SC - Grapoe varieites-LONG

[LrdRas at aol.com]

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