Every year fruit growers compare notes on flavor , ripening times, growing qualities among other things. @mamuang and @tonyOmahaz5
and I practically know to the date when each others crops ripen. @mamuang crops typically ripen after ours even though the zone is similar. We all have slightly different growing experiences due to the environmental differences. The fruit grower has a taste in their mind when I mention a variety. It’s been very hard for me to convince people who have not grown fruit through the years what good tasting fruit is because they think they know already because as a consumer of fruit they tried fruits. Ive noticed it with myself. Sometimes people tell me they don’t like pears but have tried less than 1% of the pear varities. Many people have told me they hate fruits or vegetables then try it on my property and decide they love them. Why is Kansas fruit sometimes so delicious? Why was it not as good last year as normal at my property? It really does vary from year to year. I’m not suggesting there is no difference in varities. As an extreme example to make a point for 18 months in AD 536-537 there was an environmental disaster for fruit and all wine wound up very sour. This environmental impact on fruit flavor happens every year which is why a wine conosuir gives a year of wine they want to drink and not just a location in a country. Variety, soil, and the environment make a big difference. The Dust Veil Environmental Disaster of AD 536
" The Dust Veil Environmental Disaster of AD 536
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By
Updated on September 23, 2018
According to written records and supported by dendrochronology (tree ring) and archaeological evidence, for 12-18 months in AD 536-537, a thick, persistent dust veil or dry fog darkened the skies between Europe and Asia Minor. The climatic interruption brought by the thick, bluish fog extended as far east as China, where summer frosts and snow are mentioned in historical records; tree ring data from Mongolia and Siberia to Argentina and Chile reflect decreased growing records from 536 and the subsequent decade.
The climatic effects of the dust veil brought decreased temperatures, drought, and food shortages throughout the affected regions: in Europe, two years later came the Justinian plague. The combination killed perhaps as much as 1/3 of the population of Europe; in China, the famine killed perhaps 80% of people in some regions; and in Scandinavia, the losses may have been as much as 75-90% of the population, as evidenced by the numbers of deserted villages and cemeteries.
Historical Documentation
The rediscovery of the AD 536 event was made during the 1980s by American geoscientists Stothers and Rampino, who searched classical sources for evidence of volcanic eruptions. Among their other findings, they noted several references to environmental disasters around the world between AD 536-538.
Contemporary reports identified by Stothers and Rampino included Michael the Syrian, who wrote:
“[T]he sun became dark and its darkness lasted for one and a half years […] Each day it shone for about four hours and still this light was only a feeble shadow […] the fruits did not ripen and the wine tasted like sour grapes.”
John of Ephesus related much the same events. Prokopios, who lived in both Africa and Italy at the time, said:
“For the sun gave forth its light without brightness, like the moon, during this whole year, and it seemed exceedingly like the sun in eclipse, for the beams it shed were not clear nor such as it is accustomed to shed.”
An anonymous Syrian chronicler wrote:
“[T]he sun began to be darkened by day and the moon by night, while the ocean was tumultuous with spray, from the 24th of March in this year till the 24th of June in the following year…”
The following winter in Mesopotamia was so bad that “from the large and unwonted quantity of snow the birds perished.”
A Summer Without Heat
Cassiodorus, praetorian prefect of Italy at the time, wrote: “so we have had a winter without storms, spring without mildness, summer without heat.”
John Lydos, in On Portents, writing from Constantinople, said:
“If the sun becomes dim because the air is dense from rising moisture—as happened in [536/537] for nearly a whole year […] so that produce was destroyed because of the bad time—it predicts heavy trouble in Europe.”
In China, reports indicate that the star of Canopus could not be seen in as usual in the spring and fall equinoxes of 536, and the years AD 536-538 were marked by summer snows and frosts, drought and severe famine. In some parts of China, the weather was so severe that 70-80% of the people starved to death.
Physical Evidence
Tree rings show that 536 and the following ten years was a period of slow growth for Scandinavian pines, European oaks and even several North American species including bristlecone pine and foxtail; similar patterns of ring size decrease are also seen in trees in Mongolia and northern Siberia.
