Collection: Hama wine without antioxidants

What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are used to prevent quality deterioration, discoloration, bad odors, etc. caused by oxidation. Without the use of antioxidants, products such as food, cosmetics, and medicines may deteriorate due to oxidation. Although the sulfites in wine are in low concentrations compared to other foods, they are known to cause asthma and headaches in some people, and more and more consumers are choosing natural and organic products.

The antioxidants used in wine are probably those that have been oxidized by "sulfites." Specifically, they refer to sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium hydrogen sulfite, sodium metabisulfite, potassium hydrogen sulfite, and potassium metabisulfite. This technique has been used in winemaking since ancient times to kill bad yeast and bacteria that produce deteriorated aromas. It is also used to stop yeast activity.

The amount of usage is

Antioxidants are food additives, and the amount used is clearly stipulated by law as the "Acceptable Daily Intake*" by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The maximum sulfite content for fruit liquor in Japan is 350mg/L. In many areas overseas, use is permitted in the range of 200mg/L to 400mg/L. (*The daily amount that is believed to have no adverse effects even if taken every day for a lifetime.)

Even without adding sulfites, about 10mg/L of sulfur is produced in wine as a by-product of the alcoholic fermentation process by yeast. It also becomes diluted in the wine over time.

What you need to be careful about when making wine without using antioxidants

1. Quality ingredients are important. Use fresh ingredients.
2. Store away from environments that promote oxidation, such as high temperatures, humidity, and light.
3. Use containers that minimize surface area exposed to air.

Hama Wine's Policy on Antioxidants

Making wine without using antioxidants is not easy. Hama Wine uses grapes in good condition and suppresses the growth of bacteria during the brewing process, which allows us to use zero or very little antioxidants. In addition, we have switched from transparent bottles to light-blocking colored bottles to improve storage conditions. We have devised a way to offer two types of products: those that use antioxidants and those that do not. At Hama Wine, we basically add 10-20mg/L of antioxidants to red wines that are suitable for long-term storage.

Nowadays, More and more customers are looking for wines that do not contain antioxidants. We ask that you do the following with products that do not contain antioxidants: 1) Do not store them for long periods of time, but drink them as soon as possible, and 2) Store them in a cool, dark place, such as in the refrigerator.

We make every effort to ensure that you can enjoy Hama wine in the best possible condition.