I read someplace that local wines have less sulfates than those that must be shipped hundreds of miles because they don't need as many preservatives if bought locally. Does anybody know if this is true? I have a lot of trouble with sulfates but locally produced wines seem ok for me.

We try to eat locally too, or at least grown in the US and preferably organic. I read that the current economy and worries over the unsafe food supplies have led more and more people to garden this year. Seed sales are way up!

To me, this is a good thing. People need to be connected to where their food comes from. I grew up on a farm and always have at least some food growing in containers.

HealthyMom62 - I am actually a wine writer and have done a lot of research into sulfites (not sulfates with an A). Sulfites are used by winemakers to keep the PROCESS clean. They want the wine that gets bottled to be safe no matter who drinks it anywhere in the world. So it has nothing at all to do with shipping. Once the wine is in the bottle and corked, it's done. It can then be consumed locally or internationally, it doesn't matter.

Are you sure it's sulfites you have a problem with? Do you have more of a problem with red wines or white wines? Also do you have less of a problem with wines over $10?

Here - from my wine pages -

"The easy way to see if sulfites are a problem are for you is to eat a food high in natural sulfites - say, dried apricots. On average, 2oz of dried apricots have 10 times the sulfites as a glass of wine does. If you eat those apricots and have a reaction, now you know it's time to talk with a doctor. "