Ambulo Blanc

 "Ambulo Blanc" sounds like the part of a French hospital where people heal from leg injuries. But it is a new modern grape finding success in California.

It's 97% vinifera. Has Pierce's Disease resistance. Thrives in CA's hotter weather. One grower planted it (apparently) mostly to provide a "buffet" along a stream for the sharpshooters, who are "satisfied" by the new grape and thus don't intrude into the vinifera vineyard. 

1. Interesting that hybrid/modern grapes can be mostly an "insulation layer." I guess that's something.

2. How low can the US and Asian native grape parentage go, and the grape still be "hybrid?" 3% is awfully low. But I bet many growers are comforted by the super-high vinifera component--it's not as frightening to their meekness. I recall Germany's trying to promote Regent as "vinifera." As if these wonderful other grape species are somehow evil.

This makes me think of the ever-slowing turtle, who every minute goes half the remaining distance to a destination point, so that he will never actually reach it. But the distance between the turtle and the destination point becomes so vanishingly small that, at some point, mathematicians throw up their hands and say, "Oh, heck--it's close enough. Let's all agree that the turtle arrived at its destination, and then let's all go home for supper." And that is how "Calculus" was created ;)