Animal Fur Anyone?
Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 6:32 am
I hesitated writing this post for fear of spreading yet another stereotype about Vitis labrusca. But might as well take it head on as it will soon be out there anyway. The back story is that I must have been a very good boy this year because Santa deposited Wine grapes by Robinson, Harding and Vouillamoz under our Christmas tree for me. This 1000+ page treatise aims to describe every commercially available wine grape in the world. It misses some of course, including Vergennes by Arbor Hill, but readers are provided an address to notify the publisher about omissions.
As for animal fur, the authors say: "Wine from American species, particularly Vitis Labrusca, can have a very distinctive flavor - definitely an acquired taste - combining animal fur and candied fruits, often described as 'foxy'" (p. xiv). Foxy has been described in many ways, but this is a new one for me. It has the virtue I suppose of connecting the root term with its natural superordinate; foxes indeed have animal fur. But beyond that I don't get it. Perhaps I need taste some animal fur. Would the deer running around in my back year qualify or is actual fox needed?
The descriptions of specific labruscas are actually quite good. It is pointed out that virtually all are actually hybrids, a mix of the native grapes growing in northeastern American when the Europeans arrived and the viniferas they brought with them but were largely unsuccessful in transplanting. Along this line, it is pointed out that Delaware, a standard bearer labrusca, is actually susceptible to phylloxera probably as a result of a vinifera parent. I didn't know that and will try to think of the book as having taught it rather than animal fur (ugh!) to me.
As for animal fur, the authors say: "Wine from American species, particularly Vitis Labrusca, can have a very distinctive flavor - definitely an acquired taste - combining animal fur and candied fruits, often described as 'foxy'" (p. xiv). Foxy has been described in many ways, but this is a new one for me. It has the virtue I suppose of connecting the root term with its natural superordinate; foxes indeed have animal fur. But beyond that I don't get it. Perhaps I need taste some animal fur. Would the deer running around in my back year qualify or is actual fox needed?
The descriptions of specific labruscas are actually quite good. It is pointed out that virtually all are actually hybrids, a mix of the native grapes growing in northeastern American when the Europeans arrived and the viniferas they brought with them but were largely unsuccessful in transplanting. Along this line, it is pointed out that Delaware, a standard bearer labrusca, is actually susceptible to phylloxera probably as a result of a vinifera parent. I didn't know that and will try to think of the book as having taught it rather than animal fur (ugh!) to me.