When adding sulfites to wine, usually in the form of potassium metabisulfite, some of it will become bound while the rest will remain free. Thus we need to know how much we have in our wine already that is free and how much free sulfites we would like to have. Protection comes only from free sulfites. Total sulfites is a measurement of free sulfites and sulfites that have already chemically bonded with something in your wine.Īs winemakers we want to know that our wine is protected against the many things that can spoil it. Thus we have to different sulfite levels to worry about, free and total.įree sulfites are unbound sulfur dioxide molecules that are available to bind with the bad guys to keep your wine safe. Bound sulfite has already done its job and while it is still in your wine it is not free to bind with anything else. When this chemical bond happens the sulfite goes from being free to bound. They bind with micro-organisms, oxygen, solids, yeast, acids, bacteria, and sugars. The first thing to understand about sulfites is that they bind with other things in your wine. Not so with sulfites additives like potassium metabisulfite and campden tablets. With most wine additives you just measure out a specific amount to treat whatever volume of wine you have on hand. Why Adding Potassium Metabisulfite is Complicated However, figuring out how much to add can be complicated.īy the end of this article you’ll understand how this stuff works, how to calculate what you need to add, and what equipment you need to do it. It provides sulfur dioxide which helps prevent microbial spoilage and fight off oxygenation. Potassium metabisulfite is a necessary preservative in wine making.
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