It gets complicated when we come to the question of sulphite which can be added to the wine principally as a preservative but it also has strong antimicrobial properties. Most wines contain residues of natural sulphites from the grapes but a true organic wine should have none added.

Most wines made from organically grown grapes will contain added sulphites but at a much lower level than those produced non-organically. We have strong anecdotal evidence that many people normally intolerant to wine can drink organic wines happily.

Some organic producers are now successfully making wines, more particularly reds, with no added sulphites and they are proving to age well. Some of these appear on our wine list. They include some very fine wines from Macon, in the Bourgogne, where sulphites have never been used and the wines age beautifully.