Whats in my wine?

Sometimes winemakers dont have to list everything they put into their wines. We know that there are some levels of sulfites and yeasts which are used in helping the fermentation of the wine. But preservatives and fining agents as well as other flavorings can be added too.  So what exactly is inside that bottle of vino?

Sulfur Dioxide which helps kill off bacteria that can ruin the flavor of a wine and is also used to stop the fermentation.

Potassium Sorbate which is used in making cheese and yogurt. It is used to keep fermentation from continuing and kills of microbials.

Tannin Powder is used to enhance the varietals of less tannin enriched grapes. This powder is usually mixed with other natural things like grape skins, seeds and bark.

There is also some concentrated wine grape juice added to boost color and sweetness. So if that wasn't bad enough, did you know that some can have fish bladders. These are used to make the wine less bitter and cloudy. Gelatine and egg whites are added sometimes to make white and rose wines more clear too.

Clay and Plastic or "Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone" is added to absorb astringency and enhances colors. And then sometimes when the yeast in the wine starts to become less active, then vitamins are added to get them working again.

Now this doesn't really detour me from trying budget wines, but it is kind of interesting to know what is in some of those fancy labeled bottles.

~Cheers