What is clean wine and will it help me avoid a hangover?
I sometimes hear friends talk about clean
wine
. What is it, and is it any good?
In reality, there is no such thing as clean wine. It is a phrase used by producers and marketers to appeal to a
generation of consumers
who want to consume pure products. But all wine contains alcohol, which is a drug, and therefore cannot really be called clean.
There is more to wine than fermented grape juice. The European Union permits more than 60 different additives and treatments. These are harmless and usually removed before the wine is bottled. The most common is sulphur, a preservative that has been used since Roman times. Some producers add rectified grape must to sweeten their wines.
If a wine is organic, it will be made from grapes grown without the use of synthetic herbicides, fertilisers, fungicides or pesticides. Copper sulphate sprays are permitted. Organic growers use less sulphur, but they are allowed to use yeast nutrients and fining agents. Biodynamic wine is made by similar but stricter regulations. If a wine is organic or biodynamic, it will have a logo on the back label. There is no legal definition of natural wine, but it is usually used to describe wine made in an environmentally friendly way, vinified with as few additives as possible.
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Looking at claims made by 'clean' wine producers, it is worth remembering that most wine is low in carbohydrates and sugar, although the sweeter the wine, the more carbohydrates it will contain. Wine is gluten-free unless certain fining agents have been used. There has been much research into sulphur and histamines, and so far, the evidence shows that hangovers are caused by drinking excess alcohol.
Since last year, all wines must contain a list of ingredients and nutritional information either on the back label or by a URL or QR code. This includes allergens and intolerances.
If you want to drink 'cleaner' wine, I would suggest buying wines with an organic, biodynamic or sustainable certification on the back label.
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