What is good about Isabella grapes: the main advantages of the variety

Characteristics

This grape variety appeared in America, where for several hundred years it was not only grown, but also exported to 150 countries of the world as an excellent wine. Breeder William Prince was able to trace all the changes that this delightful variety has undergone over the course of several decades, and made it the way it has survived to this day.

If we talk about the description of the variety, then it is worth starting with a presentable type of bunches of such grapes. On them you can see berries, small in size, black with a bluish tinge, on the surface of which there is a dense white bloom. Continuing the description of the variety, a few words should be said about the pulp - in the grapes of this variety, it has a pleasant, well-pronounced strawberry taste.

It is covered with a dense and strong skin, and the flesh is somewhat slimy to the touch. This grape variety is recommended to be planted in the spring, or in the fall, before winter. If we talk about the period of the final ripening of the berries, the description of which you could see a little above, then it is about 180 days from the moment when the first buds appear. The grape bushes of this variety are quite tall crops, and the bunches themselves are quite average in size.

The yield of this variety, which can be planted both in spring and before winter, can be about 70 centners per hectare of usable area. The yield indicator may vary somewhat, depending on the climate conditions in which this grape variety is grown, as well as the characteristics of crop care. Has a fairly late ripening period, so the harvest, as a rule, falls on September - October.

In addition to the external description, thanks to which we got an idea of ​​\ u200b \ u200bthe presentable form of bunches and berries, Isabella grapes have excellent characteristics. Its obvious advantages include a good degree of frost resistance, which is very important for those regions of our country in which winter is quite severe. In winter, this variety does not require special protection in the form of wrapping with any materials or dropping. Isabella belongs to non-covering varieties, which means that the grapes do not need to be wrapped for the winter in the middle lane. In addition to the ability to endure all the hardships of winter, such grapes have a high immunity not only to dangerous fungal diseases, but also to such unpleasant pests that can interfere with the normal growth and harmonious development of the vineyard, such as phylloxera.

It is also worth noting that old bushes of this crop variety can give new shoots in case of damage or partial freezing of buds or branches in winter. This remarkable property allows for normal harvesting on a regular basis. Also, Isabella grapes normally adapt to different climatic zones, loves well-moisturized soil.The only caveat is that it is worth remembering that in the northern regions of our country, this late variety may not have time to ripen before the early onset of cold weather and winter.

Video "From berries to wine: the whole process"

Beneficial features

The grapes of this excellent variety are distinguished not only by their large size and excellent taste, but also contain many useful substances for the human body. They are not only rich in high iron content, thanks to which they can significantly increase the level of hemoglobin, where they can give odds even to the famous pomegranates, but they also contain three times more antioxidants and anticyanins than other grape varieties. The healing properties include their ability to positively influence the composition of the blood, due to which not only its liquefaction occurs, but also the possible occurrence of diseases of the circulatory system is prevented.

Medical professionals advise using this grape variety in order to effectively prevent the appearance of dangerous cancer cells, since it is believed that the antioxidants present in the berries are excellent at fighting cancer, as well as tumors. To achieve the maximum effect, the berries are recommended to be eaten together with the skin, as well as grains, since it is in them that a large concentration of nutrients necessary for the human body is achieved. The berries contain such rare components as catechins and polyphenols, which are rarely found in any vegetables and fruits. They have an excellent property to remove unnecessary toxins, fight overweight, and also normalize the metabolism in the body of each person. In addition to the production of juice and wine, berries are dried and canned for the winter, sometimes jam is made from them, which is recommended to be eaten with seeds.

If you eat about 100 grams of grapes daily, then you can well restore the body's resources, as well as raise vitality. In the juice made from grapes of this variety, there is an increased content of potassium, which is very useful not only for the heart muscle, but also for other muscles of the body. And the presence of carotene and vitamin C in the composition of berries can positively affect the normal functioning of your vision.

Nutritionists advise with the help of Isabella grapes to improve the strength expended over the winter and get rid of spring vitamin deficiency

Berries are allowed to be introduced into the diet of children, starting from the age of three. They are useful for babies with poor appetite, and also help to restore the body's strength after infections. Contraindications may be that individual intolerance, indigestion, skin rashes. In order not to provoke an eating disorder, you can not drink berries with milk or kvass.

There are also many vitamins in the stems of this wonderful grape. Its leaves have long been used as a plantain or celandine to treat wounds and abrasions.

Their positive effect is based on the content of a large amount of mineral salts in the leaves. They can also be used at high body temperature to lower it. The stem juice is practically equal in terms of the medicinal qualities of the famous echinacea tincture. The tincture made from the juice of grape stalks is successfully used as a prophylactic agent against autumn colds. A decoction of the leaves can quickly and effectively cure a cough, and powdered, they will help you get rid of a cold. Traditional medicine recommends harvesting leaves and stems for the winter, which will help fight seasonal colds.

Flaws

With all its significant and numerous advantages, this grape variety also has some disadvantages. These include a poor degree of resistance to dry weather conditions.If the vine does not receive the amount of moisture necessary for its normal growth and development, then it will quickly lose its strength, the leaves will fall to the ground, and future yield will significantly decrease. It is not recommended to eat such berries only for those people who have serious stomach problems and duodenal ulcers, since they contain organic acids, which with a high degree of probability can provoke an exacerbation of the underlying disease. Experts say that grape juice can have a bad effect on the condition of the tooth enamel, but it is not difficult to fix this course of things - you just need to drink the juice from a straw. These berries are not useful for all pregnant women; an individual consultation with a specialist is required here.

In the 80s in America, and then in Europe, this type of grape was no longer used as a raw material for making wines, citing the fact that it contains a large percentage of methyl alcohol. But today experts have indicated that during the fermentation of berries, along with ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol is released only 0.01% more than other grape varieties, and such an amount is not capable of harming the body. After that, the good name of the grapes was returned, and on the territory of Russia today more than 50 types of excellent wine are made from it.

Video "Phased development of the Isabella bush"

This variety is great for winemaking, so it is important to grow beautiful and ripe berries. You will learn how to do this in the video.