On Mon, 7 Aug 2006, Mike Lyle wrote:

Another poster has mentioned the question of sterilisation. Sulphur and
bleach, or fancy proprietary products (also chlorine-based, I suppose),
are the only methods I know about: copper sulphate's allowed under
organic rules in Bordeaux mixture, so I don't see why a sulphite
shouldn't be allowed for sterilising. In the old days, I think they
used to sterilise casks by fumigating them with burning sulphur.

They still do. In fact in most of the vineyards that I've visited they
ferment in stainless steel vessels and then rack the wine off into oak
casks to mature. Oak is still an important flavour in fine wines. You
often see "matured in oak" on the labels.

To stabilise finished wine, Campden tablets (sodium metabisulphite) are
usual; but some people react to it, so ascorbic acid (vitamin C) can be
used instead -- though I've never tried it. I wouldn't be surprised to
learn that sulphite isn't organically acceptable as an additive in the
wine itself: producers probably rely on good hygiene to protect the
wine in bottle.

There has been a problem with some producers, whose hygiene leaves a
little to be desired, using too much sulphur to stabilise the wine. You
can often see wine tasters on television complaining about the amount of
sulphur in the wines.

David

--
David Rance http://www.mesnil.demon.co.uk
Fido Address: 2:252/110 writing from Le Mesnil Villement, Calvados, France