Wine 12 min

Sulphur

On the most talked-about and least understood element in winemaking — from Sicilian kilns to your headache

This rock with the sad, dirty aroma is one of the most talked-about and least understood parts of winemaking. Large wineries use sulfur. Small wineries use sulfur. Franzia box wine uses sulfur. Romanée-Conti uses sulfur. Let's talk about why.

I had a discussion with one of the most respected winemakers in Chinon a few years ago. He made the point that a guy who was a tractor mechanic a year ago can now be a natural winemaker. The difference chemically between their wine and the tractor mechanic's wine is half a gram of sulfur. The difference in the glass is worlds apart.

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