Vinifera Species Research Articles

Determination of Some Antioxidant Activity Values in Wines of Vitis vinifera L. Karalahna, Karasakız and Çavuş Grape Varieties Produced in Bozcaada

Vinifera linné subsp., whose traditional names are Karalahna, Çavuş and Karasakız, in Çanakkale Bozcaada region, which has witnessed different cultures and periods for centuries due to its strategic location. It is known that wines made from grapes belonging to vinifera species have been consumed by local people for years. Wine is a traditional fermented beverage rich in phenolic substances and antioxidant properties, where product is kept in red wine with its skins, especially during maceration stage, due to production process. Phenolic content and antioxidant properties vary depending on grape variety, and these properties are important for human health. In this study, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (red wine), çavuş (white wine) and karasakız (red wine) wines produced from karalahna, karasakız (kuntra) and çavuş grapes of the 2020-2021 harvest period were examined. DPPH• free radical scavenging activity, total phenolic substance (Folin-Ciocalteu), Fe+3 reducing power, total flavonoid, anthocyanin, condensed tannin properties were examined.

Protection of viticultural biodiversity: genetic and phenotypic characterisation of grapevine varieties from the northwest coastal area of Tuscany (Italy)

To explore the grapevine biodiversity of some minor viticultural districts located in the northwest coastal area of Tuscany, a total of 99 grapevine samples were collected from field borders or no longer cultivated areas and analysed at the molecular level using 12 microsatellite markers (SSR). The results revealed the presence of 58 unique genotypes among which 42 already known varieties (36 belonging to the Vitis vinifera species and 6 Vitis interspecific crosses) and 16 hitherto unreported genetic profiles. About 50 % of the accessions (52 out of 99) were vegetatively propagated and planted in a vineyard collection to protect them from extinction and to record their phenotypic characteristics. This research has highlighted the potential for using several grapevine cultivars that were probably once widespread and can henceforth be cultivated again to help revive the eco-wine tourism of the Tuscan heroic vineyards and add prestige to the local wine panorama.

Differences in the Behavior of Anthocyanin Coloration in Wines Made from Vitis vinifera and Non-vinifera Grapes

The skins of Vitis vinifera species contain 3-glucosyl anthocyanins (3G), but some non-vinifera species, such as ‘Yama Sauvignon’ (YS), contain a large amount of 3,5-diglucosyl anthocyanins (35DG), and the behavior of anthocyanin coloration with respect to pH is quite different. The anthocyanins of YS showed a very weak color at a pH of 3 or higher but a very strong color below a pH of 3. Furthermore, when we investigated the effect of co-pigmentation in commercially available wines, we found that YS red wine contained a large amount of co-pigmented anthocyanins, and even wine aged for about 4 years contained a large amount of co-pigmented anthocyanins. Due to concerns regarding disease resistance, many hybrid varieties of V. vinifera and non-vinifera species have been bred, but it is important to take these special properties of 35DG into consideration when producing wine.

The characteristics of polysaccharide composition of red wines in China: Effects of grape varieties, origins and winemaking techniques

In this work, the polysaccharide profile of different grapes and red wines in China was studied and the influences of two common winemaking techniques on the components of wine were analyzed. The soluble polysaccharide content in the skins of native grape species in China (non-Vitis vinifera grapes) was significantly higher than that of Vitis vinifera species, while the terroir effect on V. vinifera varieties was limited. The combination of the enzyme preparation and the addition of mannoproteins (MPs) at the beginning of alcoholic fermentation (MP1 + E) could increase the contents of MPs and acid polysaccharides (APS) compared to the control wines. Meanwhile, better color characteristics and higher level of anthocyanin derivatives were observed. However, MP1 + E treatment reduced the content of polysaccharides rich in arabinose and galactose (PRAGs) due to enzymatic hydrolysis. The study will provide useful information for winemakers to regulate the wine polysaccharide profile.

Application of Grape Stems Extract to Increase the Antioxidant Capacity of Whiskey.

The recent steady demand for products with increased antioxidant properties largely determines the direction of research in the field of creating high-quality products with increased biological value. Insufficient knowledge of the antioxidant activity and potential biological value of whiskey makes this area of research relevant and in demand. This study presents the results of an analysis of the influence of distillate aging conditions on the phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of whiskey, obtained using coulometric, chromatographic, and amperometric methods of analysis. During the study, samples of whiskey with increased antioxidant capacity were obtained based on the use of alcoholic extracts of grape stems of the Vitis vinifera species. The data obtained as a result of the study can be used in the future both to improve the efficiency of methods for monitoring and regulating the circulation of alcoholic products based on the developed methodology for determining antioxidant capacity and to contribute to the creation of a new type of alcoholic products with an increased content of bioavailable biologically active substances and antioxidant capacity.