But there seems to be something of a regional variation in the worst of the effects. 536 was a bad growing season in many parts of the world, but more generally, it was a part of a decade-long downturn in climate for the northern hemisphere, separate from the worst seasons by 3-7 years. For most reports in Europe and Eurasia, there is a drop in 536, followed by a recovery in 537-539, followed by a more serious plunge lasting perhaps as late as 550. In most cases the worst year for tree ring growth is 540; in Siberia 543, southern Chile 540, Argentina 540-548.
AD 536 and the Viking Diaspora
Archaeological evidence described by Gräslund and Price shows that Scandinavia might have experienced the worst troubles. Almost 75% of villages were abandoned in parts of Sweden, and areas of southern Norway show a decrease in formal burials—indicating that haste was required in interments—up to 90-95%.
Scandinavian narratives recount possible events that might be referring to 536. Snorri Sturluson’s Edda includes a reference to Fimbulwinter, the “great” or “mighty” winter that served as a forewarning of Ragnarök, the destruction of the world and all of its inhabitants.
“First of all that a winter will come called Fimbulwinter. Then snow will drift from all directions. There will then be great frosts and keen winds. The sun will do no good. There will be three of these winters together and no summer between.”
Gräslund and Price speculate that the social unrest and sharp agrarian decline and demographic disaster in Scandinavia may have been a primary catalyst for the Viking diaspora—when in the 9th century AD, young men left Scandinavia in droves and sought to conquer new worlds.
Possible Causes
Scholars are divided concerning what caused the dust veil: a violent volcanic eruption—or several (see Churakova et al.), a cometary impact, even a near miss by a large comet could have created a dust cloud made up of dust particles, smoke from fires and (if a volcanic eruption) sulfuric acid droplets such as that described. Such a cloud would reflect and/or absorb light, increasing the earth’s albedo and measurably decreasing the temperature.
Sources
- Arrhenius B. 2012. Helgö in the shadow of the dust veil 536-37. Journal of Archaeology and Ancient History 2013(5).
- Arjava A. 2005. The Mystery Cloud of 536 CE in the Mediterranean Sources. Dumbarton Oaks Papers 59:73-94.
- Baillie M. 2007. The case for significant numbers of extraterrestrial impacts through the late Holocene. Journal of Quaternary Science 22(2):101-109. doi: 10.1002/jqs.1099
- Baillie MGL, and McAneney J. 2015. Tree ring. Climate 11(1):105-114. effects and ice core acidities clarify the volcanic record of the first millennium of the Past
- Churakova OV, Bryukhanova MV, Saurer M, Boettger T, Naurzbaev MM, Myglan VS, Vaganov EA, Hughes MK, and Siegwolf RTW. 2014. A cluster of stratospheric volcanic eruptions in the AD 530s recorded in Siberian tree rings. Global and Planetary Change 122:140-150.
- Engvild KC. 2003. A review of the risks of sudden global cooling and its effects on agriculture. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 115(3–4):127-137. doi:10.1016/s0168-1923(02)00253-8
- Gräslund B, and Price N. 2012. Twilight of the gods? The ‘dust veil event’ of AD 536 in critical perspective. Antiquity 332:428-443."
Back to grapes is riesling flavor impacted by the environment ? ‘New Frontiers of Viticulture’: Emerging Wine Regions Around the World | Wine Enthusiast
" New Frontiers of Viticulture’: Emerging Wine Regions Around the World
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORWEGIAN WINE FEDERATION
Five years ago, Klaus Peter Keller led a tasting of his Spatbürgunder, or Pinot Noir, from Germany. He was showing off how the cold climate created beautiful expressions of the variety and, at some point, made an offhand comment that stood out long after the fact.
“I planted a vineyard in Norway.”
