"Fruity, With a Hint of Chemicals"

Ever had a glass of wine and suffered a near-instant headache? You might have been experiencing the effect of additives.

South Africa is home to many of the world's affordable (and justly popular) white wines, but the nation's winemakers are now denouncing a minority accused of lacing sauvignon blanc with high levels of pyrazine—a preservative that makes wine last longer on the shelf, but may not be to everyone's taste. Johannesburg wine expert Michael Fridjohn recently published two articles drawing attention to the practice, prompting either concern or outraged denial from the country's industry players. "Reactions from the wine...

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