Isabella and Lydia grapes - real benefits and far-fetched harm. Isabella grapes

Is it worth it to listen to the opinion of the minority and exclude these grapes from the diet, or still not deny yourself the pleasure of eating sweet berries - read on!

Variety Isabella – short dossier

Grapes are one of the best varieties in the territory Russian Federation, consumed in food at the stage of technical ripeness in raw form, used to make red wine. The variety does not pretend to be for the winter, withstands frosts down to -40 0 С, provided there is no wind and drafts. Grapes are quite resistant to diseases and pests, do not require special treatment with pesticides throughout the growing season (only in individual cases mass pest invasion).

It is characterized by a relatively high yield - up to 70-80 kg / ha or an average of up to 40 kg per bush, does not require a lot of fertilizer. The weight of 1 bunch reaches up to 4-5 kg, depending on their number on 1 bush. Berries are characterized by juiciness, sweet, thin skin. It grows on almost all types of soil, including clay soil and sandy soil.

Isabella grapes - the benefits of berries for the human body

First time variety Isabel was bred in America, where for 200 years it has been successfully grown and exported to more than 150 countries in the form of a tasty and strong wine. Breeder William Prince is considered the "father" of this variety, since it is he who owns all the qualitative changes that have occurred with grapes for many decades, until these berries have come down to us and began to be grown in our climatic zone. Tasty large berries appealed to many, but, in addition to their taste, they contain many useful substances.

The berries of this variety have three times more antioxidants and anthocyanins than other grapes.
They have a positive effect on the composition of the blood, thin it, and prevent diseases of the blood vessels.
long eating grapes normalizes blood pressure.
Berries are very rich in iron, significantly increase the level of hemoglobin, much stronger than pomegranates.
Doctors recommend using Isabella as a means to prevent the appearance of cancer cells, because it is believed that antioxidants are the best way to fight against cancer and tumors.

For getting maximum benefit from eating grapes, you need to eat berries with peel and grains - they contain the most chic “bouquet” of vitamins.

The composition of berries Isabella includes catechins, polyphenols and other rare components that are not found in most berries, fruits and vegetables. They speed up the metabolism in the body, help to remove toxins and get rid of excess weight without any special diets. Due negative calorie, grapes are the best suited for getting rid of fats, cholesterol and other harmful substances in the body. Restoration of strength and efficiency increases significantly if you consume 100 grams of fresh grapes at least 2 times a day.

Muscles and the cardiovascular system humans require a lot of potassium, which is found in grape juice. In addition, it has long been proven that grapes of such varieties have a beneficial effect on vision, as they contain a lot of carotenes and vitamin C. Thus, by eating just one handful of grapes a day, you get all the necessary daily supply of vitamins!

The benefits of grape leaves and stem

Incredibly, it is in the grape stem that a large number of vitamins. Long since the leaves Isabella applied to wounds and abrasions, as they had the effect of celandine and plantain. Due to the large amount of mineral salts, they quickly heal wounds, and with bruises, they alleviate pain in just a few minutes. Leaves have medicinal properties elevated temperature a person - they are used as antipyretic drugs, their effectiveness is low, but they are able to remove a small temperature.

The grape stem contains many minerals, vitamins and acids, the juice from it is similar to echinacea tincture. When pruning grapes in the spring, a tincture is made from the stem, after which it is used to prevent diseases in the fall. A decoction of the leaves helps a lot with coughing, for a few doses of a hot decoction, the cough is significantly reduced. Powdered dry leaves are inhaled during a cold - they dilate blood vessels and breathe much easier.

Isabella Grape Danger

Most likely, every winemaker heard how in the 80s all of America, and then Europe, forbade their masters to use a grape variety Isabel as a raw material for their drinks. Argued it big amount methyl alcohol, which, together with ethyl alcohol, is released during the fermentation of berries. In fact, the amount of methyl released is only 0.01% more than that of other grape varieties, and it is not advisable to regard such indicators as a threat to the human body.

The effect of methyl alcohol on the human body is very doubtful, since its destructive effect is neutralized by the same ethyl alcohol, which necessarily occurs as a result of grape fermentation. Moreover, exactly ethanol give to patients with methyl poisoning - the most effective antidote.

