Phylloxera, is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. These tiny, pale yellow sap-sucking insects, related to aphids, feed on the roots of grapevines. In Vitis vinifera, the resulting deformations (“nodosities” and “tuberosities”) and secondary fungal infections can girdle roots, gradually cutting off the flow of nutrients and water to the vine. Nymphs also form protective galls on the undersides of grapevine leaves and overwinter under the bark or on the vine roots; these leaf galls are not found on vines grown in California.
The majority of grape phylloxera adults are wingless females. They are generally oval shaped, but those that lay eggs are pear shaped. They are small (0.04 inch long and 0.02 inch wide) and vary in color from yellow, yellowish green, olive green, to light brown, brown, or orange. Newly deposited eggs are yellow, oval, and about twice as long as wide. Nymphs resemble adults except they are smaller.
Grape phylloxera overwinter as small nymphs on roots. In spring when soil temperatures exceed 60°F, they start feeding and growing. First instar nymphs are active crawlers and may move from plant to plant in the ground, on the soil surface, or by blowing in the wind. They may also be moved between vineyards on cuttings, boots, or equipment. Established phylloxera feed externally in groups on roots. In fall when soil temperatures fall below 60°F, all life stages die except the small nymphs. There are three to five generations each year.
If you are from the Youngstown, OH or New Castle, PA area and need a place to get your juice and equipment from look no further than L’uva Bella. They are located at:
6597 Center Rd (Rt.224)
Lowellville, Ohio 44436
Phone: 330-536-6450
Fax: 330-536-6339
A friend of mine got me in contact with them. I spoke with Ruth over at L’uva Bella,. She was very informative about what was going on in the business and had a cheerful outlook on their future. I was informed that they just finished installing a tasting room among other additions. Seems like truly a great place to do business.
I plan on giving them a try in the not to distant future. Just thought I would pass the word along.
The quality of wine that gives it its crispiness and vitality. A proper balance of acidity must be struck with the other elements of a wine, or else the wine may be said to be too sharp – having disproportionately high levels of acidity – or too flat – having disproportionately low levels of acidity. The three main acids found in wine are tartaric acid, malic acid and lactic acid. The first two come from the grapes and the third from Malolactic fermentation which often occurs in the winemaking process.
tataric acid structure
Tartaric acid may be most immediately recognizable to wine drinkers as the source of "wine diamonds," the small potassium bitartrate crystals that sometimes form spontaneously on the cork. These "tartrates" are harmless, despite sometimes being mistaken for broken glass, and are prevented in many wines through cold stabilization. The tartrates that remain on the inside of aging barrels were at one time a major industrial source of potassium bitartrate.
However, tartaric acid plays an important role chemically, lowering the pH of fermenting "must" to a level where many undesirable spoilage bacteria cannot live, and acting as a preservative after fermentation. In the mouth, tartaric acid provides some of the tartness in the wine, although citric and malic acids also play a role.
malic acid structure
Malic acid is present in grapes. It confers a tart taste to wine, although the amount decreases with increasing fruit ripeness. The process of malolactic fermentation converts malic acid to much milder lactic acid.
Malolactic fermentation tends to create a rounder, fuller mouthfeel. It has been said that malic acid tastes of green apples – indeed, malic comes from the Latin word for apple, mālum, and is present in apple juice – and this can be tasted in the wine.
lactic acid structure
By contrast, lactic acid is richer, even unctuous, and more buttery tasting – corresponding to its presence in milk, as reflected in the word lactic being derived from the Latin word for milk, lac, and it is present in sour milk.
Information found on Wikipedia.
I just came across this site called Crushpad. I find it kind of interesting. I personally feel that the wine making process is something magical that should be shared. Although this company lets you get involved as much as you want – I still don’t know…. seems like something is missing. Their site states the following:
Crushpad makes it easy to create your very own luxury custom wine, from grape to bottle. Even if you’re new to wine making, lead a busy lifestyle or don’t live near wine country, you can still make your own wine, your way. Here’s how:
Cost to create your very own custom barrel of wine — 25 cases — varies depending upon the vineyard you select, ranging from $5,700 to $10,900 (or about $19 to $36 per bottle).
I find it amazing that they offer everything as a turn key solution under one roof, my question is how does this really distinguish your brand from the next? I would be interested in hearing from someone who has used them though.
I came across this on eatdrinkordie.com. While this is more on consuming the wine, I found this to be a pretty neat trick. I have yet to try it myself. Anyone done this before?
