Re: experienced brewer, about to start wine making


"Scott Lindner" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:2QFMf.2483$8l2.2221@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It's possible that you have a sensitivity to sulfites. But it's far
more
likely that you do not, statistically speaking. Sulfites are commonly
blamed for any headache after drinking wine, but unless you've been
medically diagnosed with a sulfite sensitivity you might be doing
yourself
a disservice to exclude sulfites from your wine based on a
self-diagnosis.

I did diagnose myself. How I concluded that my headaches are from
sulfites
is that I don't get the headaches from any other alcohol, I do get
headaches
from wines with sulfites, and when I was in Southern Italy I did not get
headaches from the sulfite free wine made in the basements of the
restaurants I ate at. How do they do it without sulfites? Take a huge
risk
and dump lots of wine? How long have sulfites been added to wine? This
isn't a primary objective of mine so I don't want to focus too heavily on
it... but if it can be done without sulfites and is reasonably convenient,
I
will. As an example, homebrewers are super anal about sanitization.. but
if
you tried to make beer without using any of our modern sanitizers you
could
with little risk of infective. People have been making beer and wine for
thousands of years.


Yes, you can make perfectly good wine without using sulfites. And if
you
will be drinking it within a year of completing the kit, there's
probably
no real need for the sulfites. However, sulfites in wine could be
compared to hops in beer. They protect and preserve. Yes, hops also
have
a flavor component, so the analogy isn't a complete parallel. But the
use
of sulfites will help prevent oxidation, and it has other benefits as
well.

Interesting. Good points.


If you make homebrew you already have the skills required to make good
wine. The only component you may lack is patience, and if you've ever
aged a barley wine or other high gravity beer you won't lack this
either.

I have the patience. I like to cold condition my brew for 6 months before
drinking.. but sometimes impatience does win over. :)


To make a kit wine requires only that you pay attention to your
cleanliness, something every brewer has drilled into them, and that you
follow the directions. The most common departure from the kit
instructions is to allow more time in most of the steps, as the kits
often
make a promise that you'll have your wine in a certain number of weeks,
when the same number of months would make a large improvement in the
results.

Just like homebrew kits. Totally lame. Those lies are what make people
think homebrew/wine sucks. Thanks.

Thanks on all of the answers. Can't wait to get myself going on the
wine...
even though it will be a while before I start drinking any of it. More
reason to start soon!

Scott

Here are some numbers on sulfites for you Scott. They are taken from
"Concepts in Wine Chemistry" by Margalit, page 259

salad bar = 950 PPM
cider = 45
citrus juice = 80
dried apricots = 1750
raisins = 200
wine = 120

By implication, if you can eat at a salad bar or eat raisins or other dried
fruit and not get a headache, then sulfite is probably not an issue.
Lum
Del Mar, California, USA


.

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