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WineEast included apple, tropical fruit, peach, citrus, lemon, rose and honey.5 Many winemakers generalize that fruit harvested earlier will have more dominant citrus character, and tropical fruit aromas intensify with greater ripeness. However, further work is still needed to determine a link between flavors and aromatics in fruit at harvest and those in the resulting wines. Wine styles of Blanc Du Bois have also evolved considerably in the past decade as winemakers are expanding beyond standard dry, off-dry and sweet varietal wines. The trend for off-dry to semi-sweet wines is likely a reflection of the consumer prefer- ence in the southeast. The predominant wine style for Blanc Du Bois in Texas is an off-dry to semi-sweet wine with predomi- nant tropical fruit aromas and a crisp citrus finish—although true dry wines are increas- ing in number. Raymond Haak, owner and winemaker at Haak Winery in Santa Fe, Texas, has been producing wines from Blanc Du Bois since the 1980s. Haak is the largest producer of Blanc Du Bois wines in Texas and has - SIHA YEAST - References 1. Anas, O.; Harrison, U.J.; Brannen, P.M.; and Sut- ton, T.B. 2008. The Effect of Warming Winter Temperatures on the Severity of Pierce's Disease in the Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont of the Southeastern United States. Online. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2008-0718-01-RS. 2. Buzombo, P.; Jaimes, J.; Lam, V.; Cantrell, K.; Harkness, M.; McCullough, D.; and Morano, L. 2006. An American Hybrid Vineyard in the Texas Gulf Coast: Analysis Within a Pierce's Disease Hot Zone. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 57:3. pp. 347-355. 3. Fritschi, F.B.; Lin, H.; and Walker, A.M. 2007. Xy- lella fastidiosa Population Dynamics in Grapevine Genotypes Differing in Susceptibility to Pierce's Disease. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 58:3. pp. 326-332. 4. Mortensen, J.A. 1987. Blanc Du Bois: A Florida Bunch Grape for White Wine. Agricultural Experi- ment Station, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville. Cir. S-340. 5. Sims, C.; and Dreyer, E. Unpublished data, 2010. 6. Wallingford, A.K.; Tolin, S.A.; Myers, A.L.; Wolf, T.K.; and Pfeiffer, D.G. 2007. Expansion of the Range of Pierce's Disease in Virginia. Online. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2007-1004- 01-BR. embraced the diversity of the Blanc Du Bois grape. He produces seven different wines including a dry, semi-sweet, sweet, rosé (blended with red), barrel reserve, white Port and a Madeira-style dessert wine from about 50 tons of fruit per year. The wide range of Blanc Du Bois wine styles may be limited by the ripeness of fruit in some years. For example, in a year with heavy rain leading into fruit maturity, a grower may need to harvest fruit with low sugar levels and high titratable acid- ity, which is destined to make a sweet wine in order to balance the acidity. In a dry season with little fruit rot apparent, a grower has the option to make multiple passes through the vineyard to harvest fruit according to the desired wine style. While few commercial wineries are produc- ing sparkling wine from Blanc Du Bois, the potential for its application to early harvested fruit is a topic of discussion for larger wineries. The future of Blanc Du Bois The quality and production of Blanc Du Bois wines have improved remarkably in the past decade, with vineyard expansion con- tinuing to grow in Texas and other south- eastern states. In 2007, the total acreage of Blanc Du Bois in the Texas Gulf Coast re- gion was approximately 20 acres. The latest Eastern Distributor for Beco Filter Sheets, Siha Yeast, EvOAK Oak Alternatives, Parker-dh Membranes, Chillers, N2 Generators, Zander Air Products SEGUFIRTNE C Wines & Vines FeBRUARY 2012 79 O AK ALTERNATIVES - BECOPAD - DECAN TERILE FILTRATION - WATER FILTRATIO T E R - S N