SC - oyster pie - Where to buy Verjus

[Stefan li Rous]

Ras commented:
> I think I posted a list of period grape varieties a while back. Perhaps
> Stefan has put it in his archive.

Umm. Perhaps you are referring to this message in my wine-msg file:

> From: Uduido at aol.com
> Date: Fri, 13 Jun 1997 21:16:35 -0400 (EDT)
> Subject: SC - Grapes
> 
> In a message dated 97-06-13 16:21:31 EDT, you write:
> 
> << There is a HUGE Concord Grape vine(s)  growing in my new backyard. I was
>  told by neighbors that it yielded gallons of grapes last year.
>  Does anyone know of anything within period that these could be used for?
>  All the talk of cordials/liqueurs has me hoping. Same neighbor made 23
>  bottles of wine from them.
>  
> ~Lady Irissa
>   >>
> 
>  Sorry. The Labrusca (concord) grape variety is New World no questions, do
> not pass go, do not collect $200.oo. :-) More appropriate varieties would be
> Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Gewurtzraminer, Zinfandel (questionable),
> Sauvignon Blanc, Valipolicella (species unknown to me), Riesling, Chardonnay,
> Sangoivese, Chamborcin, Merlot, etc.
> 
> The Labrusca grapes (e.g. Concord, Catawba, Niagra) are without exception New
> World varieties and were not used in Europe until the late 1800's C.E. They
> were then only used (as they still are) for root stock on which to graft the
> European varities to prevent further dessicration of the vineyards by the
> Phyloxera plague. (Which by the way is currently destroying the vineyards in
> California at an alarming rate). 
> 
> More to the point the foxy taste of New World labrusca varieties is totally
> alien with regards to the flavor of Old World varieties and can not be
> satisfactorily substituted under any circunstances.
> 
> Lord Ras (Uduido at aol.com)

Or maybe this message:

> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1998 22:11:24 EST
> From: LrdRas at aol.com
> Subject: SC - Period wine-French
> 
> The following French vineyards have produced wine since the Middle Ages with a
> few dating from 279 C.E. using the grape varieties still grown in and used
> today.
> 
> Clos de Beze
> Corton-Charlemagne
> Le Romanee
> Clos de Vougeot
> Merseult
> Montrachet
> 
> These vineyards were controlled by the Church in the Middle Ages.  The wine of
> these vineyards was much sought after by medieval gourmets as they are in the
> current middle ages.  The wines of these houses were called 'wines of
> Auxerre,' then later 'wines of Baeume' and finally in the 1400s the 'wines of
> Burgundy' by which name they are still referred to.
> 
> French grape varieties grown in the Middle Ages included Granache, Cabernet
> Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot along with Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc,
> Chardonnay and Gamay.  The last four being some of the most ancient
> varieties.
> 
> For more authenticity, and if you can afford them, you might try wines from
> Le Romanee-Conti or Le Mussigny.  These two vineyards are among a handful that
> still grow there vines on native stock instead of getting their grapes off
> from vines that have been grafted onto phylloxera resistant American root
> stock.  I would remind you that, contrary to popular opinion, the stock in no
> way has any affect whatsoever on the vines that are grafted onto them other
> than providing protection from phylloxera.  Taste, flavor or the resulting
> wine is the same as those vines growing on native stock.
> 
> Ras

- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****
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