SC - questions/kinda long, sorry
LrdRas@aol.com
LrdRas at aol.com
Fri Jun 16 18:36:30 PDT 2000
In a message dated 6/16/00 12:51:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
jenne at tulgey.browser.net writes:
<< What extant grape species are period?
>>
Actually commercial production was greatly reduced. Phylloxera was introduced
into France from the eastern USA. France quickly grafted their traditional
varieties onto American rootstock and within 4-5 years was again producing
the same wines as before. Cabernet Sauvignon, True Chablis, Sauvignon Blanc,
Cabernet Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz and more (excluding Zinfandel which is
inconclusive as to origins) all date back to at least the middle ages and
some such as Cabernet Sauvignon and not a few Italian, Spanish and Portuguese
varieties date to the Roman occupation. Although some varieties do have
'improved' cultivars, for the most part these vines are essentially the exact
clones of the original vines since the procedure for multiplying grapes is by
cuttings and grafting and not seed. grafting and cutting as a reproductive
method were widely practiced as early as the 1st century in Rome and most
likely earlier but many centuries in the Greco-Middle Eastern area.
Also many wines such as Trebbiano and Est! Est! Est! from Italy are still
being produced exactly as they were in the middle ages so the purchase of
commercial wine is well within the products still available in modern times
list that can be called 'period' without guilt or error. :-)
Ironically, the recent problems with this disease in California is a direct
result of California producers planting Vinifera vines on their own roots
because the disease had not been seen in California. With the experimental
breeding of European Vinifera type cultivars in the East at places like the
University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University and other quality agricultural
centers and their subsequent offering on a commercial scale by grape vine
producing companies such as Canandagua and Welshes, it was inevitable that
this disease, which is indigenous to the Northeastern USA, would eventually
find it's way to California.
More's the pity...
Ras
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