When you think of Chianti, you probably think of ruby-red Sangiovese wine. But new DNA research shows that Italy’s most famous wine region looked very different two thousand years ago.
Text: Ingrid Larmoyeur (The Wine Institute) | Image: Pexels
As Historianet recently reported, researchers analysed the DNA of 80 grape seeds found in ancient wells near Cetamura del Chianti in Tuscany. The seeds date from the Etruscan and Roman periods, between approximately 300 BC and 300 AD.
The biggest surprise? It turned out that the majority came from one and the same white grape variety, which had been cultivated for centuries. In other words: in the region that is now world-famous for its red Chianti, white grapes probably predominated at the time. It was only later that new grape varieties appeared in the region.
Southern France
The research revealed something else remarkable. The DNA shows that some grapes are genetically related to ancient grape varieties from the south of France. This suggests that the Romans already had an extensive network through which vines and knowledge of viticulture were disseminated throughout the empire. In fact, it was an early form of international viticulture.
Why is this important? Because it shows that famous wine regions are constantly changing. Grape varieties, wine styles and even the identity of a wine region are far less fixed than we often think. The history of wine turns out, quite literally, to still lie hidden in the soil.
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