In the countries of the post-Soviet space Isabel not only has not stopped its life, but is actively developing and used to make a large number of wines. On its basis, today more than 50 varieties of wine are produced on the territory of the Russian Federation and the same number beyond its borders. There is not a single official document that would directly confirm the harm of grapes to the human body today in the world. That is why it can be argued that the refusal of a grape variety in the states is a publicity stunt on a competitive basis. And the European wave of “rebels” against methyl is nothing more than insurance and a way to show that they are fighting for a healthy lifestyle.

Isabella and Lydia are grape varieties with sonorous and memorable names that bear fruit well not only in large vineyards at wineries, but also in our summer cottages. The halo of cultivation of these varieties is quite wide, from the south to the middle zone and even northern latitudes. By the way, the colder the climate, the smaller the berries, but sweeter. Both varieties do not require special care, they are resistant to diseases characteristic of modern and more noble grape varieties.

They have good frost resistance, so they do not require. - a self-formed hybrid, which was discovered by the American botanist V. Labrusk in the forests of South Carolina (USA). Berries are medium sized and rounded. Clusters are dense and weighty. The skin is dense matte, dark blue, almost black. Matte grapes gives the so-called "natural wax", which prevents rotting of the fruit.

The taste of Isabella grapes is slightly tart with a pronounced sourness. Sugar is enough to make good wine. Although in some countries the production of a “sunny drink” from this variety on an industrial scale is prohibited at the legislative level.

Variety Lydia is a high-yielding hybrid with a characteristic dark lilac color of berries, dense skin and pleasant taste pulp. The ripening time is at the end of September for the southern latitudes, and the harvest in the middle lane is in mid-October. Like Isabella, Lydia has a hard time with the drought. Lack of moisture leads to dropping of leaves and prolonged ripening of fruits.

The similarity of varieties is not accidental, since Lydia can be safely called Isabella's sister. All the same V. Labrusk noticed that some seedlings give berries of a lilac hue, and singled it out as a separate variety. The similarity of the leaves, the shape and weight of the clusters also speak of this. So can Lydia grapes be harmful to health?

The main complaints about the grapes of these popular varieties relate to the industrial production of wine, during which, as chemists have found out, methanol is formed. Although it seems to many growers that it has acquired harmful properties, thanks to the inventions and selection policies of European and American food corporations.

In fact, scientists have proven an increased formation of methanol during the production of wines not only from Isabella and Lydia varieties, but also from all hybrids based on them.

In turn, doctors warn of the dangers of methanol-containing wines, the use of which can cause Alzheimer's disease and lead to brain cancer. "How so?" - summer residents and gardeners will be indignant, doing beautiful Home wine"many years" of these grapes. "How dare you?" - lovers of young homemade wine will howl. It turns out that the wine from Isabella and Lydia is poison?

In fact, Isabella grapes, the benefits and harms of which provide food for thought and debate between wine lovers and scientists, allowed in the USA and many European countries only as a variety for the production of juices and juice drinks. That is why the local inhabitants drink "Bordeaux" and "Chateau Royale". And what to do with Lydia and Isabella you decide for yourself. Frankly, our liver does not care what we drink - homemade wine from varieties growing on the site, or an elite "drink of the gods", alcohol harms the same way if it is abused.

The Isabella grape was originally bred in the Gibbs family of Americans. An interspecific hybrid with a low calorie content was obtained by crossing a cultivated grape (Vitis vinifera) grown in Europe and a wild grape growing in America (Vitis labrusca).

It was a real discovery. An amazing berry, the benefits of which were undoubted, was named after the owner of the land - Isabella Gibbs.

The Isabella grape was originally bred in the Gibbs family of Americans.

A little information

Some time later, when the variety Isabella had legally earned an excellent reputation for itself, the breeder William Prince received a new variety Isabella Pink (Lydia). The seedlings of the new vine were grown by propagating the vine with cuttings. The description of the new species shows that its palatability has appealed to many lovers. sweet berry. The end of the nineteenth century was famous for the fact that the cultivation of Isabella large-fruited and Isabella pink grapes began everywhere. To have Isabella's bush in your garden was considered good form and a good tradition for every vine grower. Easy breeding, good rooting of cuttings, unpretentiousness, resistance to most grape diseases, low calorie content and the huge benefits of berries, juices and wine from Isabella and Isabella Rose for the human body have made the vine popular all over the world.

