In Bill Nanson’s fine report on the 2011 Burgundy harvest, not only does he go into great detail but has some wonderful photos also. In case you think ladybugs might not have played a part in the 2004 vintage here is a photo Bill has on his site of the 2011 vintage - Amazing!!
Yuk!!!
I thought we had a lot before seeing that. That might quite literally be around the number I have seen at this point in total this harvest.
So are we to expect more green meanies with the 2011 vintage? Can they be removed completely at the sorting table?
Nigel
Hopefully this, (if it is an issue), is much more carefully controlled and managed than last time, although that photo doesn’t look too promising…
It would be beyond belief if, after the 04 controversy, that enterprising domains did not attempt to exclude ladybugs. ps - not accepting that they caused the 04’ness but why would you take the risk ?
Okay Anthony - the comment is fair, but how would you personally go about excluding them?
It’s important to note that ladybug taint in a Burgundy context is currently still only (informed) conjecture. Whilst nobody wants to be ‘wrongo-dongo’, clearly I’m hoping the taint doesn’t surface in 2011, but no-body is going to look for a solution before proof, which 2011 may or may not deliver.
I’ve discussed with a few winemakers and whilst a ‘carwash for grapes’ might offer some solution, NZ winemakers tell me that the taint will probably penetrate the skins, even if it doesn’t or it is just ‘reduced’, will there still be sufficient indigenous yeast populations in the wineries to start a ferment? You can innoculate with something else, but that’s not (currently) Burgundy…
I’m trying to find out if there are certain high pitched frequencies or lights that would discourage them. That said, every one I’ve see this year was trying to get out of Dodge, none tried to go into a tank or into a fruit case.
Maybe a vacum cleaners?
I think their presence at harvest means they were around during other crucial stages, boring into the grapes/stems…didn’t I read that in the many articles I read about the 2004 issues…
My guess is whatever they’ve done is a done deal here.
I don’t think there’s any ‘boring’ Stuart; the bugs and their larva stage eat mainly aphids, and the pupa rest on a leaf untul the ladybug emerges. Like 04, the bugs in 2011 are the smaller european ‘version’, not the larger and more colourful invasive asian variety who will (anecdotally?) also eat their smaller european cousins.
Vegetable material is not their thing, they’re carnivores.
Be careful out there Ray!
Bill, I’m pretty sure I’ve read several articles that include that ladybugs (maybe not all types) actually invade the ripe grapes to eat, after the stems are dislodged. Though they cannot digest acidic things…when the grapes are ripe, they can. Can ladybugs eat grapes? - Answers Do ladybugs eat grapes? - Answers is an admittedly not authoratative answer, but one that came quickly with Google. That’s why I’ve believed that once the bug infestation is spotted, it might be too late to do anything about it.
Looks almost (actually, not nearly) as bad as Ontario in 2001. An open top fermenter at Inniskillin was a sea of LB’s.
Once crushed or spooked - bad ju ju.
Harmonia Axyridis - Japanese/Asian Ladybug. Scroll about 1/3 way down the page to read about grape issues in Ohio.
RT
That’s fair enough Richard, but the thing is that so-far in Burgundy, these are european ladybugs, not the much larger invasive asian version you link to.
Just about any insect worth its salt will not pass up a free meal of sugary juice - even if they are predominantly carnivores - but in Burgundy’s case that would have to be already damaged / partly crushed grapes because though many producers turn a blind eye to them (so-far) I’ve seen plenty of the little critters in the Côtes, and I’ve not seen one european bug with the teeth to tackle an in-tact grapeskin. I do, however, invite all evidence to the contrary…
They don’t just swarm in as soon as grapes go through a destemmer - and there are plenty of ‘aromatic’ 04s that were made with whole clusters, so it’s not really about ‘dislodged stems’ either as the vibrating table (like the picture above in Morey) removes them from in-tact bunches.
The only thing I’m contending here is that they (EU ladybugs) are by nature a boring type beetle and that the damage is done long before the grapes are handled.
Bill, do you mean “contesting” not “contending”?
OOps - well spotted Maureen - perhaps I was up for a fight 
Bill, I suspect you’re right that the little buggies aren’t munching the grapes but taking advantage of incidental sips where there’s damaged skin. Aphids must surely be the plat-du-jour.
Is there disagreement that pyroxenes are the more serious underlying problem? My understanding is that it’s a defensive “reflex bleeding” that the little guys release when agitated (or squashed). I’d be somewhat doubtful that they resort to much defensive chemical Kung-Fu until the grapes are picked, crated, sorted and/or crushed.
RT