphites cannot last long, however. Usually 18 months is the longest a sulphite-free wine would survive. This includes the time the wine spent at the winery, at the wine shop as well as in your basement! So while no-sulphites-added is fine for "drink young" wines like Chardonnay, it would not be good for a "drink in a year" wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon.
How does a Winery Create Wine Without Adding Sulphites?
Again, this is only for wines that will be drunk very quickly. The winery has to make sure to warn people to drink it soon, so they do not get vinegar when they open the bottle. The second issue is that sulphites help to keep wild organisms in the winery from harming the wine. So if a winery isn't going to use sulphites, they have to make sure their winery is *super* clean and sterile.
So the trick is for the winery to prevent contamination from occurring, without using additional sulphites to do this. Some use a layer of carbon dioxide on the wine to kill off oxygen-dependant microbes. Nitrogen gas is used during bottling, for the same reason. Also, sterile filtration is an important step. All equipment involved - tanks, barrels, pipes, must be kept perfectly clean at all times. This is a lengthy and meticulous process for a winery to follow. The bottle of wine then needs to be stored chilled and on its side.
How Free is Sulphite Free?
The ATF, the governing body for wineries in the US, allows wineries to call a wine sulphite free when the levels of sulphites are under 10 parts per million (ppm). This is much lower than many sulphite-rich foods like dried apricots.
Enjoy and you can always look at back editions on my blog: http://winerush.blogspot.com/