Characterization of Some Stilbenoids Extracted from Two Cultivars of Lambrusco-Vitis vinifera Species: An Opportunity to Valorize Pruning Canes for a More Sustainable Viticulture.

Pruning canes from grape vines are valuable byproducts that contain resveratrol and other health-boosting stilbenoids. This study aimed to assess the effect of roasting temperature on the stilbenoid content of vine canes by comparing two Vitis vinifera cultivars, Lambrusco Ancellotta and Salamino. Samples were collected during different phases of the vine plant cycle. One set was collected in September after the grape harvest and was air-dried and analyzed. A second set was obtained during vine pruning in February and evaluated immediately after collection. The main stilbenoid identified in each sample was resveratrol (~100-2500 mg/kg), with significant levels of viniferin (~100-600 mg/kg) and piceatannol (~0-400 mg/kg). Their contents decreased with increasing roasting temperature and residence time on the plant. This study provides valuable insights into the use of vine canes in a novel and efficient manner, which could potentially benefit different industries. One potential use involves the roasted cane chips to accelerate the aging of vinegars and alcoholic beverages. This method is more efficient and cost-effective than traditional aging, which is slow and unfavorable from an industrial perspective. Furthermore, incorporating vine canes into maturation processes reduces viticulture waste and enhances the final products with health-promoting molecules, such as resveratrol.

The Grape Gene Reference Catalogue as a Standard Resource for Gene Selection and Genetic Improvement.

Effective crop improvement, whether through selective breeding or biotech strategies, is largely dependent on the cumulative knowledge of a species’ pangenome and its containing genes. Acquiring this knowledge is specially challenging in grapevine, one of the oldest fruit crops grown worldwide, which is known to have more than 30,000 genes. Well-established research communities studying model organisms have created and maintained, through public and private funds, a diverse range of online tools and databases serving as repositories of genomes and gene function data. The lack of such resources for the non-model, but economically important, Vitis vinifera species has driven the need for a standardised collection of genes within the grapevine community. In an effort led by the Integrape COST Action CA17111, we have recently developed the first grape gene reference catalogue, where genes are ascribed to functional data, including their accession identifiers from different genome-annotation versions (https://integrape.eu/resources/genes-genomes/). We present and discuss this gene repository together with a validation-level scheme based on varied supporting evidence found in current literature. The catalogue structure and online submission form provided permits community curation. Finally, we present the Gene Cards tool, developed within the Vitis Visualization (VitViz) platform, to visualize the data collected in the catalogue and link gene function with tissue-specific expression derived from public transcriptomic data. This perspective article aims to present these resources to the community as well as highlight their potential use, in particular for plant-breeding applications.

Characterization of Stilbene Composition in Grape Berries from Wild Vitis Species in Year-To-Year Harvest.

Asian and American Vitis species possess a strong potential for crossbreeding programs, owing to their several resistance properties. Stilbenes are phenolic compounds present in grape berries and are well-known for their main role as phytoalexins and resistance to biotic stresses in plants. However, their identification and quantification in grape berries from wild Vitis remains unexplored. A mass spectrometry multiple reaction monitoring method combined with the analysis of pure standards allowed for the unambiguous characterization of 20 stilbenes in the grape berry skin extracts of nine native Vitis species and one cultivated Vitis vinifera species (cv. Cabernet Sauvignon). A main occurrence of monomeric (Z-piceid, E-piceid, E-isorhapontin, and E-astringin), dimeric (E-ε-viniferin, Z-ε-viniferin, and pallidol), and oligomeric (isohopeaphenol and r-viniferin) stilbenes was highlighted. Some stilbenes were clearly characterized for the first time in grape berries, such as the dimers ampelopsin A, E-vitisinol C, and parthenocissin A as well as the tetramers r2-viniferin and r-viniferin. Stilbene composition and content varied widely among several Vitis species and vintage years.