A recent description of the process of fermentation of grapes and information that wine contains methyl alcohol, which is harmful to humans, has led to the destruction of huge areas of vineyards in the United States and France. The information turned out to be erroneous, and the percentage of concentration in doses dangerous to humans was not confirmed in the course of further studies. But the information caused huge harm winemakers and vine growers. In addition, it is worth noting that the concentration of methyl alcohol in cognac is much higher than in wine made from Gibbs berries.

Chemical analyzes show that methanol is present in all wines, but it is slightly higher in wines obtained by fermentation of interspecific hybrids than in varietal grapes. But this does not mean that such wine harms a person.

Reference. Methanol contributes to liver and kidney diseases and provokes their chronic nature.

The Isabella variety has legitimately earned an excellent reputation for itself.

There is an opinion among experts that this is just a reason to keep prices stable for wines from European producers, at a time when the market is literally saturated with wines from North America and Australia.

The description of the dangers of wine from the Isabella variety and the conclusions of European experts have nothing to do with homemade wine and pasteurized juice, since this is not only delicious berries and their derivatives, but also useful.

Main characteristics

Grape Isabella uncovered with late dates collection (end of September - November). The description of the variety indicates that it can be freely zoned in the Chernozem region, Ukraine, Belarus, the Moscow region, the Volga region and Siberia.

The cultivation of the Isabella variety, the benefits of which were obvious, has become a real boom among winegrowers in North America. Taste, low calorie content, high yield and unpretentiousness for growth, benefits for the body, made the variety popular in private backyards and vineyards. Isabella is good as in fresh, and in the form of juices, wines and compotes. Berry blanks retain their original nutmeg flavor. Since the variety originally belongs to the table and technical, it is best to use the berries as blanks for the production of drinks.

The vine grows well in fertile, slightly calcareous soil. The description of the variety shows that it tolerates moisture well, but during a drought, the nutrition of the bush and its strength are significantly reduced. Sometimes it happens that it completely sheds medium or large dark green leaves. In autumn, the leaves turn golden, beautifully covering the walls of gazebos, decorating fences and other structures, creating an amazing color effect.

The variety is fertile and frost-resistant (up to -27 degrees). Clusters are small cylindrical-conical (200-250 g) and very large, weighing up to 2500 kg, with medium-sized sweet berries of dark blue color, weighing 2.9-3 g and 18 mm in size. The skin is thick, easily separated from the berries. The pulp has an intense smell of strawberries and raspberries, juicy, slimy, sweet. Sugar content 15.4 degrees Brix, acidity - 8 g. Berries with a slight wax coating are rich in vitamins A, B, iron and iodine, have positive influence on vision, regulate activity thyroid gland relieve stress.

The berries ripen late, the collection begins on October 5-15. If you walk past a yard in the autumn with Isabella grape varieties, you will recognize this by the amazing, incomparable aroma (pronounced nutmeg) that is felt in the air.

Vine climber, which is a must for any gardener in his garden

The description of the characteristics of the variety shows that picking sweet, low-calorie grapes straight from the vine is the desire of many amateur gardeners! The grape variety Isabella is large-fruited, grows very quickly, on sunny days gives a lot of strong, tough and thick shoots. The bush is tall and requires shaping. It can reach six meters in height. Isabella allows you to harvest a good harvest of sweet, fragrant berries all the time, you just need to cut the vine on time. The benefit of the variety is that it is not necessary to expend huge efforts on growing and caring for the variety.

Grape variety Isabella large-fruited, grows very quickly

Since ancient times, grapes were considered a divine berry and were grown in gardens and summer cottages, they made excellent fragrant semi-sweet wine, compotes and jams from it. This list is endless. In addition, Isabella grapes have earned the special love of growers for their easy planting, good rooting of cuttings and seedlings, immunity to most grape diseases. The love of the female half of the population of the earth Isabella deserved for relatively low calorie(66 cal/100 g). A significant drawback of Isabella wine is that after three years of storage it has a pronounced smell of rot.

List of synonymous varieties: Fragola (Italy), Seksarda, Bangalore Blue (India),

Isabelle, Izabella, (Italy), Albany Surprise (New Zealand), Seksarda, Bangalore Blue (India)

Where is the best place to plant

If you decide to plant vines near buildings, then it is best to do this from the south or west side. You should not choose a place near a fence or fence, as the bush should be well ventilated. Isabella also should not be planted in a lowland, the soil should be warm enough when planting. Grapes are planted in a pre-prepared hole, where crushed stone is first poured into the bottom. Wood ash can be added to improve soil quality.

