The discovery of 2,000-year-old grape seeds in Tuscany's ancient wells has shed new light on the origins of modern winemaking. Scientists at the University of York have analysed DNA from these remarkably preserved remains and uncovered a sophisticated agricultural network that underpinned the region's wine production.
Challenging long-held assumptions, the study found that white grapes once dominated Chianti, an area now synonymous with its rich red Sangiovese wines. The researchers made this surprising discovery at Cetamura del Chianti, a hilltop archaeological site with a history spanning Etruscan, Roman, and medieval Italian periods.
Grape pips dropped into deep wells by inhabitants between 300 BC and 300 AD were preserved in oxygen-free mud, providing a unique genetic time capsule. The team sequenced the DNA of 80 seeds and found that a large majority belonged to a single, identical variety passed directly from the Etruscans to the Romans and maintained for centuries.
Dr Oya Inanli, a co-author from the University of York, explained: "This dominant, long-lived clone produced white berries, which surprised us. The continuity we've found is remarkable." Genetic testing confirmed that this variety was closely related to ancient grape seeds analysed from southern France.
The study also suggests that after the Roman conquest of Cetamura, new grape varieties began to appear at the site, indicating the introduction of vines from other parts of the sprawling Roman Empire. This reinforces the idea of extensive, long-distance agricultural networks that contributed to the standardised production of wine we see today.
Professor Nancy De Grummond's team has been excavating Cetamura del Chianti since 1973, and this research adds a significant chapter to our understanding of the history of wine in the viticulture region of Chianti. "It's delightful to learn that the world-famous red wine of today was preceded by a white vintage curated and maintained for centuries," she noted.