Ursus Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 You Europeans can keep your wine. As long as the Irish make Guinness I am happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docoflove1974 Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 (edited) Ok, now that I've had a conversation with a very knowledgeable source...sulfites are pretty much in every modern wine worldwide--EXCEPT organic wines. Sulfites are used to kill the yeast which is in the grape; this yeast is 'weak' and doesn't produce that much alcohol. Once the sulfites are introduced, a new yeast is added to the process. This champagne yeast produces a higher alcohol from the sugars; this raises the alcohol level to anywhere from 6 or 8% to the higher levels that are sometimes common in American wines. Now, here's the important note: sulfites do not change the flavor of the wine at all. What they do is allow for higher alcohol levels...so they are perhaps more astringent, and the fruit is not as forward. They are harmless to most everybody, unless one is allergic to sulfites; in these cases, they have to be careful not only of wine, but of dried fruits, especially apricots. An added note, one of pride: the champagne yeast and the whole process of using sulfites was created by University of California Davis (GO AGGIES! *pumps fist in air repeatedly*) from a grant provided by the Gallo vineyards (BOO! HISS!...oops, sorry, personal reasons, good for a blog entry, I guess). Edited December 7, 2007 by docoflove1974 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 Ok, now that I've had a conversation with a very knowledgeable source...sulfides are pretty much in every modern wine worldwide--EXCEPT organic wines. Aren't sulfides and sulfites two different things? As far as I know, sulfites are found in wine in small quantities, but are also sometimes added as a preservative. Wine with a lot of sulfites gives me headaches. Ow. -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted December 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 I now realise that I should have made a link to a smart article on International Herald Tribune but my testing of the influences of this year Central East European weather conditions on wine production made my forgot about it. Sorry about that, hot and dry weather made the wine strong... Anyway, the only good aussie wine I've heard off it's Foster's while Chile makes some really nice wine. The chemistry of wines it's usually unknown because producers don't want to confuse the public. That is why it's good to know the wines you like most. Consistency it's rare, but when I find a wine that I like and that it's the same wine every bottle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docoflove1974 Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 Ok, now that I've had a conversation with a very knowledgeable source...sulfides are pretty much in every modern wine worldwide--EXCEPT organic wines. Aren't sulfides and sulfites two different things? As far as I know, sulfites are found in wine in small quantities, but are also sometimes added as a preservative. Wine with a lot of sulfites gives me headaches. Ow. -- Nephele You are so right, and it was my error. I corrected my post above. Thanks, Neph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvadius Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 (edited) I now realise that I should have made a link to a smart article on International Herald Tribune but my testing of the influences of this year Central East European weather conditions on wine production made my forgot about it. Sorry about that, hot and dry weather made the wine strong... Anyway, the only good aussie wine I've heard off it's Foster's while Chile makes some really nice wine. The chemistry of wines it's usually unknown because producers don't want to confuse the public. That is why it's good to know the wines you like most. Consistency it's rare, but when I find a wine that I like and that it's the same wine every bottle... And if it always tastes the same it probably means they use the same chemicals to make it everytime. Variation for good and bad harvests is what makes drinking wine exciting and in my view one (if not the main) thing that makes it both enjoyable and worthwhile. So on that basis - traditional old world wine for me and hold the modern chemicals. Edited December 7, 2007 by Melvadius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 (edited) Sulf(whatevers) aren't good for pregnant women. Melvadius is quite right. Whisky is supposed to taste the same out of each bottle over the years. A one year old bottle of the same wine will taste differently from a ten year old bottle. -------------------------------- In my time and business, there was a guy who was a buyer of bonds. He would take two lunches per day. He would always chose the most expensive wines. One day, some delinquents set him up. They had the sommelier fill up an unlabeled bottle with a particularly vile decoction called 'Virginia Dare'. This fluid was really cheap, and made from stem to stern in Brookfordshiresexingham. It was the favorite of down and out winos. He was asked if, in his enlightened opinion, it should be added to the carte de vin. Yup, fell for it hook, line, and cork. His hosts had to make a hasty retreat to the commode to relieve themselves of a sudden attack of hilarity. Edited December 7, 2007 by Gaius Octavius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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