Isabella will not grow in soils with high water tables, or where the soil is salty or acidic.

The climate near Moscow is great for growing low-calorie grapes, you just need to properly prepare the seedling for planting:

If the seedling has slightly dry roots, then dip it for 24 hours in warm water before planting.
Before planting, cut off the shoots (by 3-5 eyes) and roots (basic by 4-6 cm).
Prepare a hole 80x80 cm in size. Lay drainage on a layer (small pebbles, gravel). From above, pour a layer of 10 cm of excavated earth with mineral fertilizers, manure, ash, potassium salt.
Make a small mound of earth in the center and carefully plant a bush. It is best to plant in the spring. Before the onset of frost, the vine bushes have time to take root and they will not be afraid of frost.
The first harvest of the Moscow Region variety will give for 3 years.

The climate near Moscow is perfect for growing grapes

The benefits of berries

The dark color of the grapes indicates that the berries contain a high concentration of anthocyanins. The human body cannot produce these beneficial substances on its own, they can only be acquired with food. 200 mg of anthocyanins per day increases the body's resistance to harmful bacteria, restores strength. In addition, anthocyanins are a powerful antioxidant. They protect cells from the ingress of toxic substances and other toxins. Black berries of Isabella, with regular use them for food:

increase the elasticity of blood vessels;
regulate the concentration of hemoglobin,
I help restore blood pressure.

Sweet fruits contain substances that effectively fight cancer cells. Skin and seeds contain the most antioxidants. Small elastic and round dark berries bring many benefits:

rid the body of decay products;
restore strength and increase and stimulate the hidden capabilities of the body;
regulate the activity of the heart.

The flavonoids that are part of the berries remove nitrates and heavy metals from the body. Grape juice is recommended for athletes and people weakened by illness or in a depressed state. List beneficial influence grapes on the emotional state and physical health of a person, one can go on endlessly.

Isabella leaves - irreplaceable helpers

Not only berries bring benefits to a person, but also grape leaves. Their medicinal qualities known and widely used in traditional medicine. You can reduce the temperature by applying fresh green leaves to the face, hands, feet.

Infusion prepared from fresh leaves used as an expectorant and analgesic. Take an infusion for coughs, sore throats.

Decoction of grape leaves helps with pharyngitis and tonsillitis, and also use it as an expectorant.

Fresh leaves of Isabella contribute to the rapid tightening and healing of wounds and abrasions. A decoction of dried and crushed leaves serves as an expectorant.

Fresh leaves of Isabella contribute to the rapid tightening and healing of wounds.

When consumption should be reduced

Grapes are tasty and healthy, but there are some reasons and diseases when eating Isabella can be harmful and should be minimized:

Allergic diseases. Isabella does not belong to strong allergens, but no one fully knows what the body of each person is capable of, because it is unique. If, after eating grapes, the slightest signs of an allergy appear, you should stop using grapes.
Increased acidity. The presence of vitamin C in berries in large doses can cause: heartburn, burning, pain in the gastrointestinal region.
Diarrhea. Eating grapes contributes to loose stools and is therefore not recommended.
Diabetes. Sick diabetes the use of Isabella fruits is contraindicated due to the high concentration of sugar.
Hypertension. A person who consumes grape fruits may experience increased thirst due to high content potassium, which leads to high blood pressure blood in patients with arterial hypertension.
Diet for weight loss. High sugar content and calorie content is undesirable in the diet of losing weight. To maintain weight at this level, you can consume no more than 20-30 grams of Isabella grapes per day.

Weaknesses and pests

The disadvantages include the fact that the variety needs a large amount of moisture, but this does not affect the ripening of berries and the bush gives an excellent harvest even on non-fertile soils.

Small insects such as leafworms, as well as spider mites, can cause significant damage to future crops. Ensure the safety and preservation of berries and leaves timely processing of shoots: harm will be minimal.

Significant harm can be brought to the future harvest by birds that love to eat sweet and fragrant berry. To save the harvest and scare away the birds, special shiny and rustling ribbons are hung on the vine. An exceptional measure is a nylon mesh that is thrown over the bush. In this case, the harm from birds and insects will be minimal, but birds that become entangled in the net and die may suffer.

