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29 January 2015

Preservative Free Wine Helps Prevent Allergies

Have you ever wondered why you are getting headaches, the sniffles and sneezes, coughing or perhaps a little itchy whilst, or after drinking wine? The answer is this; wine contains histamine which is produced by yeast and bacteria during the fermentation process. Therefore swapping your bottle to a preservative free wine will help prevent any unwanted side-effects. Histamine is a chemical that sets off allergy symptoms, hence the reason a few of us reach for a packet of anti-histamines during the allergy season. Wine also contains sulphites, another group of mixes known to provoke allergy-like symptoms which may occur when drinking.

Not everyone develops these side-effects with a glass of wine, but for those who believe they need to avoid wine all together, they can opt for a better option such as preservative free wine. Those with sulphite allergies could cause themselves long-term health issues, if continuing to select wines with additional preservatives. Although a little harder to make, preservative free wine is just as good as the bottles you’ll find with a longer shelf life.

In order to make a preservative free wine, pure grapes need to be picked with no damage and hand harvested. Red wine is difficult with this altered process, but white wine can be found to be a lot harder. It has no colour or tannin which is a natural preservative, however it is not impossible. In order for the wine to remain pure and of the highest quality possible, the process involves careful handling and minimal interference. Although some sulphates are added during the wine making process, this range of wine is the better option for those suffering with allergies.

Although many are sceptical of the term ‘preservative free’ being tagged to a bottle of wine, for those who appreciate wine at its finest and also have the allergies in question, this is an option worthwhile choosing and testing for yourself. Organic and sulphite free wine isn't hard to find, with many supermarkets and online retailers stocking them for a simple purchase. Here's a collection of natural wines we've found online.