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What Is Free SO2?

enology Free grape growing home winemaking so2 varietals viticulture Wine winemaker winery
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What Is Free SO2?

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The most effective preservative and sanitizing agents used in winemaking are chemicals derived from elemental sulfur. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas, formed by burning sulfur has been used since the early days of winemaking to protect oak barrels from microbial spoilage. This practice is still widely used in winemaking to store empty barrels for an extended period of time. SO2 gas can also be condensed to a colorless liquid to produce a sulfite solution with excellent antiseptic properties. These properties result from the dissipation of active SO2 to produce “free SO2,” and from some free SO2 combining with aldehyde compounds (responsible for oxidation in wines) to form “bound SO2” when sulfite is added to wine. Free SO2 is also found in musts from crushed grapes that have been sprayed in the vineyards with sulfur-based pesticides. It is also a byproduct of alcoholic fermentation, albeit in small concentration. Two measurements widely used in commercial winemaking are free SO2 and total SO2

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