Fast-forward to today, and Keller’s vines there have yielded several vintages of Riesling. Wines from Norway, along with those from Japan, Bolivia and ever-growing swathes of British Columbia, Canada, testify to transition afoot. As the climate changes, so does the number of winegrowing areas. These four regions represent new frontiers of viticulture and, in many ways, prove that the future is now.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORWEGIAN WINE FEDERATION
Norway
On a south-facing granitic site that overlooks the North Sea, Keller and his Norwegian former apprentice, Anne Enggrav, planted Riesling on her family’s land.
“Geisenheim University predicted our first harvest in approximately 2050,” says Keller.
“So, we were happy and afraid when in 2015 and 2018, grapes reached full ripeness.”
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When Keller and Enggrav planted the vineyard back in 2008, locals had already been dabbling in viticulture for 20 years, mostly as hobbyists. As the climate has warmed and domestic wine appreciation has grown, commercial aspirations have taken root.
While no one region has yet earned European Union designation, two areas have emerged as contenders. Østlandet, located in southeast Norway, encompasses Oslo and holds about half of the country’s population. Vestlandet, along the fjords of the west coast, boasts the picturesque town of Bergen.
The sum of a given site’s unique characteristics is what makes viticulture possible, says Danilo Costamagna. Originally from Piedmont, Italy, he moved to Norway, where he founded NorskVin winery and now leads Norske Druedyrkere Foreningen, the Norwegian growers association.
“The fjords reflect sunlight back on the vineyards,” he says. “The mountains accumulate heat and provide good drainage, since Norway gets a lot of rain.”
Norway’s short growing season carries threats of late spring frost and heavy rains come fall. However, long summer days due to the country’s northern latitude help grapes achieve ripeness.
“For some vineyards, we have the problem of too much vigor,” says Costamagna.
IN THE ERA OF CLIMATE CHANGE, IS OLD AND NEW WORLD WINE OBSOLETE?
Growers are finding balance by slowing ripening down without missing the picking window. That’s not to say that grapes consistently hit ideal Brix levels, though. Chaptalization, or adding sugar to increase alcohol levels, has been a well-worn tool for years.
Though Keller’s Riesling project demonstrates potential, the grape showing ripeness and consistency now is Solaris, one that few Americans know.
Capable of 12.5% alcohol by volume (abv) with natural sugars, this dry white wine ranges from light to medium body. It offers Riesling-like acidity and flavors of lemon, green apple, watermelon and grapefruit.
Why Solaris? It ripens early, and it resists fungal diseases and frost, two foils fostered by Norway’s wet, cold conditions.
For reds, the hybrid Rondo appeals to some vintners. Bred in what was then Czechoslovakia, this rustic, thick-skinned grape is a crossing of Saint-Laurent and Zarya Severa. It also grows in Germany’s Rheinhessen region, as well as Denmark, England, Ireland and Sweden.
Meant for harsh climes, Rondo struggles with sugar accumulation, so it’s crafted into sparkling wines more often than still.
Despite the climate, planting traditional varieties of Vitis vinifera for the vineyard of the future makes sense.
“Vintage 2018 in Norway tastes a bit like Germany in the ’60s,” says Keller. “Very pure, very pronounced acidity, very soil-driven, with a lot of energy. A joy to drink.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF VENDIMIA
Bolivia
Bolivian viticulture dates to the 16th century, when Spanish colonizers planted Negra Criolla and Moscatel of Alexandria. They used wealth from silver, mined in nearby Potosí, to fund the production of wine and singani, a spirit distilled from Muscat grapes.
The more recent story, however, has been one of political disturbances, poverty and class division under which the industry has struggled to grow. That may be changing.
“Bolivian wine is doing better than ever…maybe it is due to the growth of wine culture and wine consumers,” says Bertil Levin Tøttenborg, sommelier for Gustu restaurant in La Paz.
Established in 2012 by Claus Meyer, cofounder of Copenhagen restaurant Noma, Gustu creates modern cuisine from local ingredients. These are paired with local wines, of which Tøttenborg tasted most, if not all.
