Appears in
Oxford Companion to Wine

By Jancis Robinson

Published 2006

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scale, types of insects which attack grapevines, comprising at least 13 different species. Scale insects feed by sucking sap, and heavy infestations can weaken vine vigour. Some scale insects excrete honeydew, which can spoil any bunches because a black, sooty mould usually grows on the honeydew. If many bunches are affected, this may taint the resultant wine.

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