SC - SCA-CK Vintning and Sulphur

[Uduido at aol.com]

In a message dated 97-04-14 10:40:37 EDT, you write:

<< I have no reason to assume
 that sulfites would be added to the wine from which vinegar is made,
 since they act as a preservative that would fight the action of the
 bacteria that make the vinegar.
  >>

The sulphites found in wine are not added to the wine (at least not the wine
I make. :-)). They are the result of exposing the bottles and/or barrels to
the fumes of burning sulphur. This process kills harmful fungi and other
nasty carcinogenic organisms as well as wild yeasts and other lurking
microbes that may otherwise taint the wine. The residue from this process,
along with naturally occuring suphur compounds in grapes  are the source of
sulphites in wine. 

I do not use sulphur gas when making vinegars since the action that porduces
vinegar is caused by a bacteria and are not the result of yeast. I have not
been able to find information about whether commercial vinegar makers use
sulphur to sanitize there vats. :-(

Lord Ras