Isabella grape
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The Isabella grape is a cultivar derived from the grape species Vitis Labrusca or 'fox grape' which is used for table, juice and wine production.[[1]]
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[edit] Appearance & Use
The skin of Isabella when ripened is a dark purple, almost black with a tender green-yellow flesh. It has large well formed fruit clusters with thick bloom. [[2]] It is a slip skin variety, meaning that the skin separates easily from the fruit. The grapes are used to make wine, most notably Uhudler and Fragolino. The Isabella being of the genus Vitis x Labruscana imparts a 'foxiness' to the wine and because of this is thought to be objectionable, therefore it is not seen as a grape capable of making fine wines. For the table the flavour is good though with the astringent tough skin and 'foxy' aroma is objectionable for some tastes. [3]
[edit] In History
Isabella although popularly classified as being of Vitis Labrusca parentage it is almost certainly a cross with an unknown Vitis Vinifera, illustrated by the susceptibility to mildew and black rot. It is thought that it resulted from random pollination when European Vitis Vinifera grapes were attempted to be established in America.[4]
It was popularly thought to have been discovered by a Mrs Isabella Gibbs of Carolina, however there is conflicting information with other sources stating it was found in Virginia, Delaware and Europe[5]
Isabella vines were heavily imported into Europe in the early 1800s and it is said that it is probably that the phylloxera was introduced into Europe on the roots of Isabella - Isabella having a resistance to the phylloxera.
[edit] Modern Times
Isabella is no longer a commercially important grape as it produces poor wines due to it's labrusca inheritance and is banned in the EU for commercial wine production, however it is grown throughout the former USSR, Latin America, America and in some parts of Europe for domestic use. It is grown due to it's phylloxera resistance and it's cold hardiness. [6]
[edit] Aliases
Isabella has over 50 aliases including: Alexander, Black Cape, Champania, Constantia, Dorchester, Framboisier, Fragola, Raisin De Cassis, Moschostaphylo, Kerkyraios, Tzortzidika and Izabella, [7]
