2,000-Year-Old Grape DNA Unlocks Secrets of Early Modern Wine

DNA from 2,000-year-old grape seeds reveals a surprising find in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy. The area, which is now famous for Sangiovese red wine, was actually dominated by white wine in the past.

As reported by The Guardian, quoted Sunday, June 14, the findings came from a study led by University of York scientists. Researchers extracted DNA, that is, genetic material that stores information on the inheritance of the characteristics of living things, from ancient grape seeds found in the old well of Cetamura del Chianti.

The archaeological site on the hilltop was once inhabited by the Etruscans before the arrival of the Romans and then the medieval Italian community. Residents who lived there between 300 BC to 300 AD threw grapes into deep wells. The seeds then survived for thousands of years because they were buried in mud that did not contain oxygen.

"We sequenced DNA from 80 seeds and found a remarkable story of continuity," said Dr Oya Inanli, one of the study's authors from the University of York, as quoted by The Guardian.

According to Inanli, most of the seeds tested came from the same variety. The variety was inherited from the Etruscans to the Romans and remained preserved for centuries.

Genetic testing also allowed scientists to find out the color of the ancient grape. The results showed that the dominant grape plant at the location produced white fruit. Researchers call the plant a clone, that is, a plant that has the same genetic makeup because it comes from a single lineage.

This finding is interesting because Chianti is now synonymous with Sangiovese red wine. This means that before red wine became a symbol of the region, white wine was the main variety for hundreds of years.

Nancy De Grummond, a professor from Florida State University who has been excavating Cetamura del Chianti since 1973, said the results of the study add an important chapter to the history of Chianti vitikultur. Vitikultur is the science and practice of cultivating grapevines.

"It is a pleasant surprise to find out that the world-famous red wine was actually preceded by a white wine that was nurtured and maintained for centuries during the Etruscan and Roman periods," said De Grummond.

In the same report, The Guardian said that after the Romans took control of the settlement, new varieties of grapes began to appear in Cetamura. This is believed to be a sign of the transfer of grape plants from other regions of the Roman Empire.

DNA testing also found that the dominant grape plants in Cetamura had a close genetic relationship with two ancient grape seeds previously found in the southern French region.

The researchers said the findings provided biological evidence of a network of long-distance agriculture in the Roman Empire. The network likely influenced the more standardized wine production system and was one of the foundations of the development of modern winemaking.