The Drinks Business reports that a 600-year-old grape seed found in a 15th-century hospital latrine in Valenciennes has been identified as genetically identical to modern Pinot Noir, with the underlying Nature Communications study describing it as evidence of clonal continuity over nearly 600 years. The finding strengthens the case that Pinot Noir was already being cultivated in France in the 1400s and adds to broader evidence that sophisticated vine propagation techniques were in use much earlier than many non-specialists might assume.
Viticulture
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How Clone Numbers on Wine Labels Are Shaping Vineyard Choices
Food & Wine reports that grapevine clones, the numbered selections sometimes shown on labels, are becoming more central to quality, style, and climate resilience decisions, with producers using different clones to fine tune ripening windows, disease tolerance, and flavour profiles, and treating clonal diversity as a practical tool for coping with more volatile growing seasons.