Diseases

According to a study for the period 1991-1993 by the Institute Rebenzuchtung Geilweilerhof, Siebeldingen, Germany, the fruits of the large-fruited Isabella are resistant to powdery mildew, and the leaves are of medium susceptibility. On a scale of 1 to 9, the result is 1/6 (B/L), where B is the berries and L is the leaves. For comparison: Müller Thurgau (B / L) = 9/7; Sylvaner (B / L) = 9/9 (1 - no signs of disease; 9 - berries affected in 70%, and the leaves are almost completely affected by the disease). During the research and testing of grapes, cultivation took place without any chemicals protection.

Due to the fact that large-fruited Isabella is an artificially bred variety, it is quite resistant to diseases such as mildew and oidium, demonic phylloxera.

Isabella is quite disease resistant

Another benefit for growers is that if the shoots of the vines are damaged by frost, new ones can grow in their place in one season.

vitamin drink

Freshly squeezed juice saves everything useful qualities berries. To harvest juice for the winter, you need:

Collect ripe and juicy berries grapes. Wash them.
Put the berries in a saucepan and heat to 65 degrees. Remove from heat and cool to 40 degrees.
Squeeze out the juice and heat again to 90 degrees.
Pour into sterilized jars. Close tightly.
Store juice at 2-5°C in a dark place. Juice healthy drink- a storehouse of vitamins and minerals with a low calorie content.

home tincture

In addition, from ripe berries Isabella, you can prepare delicious homemade tinctures, using which in moderation, you can bring undeniable benefit health.

Select well-ripened juicy berries.
Separate the berries from the bunch and wash well.
Use vodka as alcohol.

List necessary components: 1.5 kg of grapes; 1 liter of vodka; 1.5 st. spoons of sugar.

Cooking:

Wash the berries thoroughly and pour into a two-liter jar.
Add sugar and pour vodka, so that it completely covers the berries.
Close the jar tightly. Shake a few times to dissolve the sugar. Put in a dark cool place.
After 21 days, filter the resulting tincture. Pour into bottles. Clog. Shelf life 1.5-2 years. Fortress 20-25 degrees.
If necessary, and to increase the degree, you can add vodka.
The tincture has an excellent aroma, pleasant color and high taste characteristics.

Grapes have many varieties, which are divided into table and dessert. Some are very similar palatability, they can be confused externally, but not Isabella grapes. This variety has no analogues, its taste and appearance is unique.

Variety Isabella is a natural hybrid, natural way Labrusca and Vinifer united in it. It was they who endowed the grapes with a dark, almost black skin and incredibly fragrant pulp, which became a calling card.

A breeder from the USA, William Prince, was able to fully reveal all the properties of Isabella. Thanks to him, the country for almost two hundred years not only successfully cultivated the berry for its own needs, but also exported it to more than 150 countries of the world. In the 80s of the twentieth century, the vine successfully spread throughout Europe, at about the same time it came to us.

Today, the Isabella variety is successfully grown in many CIS countries. It is the main one for the production of chacha in Georgia and Dagestan, winemakers in other countries use it to make homemade wine.

Isabella belongs to wine varieties because of its unusual aroma. Some winemakers have a negative attitude towards it, while others do not.

Composition and calories

The bush of the variety grows better and bears fruit on wet soils, does not dry out. If the growing conditions are not to your liking, it can drop leaves, look bad and significantly reduce the yield. In this case, the berries will not have even half of the nutrients that have a miraculous effect on the body.

According to the description, the berries contain:

Vitamins C, PP, A, E.
The variety is distinguished by a higher content of pectins and anthocyanins.
Antioxidants help fight many diseases.
Potassium has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Other minerals have a beneficial effect on the state of blood vessels.
Flavonoids, catechins, polyphenols help in the natural cleansing of the body.
The components of the fruit are actively involved in hematopoiesis, increasing hemoglobin.

It is worth remembering that the calorie content of Isabella grapes is higher than others. That is why it should be used with caution by overweight people.

Calorie content of grapes of this variety high enough, each hundred grams of the product contains about 65 kcal. This does not always have a positive effect on the figure, so Isabella should be consumed in moderation and preferably in the morning.

