Tom,
I have some older wine books, but this is usually a one liner about
the practice going back to Roman times as I recall.

Alex Lichine mentions the Iliad, where "Achilles fumigated his cup
with Sulfur before pouring a libation to Zeus", so that predates the
Romans. I would think that implies he burnt it.

I know the Valley of Himmon outside of Jerusalem was a garbage dump
2000 years ago where sulfur fires burned constantly, so the people in
that area burnt sulfur too.

If I run acroos better references I wil refer you.
Joe



"Tom" > wrote in message >...
> I would love to read about it if you dig anything up. I have always
> wondered how they physically were using SO2 in early wine making.
>