Cold Hardiness of Primary Buds of Wine and Table Grape Cultivars in Poland

The aim of this study was to compare the cold resistance of grapevine cultivars in field conditions. Following the winters of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, an assessment of frost damage was carried out on the vines of 42 wine cultivars and 45 table grape cultivars grown in central Poland (Skierniewice, latitude 51.9627 N, longitude 20.1666 E). The minimum temperature for each of the two winters was recorded on 2017-01- 07 (-20.9°C) and on 2018-02-27 (-20.1°C). Among the assessed cultivars, 19 (13 wine grape cultivars and six table grape cultivars) belonged to V. vinifera species and 68 were inter- or inter-intraspecific hybrids. Cultivars were divided into five classes of different frost tolerance, with information on the proportion of primary buds frozen given in the brackets: very resistant (below 1.9%), resistant (2% to 24.9%), medium susceptible (2% to 74.9%), susceptible (75% to 95.9%) and very susceptible (above 96%). The number of wine and table grape cultivars in particular classes (mean for two winters) was as follows: very resistant – 20 (wine) and 10 (table), resistant – 15 and 13, medium susceptible – six and 20, susceptible – one and two. Both the V. vinifera cultivars and the interspecific hybrids were highly diversified in terms of frost tolerance. In most cultivars, the number of frozen buds after the winter of 2016/2017 was greater than after the winter of 2017/2018. Among V. vinifera, ‘Riesling’, ‘Pinot Noir’, ‘Chasselas Dore’ (reference) and ‘Tauberschwarz’, ‘Veltliner Fruhrot’ (‘Fruehroter Malvasier’), ‘Turan’, ‘Domina’, ‘Tressot Panache’, ‘Blue from Tychy’, and ‘Irsai Oliver’ were very resistant or resistant. Other cultivars of V. vinifera were medium susceptible or susceptible.

Comparative study of the stability of edible oil by the utilization of various natural antioxidants

The Present Investigation is to compare the effects of various natural antioxidants like Vitus vinifera species and Tamarindus indica species and also to evaluate its chemical characterization of pertinent properties in two varied edible oil. Vitus vinifera species and Tamarindus indica species and whose antioxidant activity measured by Totox assay (Total Oxidation Value) and DPPH scavenging assays. The quantitative amount results showed were 0.4% w/w Tamarindus indica species and 0.5% w/w of Vitus vinifera species were able to inhibit lipid oxidation throughout storage (p < 0.04). Quantitative results of the Vitus vinifera species with 0.25% (w/w) of Refined oil (RO) showed a good synergic effect, displayed radical scavenging activity and better antioxidant activity and acts as a better food ingredient for the healthier food commodities.

Cold tolerance of some Iranian wild grape (V. vinifera ssp sylvestris) genotypes

All grape cultivars belong to Vinifera species are cold sensitive and (depend on cultivar) can be damaged by the temperature around -15 to -20°C. In this research, the cold tolerance of some Iranian wild grape (Vitis vinifera ssp sylvestris) genotypes was evaluated. After the leaf fall the 4 bud cuttings were prepared from the growing vines in Kahriz Horticultural Research Center in Urmia and then treated with freezing temperatures (-15, -18, -21, -23 and 4°C as a control) in a cold chamber. The percentage of burst buds in greenhouse condition and the percentage of died primary and secondary buds of each genotype in chilling temperature were measured. Electrical conductivity (EC) of buds and cane tissue was also measured. With decreasing temperature, the rate of primary and secondary bud injury increased and there was a significant difference in cold tolerance among tested genotypes. Approximately all Iranian wild grape genotypes were sensitive to cold stress above -15°C but among them, there were moderate cold tolerant genotypes too. H6 and H4 interspecies hybrids with Labrusca species showed higher cold tolerance compared to wild grape genotypes. These results will be valuable for selection of cold tolerance germplasm to use for cold tolerance breeding.

