Eric Texier on Natural(?) Wine

[Unknown]

originally posted by VS:


BTW - we're fighting, right now, an outbreak of oidium (bad year for oidium and mildew in our part of the world), and since we're only using the organically acceptable wettable sulfur, the efficiency is possibly not the greatest. (Not that there are many efficient treatments, except very hot dry weather, for oidium once it sets in.) Following ric's line of thought, perhaps with organic treatments we do make more trips to the vineyard and burn more fuel... But then, what's the alternative? Donkeys? Aggressive synthetic treatments?

This is quite a quandary.

Same here, in the outback of tuscany. Cool nights and warm days may enhance aromatic development, but unfortunately are also ideal conditions for oidium development. Being certified organic at this stage of grape development we switch to sulphur in powdered form, which I would guess is accepted in Spain too, or not?

As Eric stated, organic isn't necessary more ecologic or sustainable. One important point is gasoline consumption, but there are other negative externalities e.g. soil compaction among others.

In the not too far future, I'm afraid Clos de la Coule de Serrant will be famous not for its wines, but for its cupper mines....

Still, with regard to making the best possible wine the application of synthetic anti-fungal products seems to be a one way street. But we've lost a lot of grapes the last years for avoiding this one way.

 

[SFJoe]

originally posted by VS:
But then, what's the alternative? Donkeys? Aggressive synthetic treatments?

This is quite a quandary.

Well designed synthetic fungicides that are specific for the oidium organism and spare the mycorrhizae and co.

Totally doable. Some funding, and Prof. Lipton will have something for you in a year.

 

[Bruce G.]

originally posted by SFJoe:Well designed synthetic fungicides that are specific for the oidium organism and spare the mycorrhizae and co.

Totally doable. Some funding, and Prof. Lipton will have something for you in a year.

Better living through chemistry, huh?
Hold on a minute while I get my checkbook...

 

[Brian C]

I guess the Venn diagram of people who favor traditional winemaking and people who give a shit about their so-called "carbon footprints" have a substantial overlap, but I'm exclusively in the former camp, non-overlapping.

I love it when not giving a shit about ones ecological impact becomes a point of pride...

 

[JasonA]

originally posted by Brian C:

I guess the Venn diagram of people who favor traditional winemaking and people who give a shit about their so-called "carbon footprints" have a substantial overlap, but I'm exclusively in the former camp, non-overlapping.

I love it when not giving a shit about ones ecological impact becomes a point of pride...

Drill baby drill!

 

[VS]

originally posted by SFJoe:
Some funding, and Prof. Lipton will have something for you in a year.

He'll have all the funding in the world - heck, they'll call him Croesus - if he comes up with something that really stops oidium. See, beyond some sulfur powder and some leaf thinning at the preventive stage, no one has come up with a real 'cure' for powdery mildew for the past 150 years... Not even the systemic chemicals with all those fancy names.

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by SFJoe:

originally posted by VS:
But then, what's the alternative? Donkeys? Aggressive synthetic treatments?

This is quite a quandary.

Well designed synthetic fungicides that are specific for the oidium organism and spare the mycorrhizae and co.

Totally doable. Some funding, and Prof. Lipton will have something for you in a year.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, old thing, but I doubt somehow that the PDB is filled with high resolution structures of high profile oidium targets. With enough $$$ I could always try the ol' shotgun dumb luck combichem approach, I suppose.

Ever the optimist,
Mark Lipton

 

[David M. Bueker]

originally posted by JasonA:


Drill baby drill!

Cleanup baby cleanup!