Lead and Wine Concerns

While the Greeks and Romans used lead compounds as a sweetner for their wines. We know far better these days, so don't be alarmed! However, this article is meant to address concerns with decanters and containers made out of lead crystal and lead capsules on older bottles.

Lead Crystal

Some people are concerned about the possiblility that wine and spirits, due to their acidity, can leach out the lead of lead crystal. Such a process would take months, if not years, to leach a perceptible amount of lead out. Even then the amounts are marginal. However, if you prefer to be safe when you use a lead crystal decanter, it's advisable to use it only for the evening, then put any leftover wine or spirits back in its original bottle for storage.

Lead Capsules

In older wine bottles (˜15+ years), lead capsules were used to cover the cork, these days plastic or aluminium are used instead. The old lead capsules often had a tin coating or a coat of paint, so were safe to handle. However, if you do have a bottle with a lead capsule it is reccomended that you wipe the top of a bottle with a damp cloth before pouring.

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Wine Allergies | Calories in Wine | Lead and Wine Concerns | Health Benefits of Wine