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Ancient DNA from Roman and Medieval Grape Seeds Reveal Ancestry of Wine Making
EurekAlert! ^ | Monday, June 10, 2019 | University of York

Posted on 06/10/2019 7:26:31 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

A grape variety still used in wine production in France today can be traced back 900 years to just one ancestral plant, scientists have discovered.

With the help of an extensive genetic database of modern grapevines, researchers were able to test and compare 28 archaeological seeds from French sites dating back to the Iron Age, Roman era, and medieval period.

...a team of researchers from the UK, Denmark, France, Spain, and Germany, drew genetic connections between seeds from different archaeological sites, as well as links to modern-day grape varieties.

It has long been suspected that some grape varieties grown today, particularly well-known types like Pinot Noir, have an exact genetic match with plants grown 2,000 years ago or more, but until now there has been no way of genetically testing an uninterrupted genetic lineage of that age.

Dr Nathan Wales, from the University of York, said: "From our sample of grape seeds we found 18 distinct genetic signatures, including one set of genetically identical seeds from two Roman sites separated by more than 600km, and dating back 2,000 years ago.

"These genetic links, which included a 'sister' relationship with varieties grown in the Alpine regions today, demonstrate winemakers' proficiencies across history in managing their vineyards with modern techniques, such as asexual reproduction through taking plant cuttings."

One archaeological grape seed excavated from a medieval site in Orléans in central France was genetically identical to Savagnin Blanc. This means the variety has grown for at least 900 years as cuttings from just one ancestral plant...

The researchers now hope to find more archaeological evidence that could send them further back in time and reveal more grape wine varieties.

(Excerpt) Read more at eurekalert.org ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: agriculture; alcohol; animalhusbandry; booze; denmark; dietandcuisine; france; germany; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; huntergatherers; medieval; middleages; oenology; pinotnoir; romanempire; savagninblanc; spain; traminer; unitedkingdom; vinjaune; wine; zymurgy
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A vineyard by Pic Saint Loup Mountain in southern France. [Credit: S. Ivorra CNRS/ISEM]

A vineyard by Pic Saint Loup Mountain in southern France. [Credit: S. Ivorra CNRS/ISEM]

1 posted on 06/10/2019 7:26:31 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...
The days are documented pretty well by the calendar, and this study documents some of the history of wine. Now all we need is some more information about roses.

2 posted on 06/10/2019 7:28:17 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Wine?
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/edworts-apflewine.html

Ed Wort has your wine right here.
Great stuff. It’s that easy.


3 posted on 06/10/2019 7:33:09 PM PDT by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat/RINO Party!)
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To: SunkenCiv
A very enjoyable read, especially if you do your homework.


4 posted on 06/10/2019 7:46:01 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: SunkenCiv

If Texas Mustang Grape root stocks that France needed and used in the 40’s & 50’s to replenish their vineyards that were then grafted, is it a genetic match?


5 posted on 06/10/2019 8:08:27 PM PDT by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's fore sure)
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To: SunkenCiv

6 posted on 06/10/2019 8:37:20 PM PDT by Beowulf9
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To: Deaf Smith
Yes, it does, that's the whole focus of the excerpt and the underlying article and research. And do you know what grafting even is?

7 posted on 06/10/2019 8:53:35 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: colorado tanker
I was going to post an article about the spread of millet, wheat, and barley from Central Asia outward, but just in time found a similar topic from 2014. But regardless, we can all enjoy a loaf of bread, a skin of wine, and some real or imaginary darling.
french vinyards after wwi
Google

8 posted on 06/10/2019 8:57:46 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...

9 posted on 06/10/2019 9:07:43 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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10 posted on 06/10/2019 9:10:34 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: mrsmith
Dand, I missed that booth on career day.
Puree

11 posted on 06/10/2019 9:15:12 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

I guess wine rations during WWI was one good thing about that war.


12 posted on 06/10/2019 9:20:37 PM PDT by CJ Wolf (Free)
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To: SunkenCiv

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Yeah I can’t resist any chance tio advocate easy home-made wine.,


13 posted on 06/10/2019 9:22:31 PM PDT by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat/RINO Party!)
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To: Beowulf9
This is turning into a pretty good year. ;^)

14 posted on 06/10/2019 9:37:31 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

First vineyard can be traced back to Noah..that’s like 6000 years ago.


15 posted on 06/10/2019 9:38:22 PM PDT by georgiegirl (Count me Deplorable)
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To: mrsmith
A classmate of mine (alas, now deceased) got into homebrewing back when he and his wife were first living in one of the severely vintage houses in a rural area near here. The basement looked like a Roman ruin built out of rubble stolen from a Greek ruin, it was ideal. He also liked making (and drinking) mead. :^)

16 posted on 06/10/2019 9:39:41 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: CJ Wolf
:^) from 2013 (also has links from the zymurgy kw of that time):

17 posted on 06/10/2019 9:42:57 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

My grandmother was a botany profesor in the 1920s.

My mother was a chemistry major.

I suppose what is noteworthy, is that it is noteworthy today.

Do they have a smartphone app for this “breakthrough” knowledge?

Seriously these vintners’ llivelihood depends on maintaining the “institutional” competence of their industry.


18 posted on 06/10/2019 9:48:35 PM PDT by truth_seeker ( ^^\/**|_|**\/ ^^^^)
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The rest of the Zymurgy keyword:

19 posted on 06/10/2019 10:00:55 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: truth_seeker
WTH are you snarking about?

20 posted on 06/10/2019 10:01:56 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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