Sulphites in wine kit - ok to leave out?

[nixhaz]

Hi all,

I'm pretty sure I've developed a slight intolerance to sulphites - I get a banging headache from just a single glass of shop bought wine. So I made my own from a kit for the first time in years. I added the sulphites as the instructions suggested. Tried a glass the other night and the headache is much less but still there slightly.

I've another batch on the go, and was wondering about leaving out the sulphite step this time. Does anyone have any experience of doing this? Will I just ruin the batch by not adding the sulphites, or does it just mean that the wine won't last as long? (It's a WineExpert Pinto Grigio kit).

Thanks!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If you mean the kit stabiliser sachet all I can think of is it will ferment until it's bone dry and you won't be able to safely back sweeten if you don't like it, as for oxidisation I don't think it's a big issue if you intend to drink it fairly soon after its bottled I know some members don't use it in their supermarket juice wines and haven't reported issues.

 

[nixhaz]

Yes I meant the stabiliser sachet. I don't mind it being bone dry at all, I never backsweeten wine so that's not an issue. Thanks for your help @Chippy_Tea

 

[Chippy_Tea]

One thing that could be a problem if you don't use the stabiliser is it may ferment slowly In the bottles so you will need to keep an eye on it, if like me you use screw caps it's not a problem as you can crack a bottle and see if you get any co2 escaping you obviously couldn't do this with corks.

 

[nixhaz]

Good point, thanks! I'll do that. I bought the screw caps that you suggested on another thread, they are excellent!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Novatwist caps are great well worth the money I have had mine several years.

 

[Graz]

The stabiliser should be potassium sorbate (fermentation stopper). This is usually used in combination sodium metabisulfite (e.g. Campden Tablets) as an anti-oxidising agent when transferring wine to bottles or other containers.

I'm guessing the sachet of stuff in the wine kit contains both of these chemicals.

To avoid the sulphite you could buy some potassium sorbate and just use that alone to prevent any further fermentation whilst also taking care to minimise any oxidisation of your wine when bottling etc. as there's no sulphite to help with this.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Good point Graz, peace of mind and all that