NSA or NAS wines refer to wines to which no sulfites have been added during the winemaking process (No sulphur added / No added sulphur). The sulfite content in the wine therefore comes entirely naturally from the grapes. There has been growing demand for these wines. Even without an actual allergy, sulfur compounds sometimes cause irritation symptoms in people. They may cause nasal congestion, or worsen skin symptoms in people with atopic conditions, and sometimes affect asthma sufferers as well. Many also feel that sulfur compounds make them more prone to headaches or worse hangover symptoms. No one can guarantee a hangover-free day after celebrating and drinking wine, but it's worth trying to see if symptoms might be milder with NSA wine.
Wines without added sulfite
More and more consumers are therefore exploring NSA wines with great interest, and they are increasingly available. While remembering that completely sulfite-free wine made from grapes doesn't exist, you can use the rule of thumb that red wines generally contain less than white wines. And the sweeter the wine, the higher the sulfite content. NSA wines can also be organic, fairly produced, vegan, or so-called natural wines. Or not—each producer decides for themselves.
EU legislation considers that if a wine's total sulfite content doesn't exceed 10 mg/l, it can be said not to contain sulfite to the extent that the standard label 'contains sulfites' would be necessary. Distilled spirits (such as vodka, whisky, rum, cognac) contain no sulfur dioxide at all.
Maximum limits for sulfite content have also been set by the EU for conventional wines, organic wines, and biodynamic wines. Exceptional conditions in a vintage year may create a need to make exceptions to the maximum limits.