“One thousand people would be lifted out of poverty in Bolivia if we sold less than 3% of what Robert Mondavi sells in a year.”—Ramon Escobar
A proponent of minimal-intervention wines, he points to smaller regions like Valle de Cinti where producers “do what they do best: high-level, unfiltered, focused natural wines,” he says.
He praises Tierra Roja, Vacaflores, Cepa de Oro and La Casona de Molina for pushing boundaries, and Marquez de la Viña for traditional-method and pétillant-naturel sparklers.
Cees van Casteren, MW, called Cinti Valley’s wine industry “viticultural archaeology” for its ancestral vineyards. Some have vines that are as big as trees, while others are trellised on trees in a method known as arboreal viticulture.
To capture the distinct taste of these dwindling heritage vines, one must first get to Cinti Valley. Though only 50 miles west of the city of Tarija, mountain roads demand three hours of careful driving.
Nayan Gowda of Vinosity Consulting says that organic farming practices here are often a function of cost to the difficulty in sourcing equipment.
Gowda arrived in 2019 to make wine for young label Jardin Oculto. Maria Jose Granier, from the prestigious wine family behind Campos de Solana, founded the brand. Among several projects, they vinified a plot of the indigenous grape Vischoquena found growing on pink peppercorn trees.
Adjacent to Cinti is the larger wine region of Tarija, which boasts established producers with sizeable distribution.
Campos de Solana and Bodegas Kohlberg make ambitious, modern wines from vineyards as high as 6,200 feet above sea level, especially from Tannat, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Merlot.
These high-elevation sites guard against warming temperatures, but other issues exist.
Saline soils, erratic weather and intense storms threaten havoc.
A global pandemic has also hampered growth.
Ramon Escobar, founder of Chufly Imports, watched as domestic sales dropped by 85% during the first few months of 2020, further complicated by social and political instability.
“Our vineyards are more dependent than ever on the U.S. market for their survival,” he says. Chufly represents brands like award-winning Aranjuez, historic Bodegas y Viñedos La Concepción and boutique brand Magnus, all in Tarija; Cepa de Oro from Cinti; and 1750 from Samaipata, a cool-climate valley with four centuries of winemaking history.
“Few people realize that drinking wine from a certain region has the potential to drive sustainable economic development,” says Escobar.
“For example, 1,000 people would be lifted out of poverty in Bolivia if we sold less than 3% of what Robert Mondavi sells in a year. And choosing to do good doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice quality.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF WINES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Canada
Canadian wines often elude U.S. shelves, but those in the know pack bottles in their suitcases before they leave Ontario or the Okanagan. Treasure hunters can now add one more region to the list: Kootenays.
Surrounded by stunning wilderness, this mountainous Geographic Indication (GI) in the Rockies of southeastern British Columbia takes its name from the Kootenay River and the Kutenai First Nations people.
Wedged between two rugged mountain chains, the Selkirk to the west and the Purcell to the east, the vineyards sit atop 10,000-year-old granite and glacial till, which ranges from fine dust to large boulders.
“You can see the soil sparkling in the sunlight,” says
Bob Johnson, owner of Baillie-Grohman winery in Creston Valley. Stones store heat that offsets the region’s chill and helps ripening.
While the area only received GI status in 2017, the first commercial winery opened in this secluded valley in 2001.
There are now six wineries here.
“We had family in the area and visited often,” says Johnson.
“We purchased a cherry orchard first, but when we saw a property for sale in 2006 that was perfect for grapes, we could not resist and had an offer on the table the very next day.”
Johnson sold the first parcel to develop the second one, an abandoned apple orchard, into 28 acres of vinifera vines.
“Our first vintage was 2009, and we haven’t looked back,” he says.
Warm summers with long, sunny days help grapes ripen.
Low rainfall reduces disease pressure. Cold winters send vines into restful dormancy, yet temperatures don’t get cold enough to kill them. Additionally, its isolation helps limit the threat of phylloxera.
HIGH-ALTITUDE VINEYARDS THAT ARE CHANGING WINE
Johnson grows grapes on their own rootstock for wines with “pure and full flavors,” he says. The intensity of the sunlight, a result of growing grapes at 2,000 feet above sea level on the 49th parallel latitude, “combine to create wines with a new fingerprint of flavors,” he says.
