—

Grapevine domestication: why, where and when?

There are between 5,000 and 10,000 grape varieties in the world, of which nearly 1,400 are currently used to make wine, according to the book Wine Grape. The vast majority of grape varieties come from the domestication of the wild vine (Vitis vinifera subsp. silvestris), a botanical species existing in the Eurasian forests since 65 million years.

Why would a Paleolithic man or woman climb a tall forest tree to reach black or dark-red berries that may be attractive to birds but offer so little food value ? Why would they domesticate the wild grapevine and bring it into cultivation ? Where are the primary domestication centers ? Where does the huge biodiversity in modern grape varieties come from ? And when all this happened ?

In a language that is accessible to all, but without neglecting precision and scientific rigor, Dr José Vouillamoz will provide his personal views on the answers to these questions, with a special focus on Turkey.

Natural wines are not a trend.

Wines of all those strange grape varieties one has problems pronouncing are not a trend. They’ve been with us since the beginnings and represent a basis for all of the winemaking today. In a world in which a call to act in addressing climate change can not be more urgent, to promote and drink natural wines based on authentic grape varieties represents not just the most obvious choice – but also the most ethical one.

Small but natural.

Producing wine in a fruit garden with high biodiversity as a precondition.

Working only with some of the 1430 Anatolian grapes.

No pesticides, no insecticides.  No other chemical inputs.

No phylloxera, mildew resistant, grapes on their own rootstock.

Open fermentation in Küps, 6-month maceration on skins, stems, and seeds.

No filtering, no fining, no other manipulations.

Original & Natural,  5000 bottles of good wine can feed a whole family.

Grape Cultivation, Integrated Production, Organic Farming, Sustainable Agriculture Practices in Viticulture

Forgotten Wine Grapes of Anatolia

Vineyard Pests, Cluster Moth, Biotechnical Methods, Pest Management in Integrated Control and Organic Agriculture

Preservation and Appreciation of Grapevine Genetic Resources of Anatolia

Tekirdağ Viticulture Research Institute has carried out The National Grapevine Genetic Resources Project since 1965, and the number of local grape varieties is 1435 in National Collection Vineyard. The main goal of the project for these local grape varieties is to prevent them from probable extinction caused by industrialization, urbanization, and commercial trends. The plant specimens are also preserving at the herbarium. Morphological and molecular description studies had finished for the most varieties.   

The rich biodiversity of grapevine genetic sources served at grape breeding programs and resistance studies on biotic and abiotic stress conditions. All varieties have been scanned to determine hopeful ones for table grape, raisins, wine grape, and grape juice sectors.   Two local grape varieties of Elazığ and Bolu were selected and registered as Karamenüş and Yayla respectively.  The high-quality wine of Karamenüş contains high tannin, and the color of the wine is purplish black or intense red. This complex wine has fruity, spicy, chocolate, and cocoa aromas. The balance between bouquet and taste of the wine needs aging for a few years. The wine of Yayla grapes is characterized with ruby color, caramel and rose, and red fruit flavors.

Greek Varieties on the Rise.

Only a decade ago who had heard of Assyrtiko, Santorini, Naoussa, Nemea or Malagousia? Today, these terroirs and varieties have become the center of attention for many wine enthusiasts in some of the sophisticated social circles in the various cities around the world. This momentum could even be described as a renaissance in the world of Greek wine. Greek MW Yiannis Karakasis presents the opportunities and challenges of indigenous varieties.