Bertrand offers no-sulphite guarantee

Languedoc-Roussillon producer Gerard Bertrand is offering a three-year guarantee on his sulphite-free range in a bid to calm concerns about the stability of these wines.

Having introduced his nine-strong Naturae range in 2012, Bertrand highlighted the extensive research that he carried out in order to be confident of adding a commercial scale sulphite-free range to his existing portfolio of more conventional wines.

“Before launching the wines on the market, we made a lot of tests during three years, in order to be sure of the quality and the sustainability of the wines,” he told the drinks business. “Now we are proud to guarantee three years of guard for the consumers.”

So far the range has found distribution in France, the UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Japan and the US. Across all these countries, Bertrand remarked: “consumers are getting each day more curious about ‘free from’ products.”

With an RRP of around £10, these wines are not designed with long-term aging in mind. However, Bertrand’s confidence in the shelf life of sulphite-free wines was echoed recently by RAW natural wine fair organiser Isabelle Legeron MW, who claimed that these styles can last for 50 years.

“Sulphites are not about preservation, they’re more about killing off microbes,” she maintained, while adding: “If you’re not using sulphites then you have to make sure your wine comes from an impeccable site and is farmed correctly.”