No Sulphite?

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winemanden

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An interesting study!
75 per cent of red wines from Bordeaux that have been vinified without sulphur have sensory defects. This is the result of a French study presented by post-doctoral researcher Edouard Pelonnier-Magimel from the University of Bordeaux at the Oenofutur conference in Montpellier.
"We bought 52 wines from the 2015 and 2016 vintages labelled without added sulphur from supermarkets, wine merchants or directly from the winery," he explained. In parallel, he and his team recorded wines that were equivalent in terms of price, geographical region and wood influence, but contained sulphur.
The researchers first analysed the total SO2 in all the wines. They found that "only 43 of 52 wines that were free of added sulphites according to the label complied with the limit of 10 mg/l. Four even contained more than 30 mg/L and were excluded from the study", Pelonnier-Magimel explained. The remaining wines were tasted blind by eight oenology students with very good knowledge of Bordeaux. In the process, 75 percent of the wines without SO2 addition were rated as faulty by at least three tasters. According to the study, most of the wines were oxidised, 25 per cent had Brettanomyces notes and 14 per cent had mousse aromas. In contrast, only 25 per cent of the sulphured 2015 wines had faults, and for the 2016 vintage, all were aromatically flawless.
23 tasters then blindly sorted out the flawless wines. In terms of smell and taste, they were able to distinguish between the sulphured and sulphur-free wines without any problems. In the triangle tests that followed, they described the sulphite-free wines, regardless of the vintage, "as fresher, with more intense aromas of mint, blackcurrant and cooked cherry. Conversely, the sulphited wines were perceived as smokier," Pelonnier-Magimel explained.
In subsequent chemical analyses, the researchers found more of the aroma-intensive methyl salicylate in wines that were vinified without sulphites. It produces a pungent camphor aroma in the wine that is otherwise only found in wine from grapes in poor health. Further research should clarify why these notes develop.
 
That’s interesting, brings to mind what my wife told me about a visit to France a couple years ago. During a wine tasting the sommelier told the group that sulphites aren’t used in French wines and that is why they are the “best”, a French pride thing of course not that I agree with that statement at all. And not saying the French can’t or don’t make fine wines either.
I asked her if the sommelier said there was none in it or that they add none. The wife wasn’t sure exactly how it was worded but was under the impression that there were none in the wines. I told her that’s nearly impossible since yeast create at least some SO2 and some strains create quite a bit or so I’ve read.
I broke down last fall and bought a vinimetrica SO2 analyzer to use so I can better dose my wines going forward. Using it has been quite an eye opener for me.
 
I don’t add sulfites at crush just during bottling I use bioprotectant yeasts to prevent oxidation. I think that if you don’t use either sulfites or bioprotectant yeasts you should just dump the wine it’s going to be bad.
 
I broke down last fall and bought a vinimetrica SO2 analyzer to use so I can better dose my wines going forward. Using it has been quite an eye opener for me.
Very curious! More info! There's the two main camps here of adding kmeta at each racking and every other racking. Which camp were you and how has the analyzer been an "eye opener"?
 
That’s interesting, brings to mind what my wife told me about a visit to France a couple years ago. During a wine tasting the sommelier told the group that sulphites aren’t used in French wines and that is why they are the “best”, a French pride thing of course not that I agree with that statement at all. And not saying the French can’t or don’t make fine wines either.
I asked her if the sommelier said there was none in it or that they add none. The wife wasn’t sure exactly how it was worded but was under the impression that there were none in the wines. I told her that’s nearly impossible since yeast create at least some SO2 and some strains create quite a bit or so I’ve read.
I broke down last fall and bought a vinimetrica SO2 analyzer to use so I can better dose my wines going forward. Using it has been quite an eye opener for me.
I dont worry about analyzing it, the only lab numbers I care about initially are Brix PH and TA and I will correct if ph is way out of wack prior to fermentation.

when I add sulfites after primary, and malolactic it’s during aging if I have a wine that’s intended to be aged and I add the appropriate dosage to protect the wine based upon a chart I have from work. I also will add sulfites during bottling for stability.

I control oxygen and spoilage during cold soaking and prior to primary with Zymaflore Egide. Very expensive stuff but works like a charm and is something I picked up from my mentor.
 
The last 2 paragraphs seem off but also appear that way in the source I found: Sulphur-free Bordeaux often has sensory deficiencies

In the triangle tests that followed, they described the sulphite-free wines, regardless of the vintage, "as fresher, with more intense aromas of mint, blackcurrant and cooked cherry. Conversely, the sulphited wines were perceived as smokier," Pelonnier-Magimel explained.

In subsequent chemical analyses, the researchers found more of the aroma-intensive methyl salicylate in wines that were vinified without sulphites. It produces a pungent camphor aroma in the wine that is otherwise only found in wine from grapes in poor health.


So even though the sulphite free wines were generally found to have flaws (oxidation, brett, mouse notes), they tasted fresher? Oxidized doesn't seem fresher. Fresh and black currant sound like good things. Intense mint not so much - though some mint can be nice. Cooked cherry - not sure, cherry sounds nice but cooked cherry sounds sweeter.

Similarly, the smokiness found in the sulphited wines sounds like a flaw, who wants smoke taint?

So basically the first part of the article seems to say the most natural wines are flawed, but the last two paragraphs might show why folks still like natural wines (fresher, black currant, possibly the intense mint or cooked cherry; and also the lack of smokiness).
 

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