| Weird Wine Additives Aren't on the Label |
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| Written by Erika Fredrickson | |
| Monday, 31 March 2008 | |
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Winemakers don't have to list all their ingredients, which seems fine if you think wine is just fermented grapes. The truth is, there are a lot of bizarre things added to wines: grape juice concentrate, acid for structure, and cedar chips to fake the barrel flavor. These additives aren't necessarily bad for you. But fully labeling wines could provide transparency about who's making more traditional wine and who's using modern methods. Some primary additives like egg whites, fish protein, wheats and gelatin help remove tannins to make wine smoother. These ingredients are strained out of the final product, but minute allergens are still scary. Right now, Bonny Doon – a winery out of California -- is the only winery listing all ingredients. It's no surprise coming from winemaker Randall Grahm has been revolutionary in adapting screw on wine caps (better for the environment) and who spearheaded some of the first crazy advertisements with his red wine, Le Cigare Volant, or “flying saucer.” While the FDA requires food to be labeled, wine is regulated by the Treasury Department which doesn't require it. Why? Because alcohol is considered a money-maker, not a nutrient. Still, we ingest it, don't we? And even if those acids aren't bad for you, shouldn't we still get to know what we're sipping on? Source: The Star Ledger |
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