Even underweight people should follow this advice, 150-200 g of grapes two to three times a week is enough to enrich the body beneficial substances in sufficient quantity.

Exclude this product from the diet for people with peptic ulcer stomach and duodenum, as well as gastritis during an exacerbation. With anamnesis, it is worth using in moderation.

Useful properties and harm of Isabella grapes for the body

Isabella grape variety is famous for many useful properties. Berries are used:

The dark pigment in the peel has a truly unique properties. It is formed from antioxidants, which contribute to the normalization of the process of hematopoiesis, normalize blood pressure, improve the condition of the blood and blood vessels.
Regular use is great increases hemoglobin, on par with a grenade.
Flavonoids and catechins cleanses of waste and toxins in a natural way, increase efficiency and general tone, help the body recover faster after serious illnesses.
Berries and freshly squeezed juice from them promotes normal contraction of the heart muscle restores normal rhythm.

Not everyone knows that not only the fruits of grapes bring benefits, the leaves and the vine itself have healing properties. They contain tannins, sugars, mineral acids, a whole complex of vitamins and minerals.

Leaves are used:

externally with cuts, bruises, abrasions;
with their help reduce high temperature, applied to the forehead, armpits, chest;
grape leaf can relieve headaches;
decoction is an excellent expectorant;
indispensable for sore throats and pharyngitis, used for rinsing;
with abscesses and furunculosis, a decoction is used as a lotion;
dry and powdered leaves are used for nosebleeds.

The stems also contain many benefits, after they have finished ripening, the juice has long been used in folk medicine to treat various colds.

value for men and women this product lies in rapid restoration of the protective functions of the body during the autumn-spring period. People involved in heavy production, athletes simply need a glass every day grape juice of this particular variety.

Children are allowed to use Isabella not earlier than the age of three, but decoctions are recommended from the age of one.

Isabella can bring harmful properties only to those who have an individual intolerance to the product. You should not use it for ulcers and people with gastritis, even during remission, grapes in berries or juice can provoke an exacerbation of the disease.

Application

Most people associate Isabella grapes with winemaking, and this is true.

Of the variety many do fragrant house wine, in Georgia and Dagestan, chacha and moonshine are produced on an industrial scale. But the scope of the crop is much wider:

Isabella is mashed and frozen for the winter;
compotes are prepared from grapes, to which pears and apples are added;
processed into juice, while it is better to mix it with apple juice in equal proportions;
prepare jams and jams, it is important to do this with bones.

In addition to cooking, grapes of this variety are also used in cosmetology:

scrubs are made from the bones;
extracts are used to make creams and tonics;
the peel is an excellent anti-aging agent;
a decoction of the leaves is recommended to wipe the face with acne.

The use of Isabella grapes is wide, it is an indispensable raw material not only in winemaking.

Isabel- American grape variety, natural hybrid ( Vitis labrusca × Vitis vinifera).

The berries are black, with slimy pulp and specific smell, ripen late; consumed fresh; used in winemaking. Recently, due to the higher methanol content in wines produced from this variety compared to wines from pure Vitis vinifera, and also due to the extremely specific aroma of wines (aged wines from this variety have a pronounced rotten aroma), this variety , as well as other hybrids of wild and cultivated grapes (varieties like "Lydia", etc.), are prohibited for use in commercial winemaking in the USA and EU countries. The few farmers in Europe who, despite the ban, still work with American hybrids, say that the high content of methanol in their wines is a myth, and the ban on commercial production of wines from this variety is simply related to EU protectionist policies.

On the territory of the CIS, it is distributed in the humid regions of Georgia, Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, is available in the Krasnodar Territory, Crimea, and is promising for Moldova (except for the northern regions).

It grows freely in the Chernozem region, Moscow region and Siberia, non-covering variety.

Varieties of the Isabella group are very unpretentious and resistant to fungal diseases (mildew and oidium), as well as against phylloxera.

Isabella grape variety.