Many of the usual cool-climate varieties succeed here. Pinot Noir is the most planted variety, followed by Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Riesling, all suited to the Burgundian and Alsace winemaking styles that producers prefer. The wines are already winning awards in Canadian competitions.
For now, most viticulture happens on the warmer valley floor. While the GI encompasses a mountainous swath of more than 4.9 million acres, only a fraction of it suits viticulture: Just 94 acres are planted.
However, the changing climate may help the prospects for this little region.
ALAMY
Japan
As Ayana Misawa walks through her vineyard, she adjusts waxy paper umbrellas that protect luminescent pink Koshu grape bunches from rain. She says that such attention to detail is a strength of Japanese winemaking.
“Vineyards are well-maintained and cellars are kept clean,” she says.
Misawa is the chief winemaker for Grace Winery, her family’s property located in the mountainous prefecture of Yamanashi, southwest of Tokyo on the island of Honshu.
Japan’s wine industry dates back 150 years, and Misawa’s family founded Grace in 1923.
The country’s largest wine region, Yamanashi boasts nearly one-third of Japanese wineries.
Most focus on indigenous varieties like Koshu and Muscat Bailey A, but plantings of international grapes have climbed, as have domestic wine sales.
Misawa believes that the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 helped shift local mentalities.
“More than ever, Japanese consumers want to support Japanese products,” she says.
Japanese wine journalist Yoko Obara calls it the “Japan Wine Boom.” The proliferation and newfound fame of wineries has helped to cultivate a new breed of customer “eager to follow those stories…of certain winemakers and buy their wines,” she says.
Misawa describes Koshu with the fondness of an artist.
“It’s pure and very delicate, with yuzu, white peach, white pear and jasmine,” she says. “I believe Koshu reveals [the] Japanese signature delicacy.”
However, climate change may alter the island nation’s viticultural landscape.
“In my grandfather’s time, very few wineries grew vinifera because it was hard to get full ripeness,” says Misawa. “The Yamanashi region is considering…Syrah and Tempranillo,” she says, despite the local tradition of producing white wine. Still, at 20% of Japan’s total production, Koshu remains the most important variety.
Nagano, the second-largest region, also has the mountainous terrain and high-elevation vineyard sites to thwart rising temperatures. But the frequency of typhoons and volume of rainfall have ballooned, says Toru Konishi of Villad’est Winery.
The country’s largest wine region, Yamanashi boasts nearly one-third of Japanese wineries. Most focus on indigenous varieties like Koshu and Muscat Bailey A.
Like at Grace, Villad’est installs guards on Pinot Noir bunches before heavy rains.
Though the inclement climate frustrates some, Konishi says it’s forced winemakers to abandon ambitions of rich, full-bodied styles in favor of the subtle, delicate expressions that complement Japanese cuisine.
Other varieties found in Nagano include Merlot and Ryugan, a vinifera grape native to Asia that’s used for dry, quality wines.
On the cold, northern island of Hokkaido, which is known for ski resorts and hot springs, intrepid winemakers have planted German and other cool-climate varieties. Snowy, freezing winters force growers to bury vines for protection.
THE BEST HIKES IN PATAGONIA ACCORDING TO CHILE’S WINE PROFESSIONALS
Despite tough conditions, a flurry of wineries have opened.
Burgundian winemaker Etienne de Montille broke ground in southern Hokkaido to experiment with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
In the long run, the island could prove the nation’s most-climate proof wine region.
While Japanese wine is diverse and evolving, Obara believes “rapid improvements in quality” are pushing it toward world-class levels.
Published on February 19, 2021"
I’ve mentioned it before that the Kansas sun is very hot and for a fruit grower sunshine and the ground plants are growing in are very important Location location location for fruit growing .Having grown up eating wild strawberries what do you think my opinion was when I tasted store bought? Having grown up eating home grown tomatoes what would my opinion be of store bought?