Phylogeny of Vitis species based on a VvMybA1 marker analysis

The family Vitaceae contains 14 genera and about 900 species distributed in northern temperate regions. East Asia and North America are the main growing areas, with approximately 25-30 and 30-40 taxa, respectively. In Europe, Vitis vinifera (V. vinifera subsp. sylvestris, V. vinifera subsp. vinifera) is the only species that grows in the Mediterranean Basin. Nowadays, increasing interest in wild grapes is due to their possible utilization in resistance breeding. Several studies have attempted to clarify the relationship of taxa within the genus Vitis with various DNA markers, without reaching unambiguous conclusions. In our preliminary studies with marker 20D18CB9, which is linked to the VvMybA1 transcription-factor gene which regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis, polymorphism between V. vinifera and other Vitis species was detected. Therefore, we assumed that it was suitable for further examinations to reconstruct a new phylogenetic tree within the family Vitaceae. Based on sequenced PCR fragments generated with the 20D18CB9 primer pair, more single-nucleotide polymorphisms were detected, and most of the North American species have a 34-bp deletion, so they form a separate group. The Asian species, which do not contain this deletion, belong to another group. However, some North American accessions also lacked this 34-bp DNA deletion. According to our results, a new phylogenetic relationship of Vitis species was set up using this VvMybA1-linked marker.

Young grapevines exhibit interspecific differences in hydraulic response to freeze stress but not in recovery

This study demonstrated that freeze-induced hydraulic failure varies between two Vitis species that have different xylem vessel frequency and grouping. However, seasonal recovery of young grapevines was similar between the species. Sub-freezing temperatures after budburst represent a major threat for the cultivation of fruit crops in temperate regions. Freeze stress might disrupt xylem hydraulic functionality and plant growth; however, it is unclear if hydraulic traits influence the ability of woody plants to cope with freeze stress. We investigated if a grapevine species (Vitis hybrid) with earlier budburst had anatomical traits that cause higher freeze-induced hydraulic failure but also confer a greater ability for seasonal recovery compared to a Vitis vinifera species. Two-year-old Vitis hybrid and vinifera grapevines were container-grown outdoors, assigned to either a control (n = 40) or a freeze-stressed (n = 40) treatment and exposed to a controlled-temperature (- 4°C) freeze stress shortly after budburst. We found that the Vitis hybrid had greater stem-specific hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and was more vulnerable to freeze-induced embolism compared to the V. vinifera species, which exhibited a less efficient but safer water transport strategy. Seventy-two hours after the freeze stress, Ks of freeze-stressed V. vinifera was 77.8% higher than that of the control, indicating hydraulic recovery. While the two species did not differ in xylem vessel diameter, Vitis hybrid exhibited higher vessel frequency and percentage of vessel grouping, which could explain its higher Ks and greater freeze-induced Ks loss compared to the V. vinifera vines. While the two species varied in the short-term hydraulic response, they exhibited similar and full hydraulic and vegetative recovery by midseason, including bud freeze tolerance during the following fall and mid-winter.

Changes in Morphological, Physiological Traits and Enzyme Activity of Grafted and Ungrafted Grapevine Rootstocks Under Drought Stress

American grapevine rootstocks are used as the most efficient control method for phylloxera disease. Vitis vinifera species are grown over these rootstocks. The rootstocks may have different drought tolerances. In present study, morphological and physiological responds and enzyme activities of grafted and ungrafted grapevines were investigated under drought stress. The rootstocks Rupestris du Lot, 420A, 5BB, SO4, 8B, 110R, 1103P, 140Ruggeri and Ramsey and K‑7 clone of Sultani Seedless grape cultivar were used as the plant material of this study. Drought stress was exerted as water deficits and stress treatments were terminated when the available moisture level dropped to 5%. Current findings revealed that grafted plants were less influenced morphologically from the droughts than the ungrafted ones. In control group, average leaf water potential was measured as −0.51 MPa for ungrafted plants and −0.46 MPa for grafted plants. In stress group, leaf water potential was measured as −2.03 MPa for ungrafted plants and as −1.69 MPa for grafted ones. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzyme activities of both grafted and ungrafted plants increased with drought stress. Considering the enzyme activities of ungrafted plants in control and stress groups, it was observed that SOD activity increased from 508 (unit/mg protein) to 852 (unit/mg protein); APX activity increased from 153 (micromole/mg protein/min) to 584 (micromole/mg protein/min). In grafted plants, SOD activity increased from 639 (unit/mg protein) to 796 (unit/mg protein); APX activity increased from 414 (micromole/mg protein/min) to 1002 (micromole/mg protein/min). The drought resistant rootstocks (like 140Ru, 110R) exhibited higher enzyme activity in both control and stress groups than drought sensitive rootstocks (like 5BB, SO4).

