7 - WineSpeed by Karen MacNeil

November 9, 2018

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Number (in millions) of preserved fish housed in two World War II bunkers south of New Orleans, LA. The Royal D. Suttkus Fish Collection, founded in 1950, is the largest preserved fish collection in the world. According to Atlas Obscura, the archive is a vital source of information for scientists researching the effects of climate change on ocean life.

Which country below is the only major wine producing country in the world not to have been seriously affected by the lethal insect phylloxera?

A. New Zealand

B. Chile

C. South Africa

D. Portugal

B.

Phylloxera—a tiny, yellow, insect—has spread through much of the world, destroying vineyards in its wake as the insects feed on vines’ roots, ultimately sucking the life out of the plants. However, a phylloxera epidemic has not (some would say not yet) hit Chile. Secluded on the western coast of South America, Chile is hemmed in by the Andes Mountains to the east, the Atacama Desert to the north, and Antarctica to the south. The country’s physical isolation, dry climate, sandy soils, and use of flood irrigation all have helped protect against phylloxera.

Tartrates

Usually found clinging to the bottom of a cork, tartrates look like bits of crushed glass or small white snowflakes. But these tasteless, odorless bits of tartaric acid are harmless. Tartrates precipitate out when acidity… Continue reading

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