If you’ve ever woken up after just one or two glasses of wine with a headache and more grogginess than you would have expected, you are not alone. While too much alcohol is often the main cause for a rough next day, something else in your bottle may be the culprit: sulfites. They’ve become the go-to villain for wine drinkers who feel lousy the next day. But the real story is more complicated, and more interesting, than most wine sites will tell you.
First, the uncomfortable truth: all wine has sulfites
Every bottle of wine that contains alcohol also contains sulfites, period. Sulfites are a natural byproduct of fermentation, and removing them entirely isn’t possible. Even wines labeled “no sulfites added” or “sulfite free” contain some level of sulfites produced naturally by the yeast during the fermentation process.
More importantly, the majority of sulfites found in commercial wine don’t come from fermentation alone. Most large-scale producers, in an effort to make their wines more shelf-stable and maintain color, add sulfur compounds as a preservative. The FDA requires a “Contains Sulfites” label on any wine with more than 10 parts per million, which is virtually all of them.
So if you see a wine marketed as completely sulfite-free, be skeptical. What reputable producers mean when they say “no added sulfites” is exactly that: they didn’t add any sulfur dioxide (SO2) beyond what the fermentation process created naturally. But that’s not the whole story. Even wines that don’t “add” sulfites may still have elevated levels due to how the grapes were raised, the soil and fertilizer, and the vintner’s processing before the wine is bottled.
What conventional winemakers actually add
A conventional wine can contain 5 to 10 times more sulfites than one made without additions. Why do conventional producers add so much? Because sulfites are cheap insurance. They prevent oxidation, kill unwanted bacteria, help maintain color, and extend shelf life. It’s the industrial shortcut that lets large-scale producers ship wine around the world without worrying about temperature swings, long storage, or less-than-perfect fruit.
Winemakers who skip the added sulfites don’t have that safety net. They need cleaner fruit, more careful handling, and more skill in the cellar. It’s harder, and it shows in the glass.
So do sulfites actually cause headaches?
The science is not fully settled. Sulfites can trigger reactions in people with sulfite sensitivity, particularly those with asthma, but that’s a respiratory response rather than a headache. The headache question is murkier. Histamines, which tend to be higher in red wines, are a leading suspect. Some people lack enough of the enzyme that breaks down histamines, and for them, even a single glass can bring on a headache. Alcohol itself, tannins, and dehydration also play a role.
What we hear from our customers, repeatedly, is that they feel better drinking wines with fewer additives overall. Whether that’s because of lower sulfites specifically, or because minimal-intervention wines tend to have fewer processing aids, fining agents, and chemical additions across the board, is hard to pin down. But the pattern is consistent enough that we pay attention to it.
What to look for on the label
Wine labeling in the US can be confusing. Here’s what the terms actually mean:
“Organic wine” (USDA certified): Made with certified organic grapes and no added sulfites. This is the strictest standard, but very few wines pursue this US government certification.
“Made with organic grapes”: The grapes are certified organic, but the winemaker may add limited sulfites. Most European organic wines imported to the US fall into this category.
“No sulfites added” or “NSA”: No sulfur dioxide was added at any point. The wine still contains naturally occurring sulfites from fermentation. There may also be elevated sulfur levels in the fruit from the combination of soil, water, and any fertilizers used.
No label at all: Doesn’t necessarily mean the wine is loaded with sulfites. Many excellent European producers, especially in Italy and France, farm organically and use minimal sulfites but never pursued the expensive US certification. This is why we visit the producers and ask questions rather than relying on labels alone.
It’s worth noting that a wine certified “organic” may not necessarily have lower sulfite levels than a European wine grown and minimally processed under the exacting standards of a small-batch producer. The certification tells you about the paperwork. The winemaking tells you about the wine.
Our approach
We don’t pretend sulfites are always bad, and we don’t promise that low-sulfite wine will cure your headaches. What we do is select wines from producers who use minimal intervention across the board: organic or biodynamic farming, native yeasts, no unnecessary additives, and either no added sulfites or minimal amounts added for shelf and color stability.
The result is wine that tastes more like the grape and the place it came from, and less like a product engineered for a long shelf life. If you also happen to feel better the next morning, that’s a welcome bonus.
Browse our No Added Sulfites collection to see the wines we carry from producers who add zero sulfites beyond what fermentation creates naturally. Or explore All Wines to see our full selection, every bottle chosen for how it’s made, not just what’s on the label.