Effect of thermomaceration and enzymatic maceration on phenolic compounds of grape must enriched by grape pomace, vine leaves and canes

Grape pomace, leaves and canes generated by the wine industry are excellent and valuable resources to recover polyphenolic compounds with strong antioxidant capacity. Hence, the main objective of this work was to study the extraction process and the quality of grape juices enriched in the phenolic compounds extracted from grape skins, seeds and flesh, autumn leaves and canes of the Vitis vinifera species, cvs. Pais and Lachryma Christi. Thermomaceration of a mixture of grape must and pomace (8:1 w/w) at 60 °C resulted in a higher extraction degree of polyphenols, compared to maceration with pectolytic enzymes commonly used in enology. However, extraction modified pH and acidity of grape musts affecting anthocyanin contents of the samples. Generally, musts enriched by vine leaves and grape pomace of the Lachryma Christi cultivar showed the highest antioxidant properties, where must mashed on skins with seeds resulted into maximum total polyphenol contents of 2855 mg/L of gallic acid equivalents and must in contact with leaves yielded maximum antioxidant capacity of 93.5 mmol/L of Trolox equivalents. The juices using grape pomace were rich in anthocyanins (malvidin-3-glucoside) and flavan-3-ols (catechin and epicatechin); flavonols (quercetin-3-glucoside) and phenolic acids (caftaric and coutaric acid) were the main compounds in leaf extracts. Thermomaceration using grape pomace and vine leaves is preferred in order to achieve a grape must with a high amount of polyphenolics and antioxidants.

Raisin allergy in an 8 year old patient

Raisin allergy is uncommon despite worldwide cultivation of grapes, which belong to the Vitis vinifera species of the Vitaceae family. There have only been rare reports of anaphylaxis in adults related to the consumption of grapes, wine or other grape products, mostly in Europe [1-4]. In children, even fewer case reports to grape exist [5]. We report an 8-year-old patient who developed itching of the mouth and nausea within a few minutes of ingestion of fresh raisin on repeated occasions. Interestingly, he tolerates grapes.

Enantiodifferentiation of 3-sec-butyl-2-methoxypyrazine in different species using multidimensional and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatographic approaches

With respect to the current hypothesis that natural amino acids may serve as starting material for the biosynthesis of alkyl-methoxypyrazines, the enantiomeric distribution of the potent aroma compound 3-sec-butyl-2-methoxypyrazine (SBMP) was determined in various species using heart-cut multidimensional gas chromatography (H/C MDGC) or comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC). Complementary to an earlier described separation on octakis-(6-O-methyl-2,3-di-O-pentyl)-γ-cyclodextrin used as chiral stationary phase, we found a reversal of the elution order of SBMP enantiomers on heptakis-(2,3-di-O-methyl-6-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-β-cyclodextrin, providing further confirmation options for that type of analysis. Optimization of the enantioseparation of SBMP in a single-oven H/C enantio-MDGC system involved the use of a dual-jet cryo modulator for trapping of analytes transferred from the achiral (1)D column to the chiral (2)D column before starting the (2)D enantioseparation with an independent temperature ramp. For the enantiodifferentiation by enantio-GC × GC, the modulation period had to be significantly shortened to avoid loss of chiral resolution gained in (1)D. H/C MDGC with mass spectrometric detection (MS) using selected ion monitoring (SIM) was sufficient for parts per billion level analysis, whereas H/C MDGC-MS/MS or GC × GC time-of-flight (TOF) MS were necessary for parts per trillion level analysis. In various vegetables, lady beetles and Vitis vinifera species analyzed, only (S)-SBMP was detected, supporting the hypothesis of natural amino acids serving as starting material for the biosynthesis of alkyl-methoxypyrazines.

