Here is a contentious issue which I have been dealing with on a weekly basis for years, friends who believe that they are allergic to sulfites. Sulfites are possibly the most misunderstood aspect of winemaking by the general public. Let’s spend a few minutes discussing the benefits of sulfites and dispelling some of the rumors and wives' tales.
First, the benefits...sulfites are added, intentionally, as a preservative in all wines. The only preservative. There are wines out there that are sulfite-free, and they spoil within 6 months. Think about how long that bottle has probably been on the store shelf and reconsider buying it!
Second, sulfites are a byproduct of fermentation. All wine containing alcohol has sulfites, naturally. Sulfite-free wines must mechanically remove the sulfites, removing all kinds of other good stuff in the process. Again, avoid!
Third, organic and sulfites are mutually exclusive. Please, please don't be tricked into thinking that organic wines are sulfite-free or vice-versa. Organic wineries are not allowed to use copper sulfate as a pest repellent, which is a good thing, but they still add sulfites as a preservative. Likewise, the vast majority of wineries which make wines costing more than $12-15 are no longer using copper sulfate either, they just aren't advertising it. France and Napa/Sonoma have taken huge strides in the use of natural pest controls and weeding, the new favorites are planting other agricultural products between the rows of grapes (i.e. mustard, in Napa) and allowing sheep and goats to free graze in vineyards.
Finally, the question of allergies. If, when you drink wine, you go into cardio-arrhythmia, and have to be rushed to the hospital, you almost certainly have a sulfite allergy. If those aren't your symptoms, it is something else. Sulfite allergies are similar to bee sting allergies or shellfish allergies...no middle ground. If, however, when you drink red wine, particularly heavy reds, and become flushed and develop a headache, you are probably having a reaction to the histamines found in the skin of red wine grapes. The same histamines that are probably making you sneeze or itchy seasonally. The true litmus test is whether red affects you the same as white. If you react worse to red, know that white wine has around 3 times as much sulfite as red (it is used to clarify as well as preserve).
If you must drink red wine, I recommend a NON-DROWSY anti-histamine, such as Claritin OTC, or Zyrtec (my small secret, I have to resort to them from time to time, embarrassing when you do this for a living). Whatever you do, do not combine Benadryl with alcohol! I cannot emphasize this enough; I don't want you waking up in the hospital.