General characteristics of the Lydia grape variety

Lidia is a medium-ripening technical and table grape variety with excellent fruit color and a fairly harmonious taste. In the Kyiv and Donetsk regions, its berries reach full maturity in early October, in Odessa - by the end of September. Growth is strong. It is characterized by high productivity, you can often see shoots with 3 to 6 clusters. On average, the weight of each bunch is 60-100 g. The berries are medium in size, rounded, dark red, with a waxy lilac coating. Relatively good winter hardiness of bushes, normally adapts to abundant soil moisture. It has a strong skin and high resistance to fungal diseases. Low phylloxera resistance. The variety is zoned in Ukraine and Moldova. The variety belongs to the American species V. Labruska. Lydia was isolated among the seedlings of Isabella, with which she is similar in terms of leaves and clusters, but differs only in the color of the berries. Since the 60s of the 20th century, the variety has spread to the territory of Ukraine, especially on the Lower Dnieper sands. In smaller quantities, it is found in the vineyards of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, as well as in the northern viticulture zone of Russia.

Prohibition of wine from Isabella and Lydia varieties due to methanol- a ban on circulation introduced in a number of modern states alcoholic products, made from grape varieties "Isabella", "Lydia" and their analogues.

Winemaking from grape varieties "Isabella", "Lydia" and analogues was banned in the US and EU countries due to the high content of methyl alcohol (methanol). According to academician Boris Gain, all hybrids of Isabella grape varieties are banned in the EU: Seibel, Kuderk, Tiras, Raindor and others. Directives European Union(EC No. 1493/1999, Article 19 and EC No. 883/2001, Article 21) restricted the import into the EU of red wines from cross-breeding varieties or those not belonging to the species Vitis vinifera. The marker is the pigment malvidin-3,5-diglycoside (MDG), the concentration of which in the wine should not exceed 15 mg/l.

Reason for the bans

Methyl alcohol(methanol) is a dangerous poison.

During the fermentation of "Isabella" (and similar varieties), in a larger amount, compared to other grape varieties, methyl alcohol is formed, which leads to damage to the liver, kidneys, optic nerve and other organs. Harmful properties are observed only during alcoholic fermentation (fresh grapes of these varieties do not pose this danger).

The 2002 edition of Ribero-Gayon's oenologists' bible contains the following information on the methanol content in wine from hybrid varieties and its effect on the human body:

“The variety is a hybrid of the noble European vine Vitis vinifera with the American Vitis labrusca. Hybrid varieties (Isabella, Lydia) contain more pectins in grape skins than noble ones. Methyl alcohol is obtained from pectins during fermentation by enzymatic hydrolysis of their methoxyl group. Methyl alcohol in excess concentration is hazardous to health, its lethal dose is 350 mg/kg. During digestion, it is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid, both toxic and dangerous to the central nervous system. Formaldehyde decomposes the optic nerve and can lead to blindness."

— Handbook of Enology, Volume 2, Ribéreau-Gayon et al. from 2002.

Methanol poisoning mimics multiple sclerosis. Similar problems with the brain, according to aspartame critic Betty Martini, can occur when eating this sweetener, because when heated to 30 ° C, it tends to turn into methanol and formaldehyde.

Effect of grape variety and processing method on methanol content

The ratio between 1 liter of liquid and 120 mg of methanol (density 0.7918 g/cm³) by volume.

Isabella group grapes are different high content diglycosides - during the fermentation of grape juice, they form toxic methyl alcohol. In a liter of Isabelle wine, 70-120 mg of methanol is formed compared to 30-40 mg / l in European varieties. According to other data, the content of methanol in white wines ranges from 20 to 100 mg/l, and in reds - from 80 to 350 mg/l. The following estimates of the methanol content are also mentioned: in white wines - from 0.2 to 1.1 g / l, cognac spirits and cognacs - from traces to 0.8 g / l. In fruit and berry wines, the methanol content is higher than in grape ones.

Scientists from Cornell University in 1975 published the results of a study of grape varieties and processing methods for the formation of methanol from natural grape enzymes and pectins. Concord wines fermented in the presence of grape skins without heat treatment, contained the highest percentage of methanol. Wines from white grape varieties Vitis Vinifera, V. labrusca and hybrids contained less methanol than wines from red varieties. Wine made by hot pressing grapes contained approximately 10-20% methanol in relation to wines from the same varieties fermented with the skins. Relatively high amounts of methanol have been detected in wines made from Concord or Ives grapes, ranging from 400 to 500 parts per million (ppm), although this varied widely for vintages in four different years. Wines made from Pinot noir or Riesling vinifera grapes contained a small amount of methanol, more uniform from year to year.