VITIS VINIFERA GENOME ANNOTATION IMPROVEMENT USING NEXT-GENERATION SEQUENCING TECHNOLOGIES AND NCBI PUBLIC DATA

Grapevine (Vitis spp.) is the most widely cultivated and economically important fruit crop. Even though the genus exhibits a huge diversity present in more than 50 species, the main products are derived from Vitis vinifera whose origin is from the Southern Caucasus to central Europe. Besides, grapevine constitutes per se a model for the study of woody species. In the Southern hemisphere, Chile has become a large wine producer and the main exporter of table grapes. Our present aim is to develop a bioinformatic platform able to identify SNPs, detect splicing variants and annotate new genes, all tools that could finally give support to select traits of interest. We analyzed data from 18 Vitis species, including cultivars of V. vinifera and wild species of the Vitis genus. The data was obtained by Illumina sequencing from two RNA-seq experiments performed by Zenoni et al. (2010) and Myles et al. (2010), both available at NCBI. The first one reported data from cv. ?Corvina? while the latter from ?Pinot Noir?, ?Inbred Pinot Noir? and 15 other cultivated cultivars and wild species. The sequence reads were aligned onto the 12X draft sequence of the ?Pinot Noir?-derived 40024 genome whereas the reported data was aligned onto 8X genome. The alignments were analyzed to detect alternative splicing events and expressed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We aligned 116,665,608 reads selecting hits with at most two mismatches. Over 55% of the reads showed only one alignment to the reference genome, 19% had multiple matches and 26% of them were unmatched. Preliminary results detected 387,278 putative SNPs using a Q-score of 20, coverage over 8x and a variability of over 25%. This study will help to improve the current Vitis genome annotation as well as to increase our knowledge about Vitis phylogenetic relationships. Our next step will be to search for new genes as well as spliced variants within Vitis genus. Future perspectives involve the integration of transcriptomic and proteomic data.

Chemical characterisation of Malvar grape seeds (Vitis vinifera L.) by ultrafiltration and RP-HPLC-PAD-MS

A combination of fast ultrafiltration clean-up procedure and enhanced resolution RP-HPLC-PAD-MS analytical technique is proposed for the characterisation of low molecular mass extractable phytochemicals from Malvar grape seeds (Vitis vinifera L.). This methodology offers satisfactory resolution of the main procyanidin dimers and some trimers and tetramers. Thirty-nine peaks were identified. Seventeen of them contained 17 unambiguously identified compounds: 3 flavan-3-ol monomers (C, EC and ECG), 6 procyanidin dimers (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5 and B6), 1 procyanidin trimer (C1), 1 procyanidin tetramer ([EC-(4α-8)-EC-(4α-8)-EC-(4α-8)-EC]), 4 hydroxybenzoic derivatives (gallic and protocatechuic acids, protocatechuic aldehyde and methyl gallate*), 1 amino acid (tryptophan)* and ellagic acid*. The remaining 22 peaks, and 1 of the first 17 contained 26 compounds which were tentatively identified as: 2 procyanidin dimers (A- and B-type), 7 trimers, 3 tetramers, 7 monogalloylated dimers, 2 monogalloylated trimers and 1 digalloylated dimer, besides 1 gallotannin, 1 dihydroflavonol* and 2 ellagitannins, some of them described for first time in V. vinifera species. Flavan-3-ols represented 62.4% of all grape seed constituents, absorbing at 280nm, whereas the non-flavan-3-ol species accounted for more than one-third of the total extractable grape seed constituents.

Editor&amp;rsquo;s choice: grapevine genetics are not just for researchers but also important to consumers

Editor’s choice: grapevine genetics are not just for researchers but also important to consumers Roger M Pinder International Journal of Wine Research, York, UKThe genetic profiling of Vitis vinifera species has long been a rather esoteric interest of researchers investigating the family relationships between different wine grapes, partly as a surer way of identification than the traditional study of vine leaves known as ampelography. Two recent publications, each examining more than 1000 wine grape varieties, have expanded the field not only for the academic researcher1 but also for the consumer.2 The first publication has already been discussed in an editorial in this journal,3 but the latter is a newly published tome of more than 1200 pages authored by two distinguished Masters of Wine from the UK, Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding, and by the academic researcher José Vouillamoz from the University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland , who is responsible for the Swiss Vitis Microsatellite Database (SVMD). The new book covers not only the genetics of wine grapes but also viticultural characteristics, places of cultivation, and the various wines and their taste. Some of these factors are more important to wine consumers than to researchers. species has long been a rather esoteric interest of researchers investigating the family relationships between different wine grapes, partly as a surer way of identification than the traditional study of vine leaves known as ampelography. Two recent publications, each examining more than 1000 wine grape varieties, have expanded the field not only for the academic researcher1 but also for the consumer.2 The first publication has already been discussed in an editorial in this journal,3 but the latter is a newly published tome of more than 1200 pages authored by two distinguished Masters of Wine from the UK, Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding, and by the academic researcher José Vouillamoz from the University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland , who is responsible for the Swiss Vitis Microsatellite Database (SVMD). The new book covers not only the genetics of wine grapes but also viticultural characteristics, places of cultivation, and the various wines and their taste. Some of these factors are more important to wine consumers than to researchers.