A glass of wine with a good meal is one of life’s joys, but a cloud has hung over drinking it for a very long time: the notoriously terrible hangover it comes with when enjoying it too much versus other alcoholic beverages.

For decades, people have blamed these hangovers on a chemical compound found in wine called sulfites. But what are they, and why are they in our wine?

Here, we do a deep dive into what sulfites are and what they actually do, why winemakers sometimes add them even in natural wine, and whether or not they’re safe to drink—all so you can make an informed choice the next time you shop natural wine in Manila: 

What are sulfites, anyway?

Sulfites are chemical compounds that are actually a natural byproduct of fermentation, the process that turns grape juice into wine, barley into beer, milk into yogurt, or cabbage into kimchi.

What do these sulfites do? In wine, they actually act as preservatives, and are the reason that many of them will naturally have a shelf life of 3-5 years. Sulfites…

• Prevent the growth of unwanted microorganisms,

• Protect wine against oxidation, and

• Preserve the freshness and flavor of your wine.

All this said, anything fermented (therefore, all kinds of wine) naturally contains sulfites. However, in commercialized and mass-produced winemaking, it is common practice to introduce additional sulfites in order to kill off the yeasts that keep fermentation going—some even add more throughout the process to make sure that the wine stays fresh.

In comparison, natural wines have little to no sulfites added at all—and if they do add just a bit before bottling, it’ll be 10 times less the amount you’d find in a conventionally-made wine. But make no mistake: there are many myths about natural wine out there saying otherwise, but natural wine can be stored and aged just like a regular bottle, especially when made by a skilled producer.

Why do sulfites have such a bad reputation in the wine world?

You’ll often hear that wine gives people the worst hangovers out of any alcoholic beverage. While the biochemistry of it all is complex, sulfites have taken the blame for these—as well as headaches, dizziness and nausea—for decades.

However, there’s actually no scientific evidence that sulfites have any impact on your hangover at all. A little practical proof: many people complain red wine gives them the worst morning-after headaches, but it’s actually white wines and rosés that tend to have higher sulfite levels. And on top of that, high-sulfite food items like soy sauce and pickles seem to pose no problems on this front, either.

The root cause of a hangover is always alcohol and the dehydration that comes with having too much of it—though quercetin, flavanols, congeners, histamines, and all sorts of other compounds are being studied as contributing factors.

You will notice, however, that all wine bottles are legally required to state two things: alcohol content and whether they have added sulfites or not. The reason for the latter is because the Food and Drug Administration in the United States discovered that at least 1% of the country’s population was sensitive or allergic to sulfites, with their bodies lacking the capacity to process them properly. On top of that, sulfites have also been found to also possibly trigger asthma attacks in some people.

Sulfites are definitely not the cause of the notorious wine hangover, but they are perfectly safe to drink in moderation. However, they are still best avoided in the chance that you’re sensitive to sulfites.

Takeaway: lower quantities of sulfites are still better

At the end of the day, higher levels of sulfites are still best avoided when at all possible while you’re enjoying a glass of wine—but not for the reason that many people believe. Too much of anything is never a good thing, and with many people incapable of processing sulfites in their bodies you’re better off with a bottle of natural wine that you know contains the absolute bare minimum.

And if you’re worried about hangovers: natural wines have lower levels of alcohol on average versus ones made conventionally. That’s reason enough to stick to it!

Where to buy natural wines in Metro Manila

When you want to shop natural wine, (Super)Natural is your best choice of wine store in Manila. We only sell natural wines made with minimal to absolutely no sulfites added—whether you’re after red, white, rosé, orange, or sparkling—all by highly-esteemed winemakers from around the world.

Buy natural wine at (Super)Natural and enjoy same-day delivery in Metro Manila when you place your order on weekdays before 2 PM.