Gerard speaks of a clear grape brandy called aqua vitae ("water of life"), which, in his day, was supposed to restore strength to the elderly and ill. Now, grapeseed extract, with an antioxidant power twenty times that of Vitamin C, promises also to restore youthful strength to what are usually known as the "declining" years. The Vine, ancient as it is, still has some surprises in store for us!
Note: Vitis vinifera image is from Otto Wilhelm Thomé's Flora von Deutschland Österreich und der Schweiz, courtesy of the Texas Vascular Plant Image Gallery at http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/gallery . Grapes photo is by Scott Bauer, courtesy of the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture at http://www.ars.usda.gov . Vitis vulpina image is by Nikolaus Joseph Jacquin, courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Garden at http://www.illustatedgarden.org .
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