356 WINE REPORT 2007 GLOBAL REPORTS GLOBAL REPORTS GRAPE VARIETIES 357 changing their essential character. First developed in the 1980s, genetic transfer inserts a very small number of genes into grapevines. The first Grape Varieties research, by French scientists, was supported by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, and the results, published in 1998, were very promising. As public concern about GMOs grew, LVMH stopped research in 2000. Dr François Lefort Genetic transfer research continued in Germany, Australia, Canada, and the US. The LVMH results and genetic material were given to INRA in GM vines are on their way to European vineyards: France, which continued the research, albeit at a slower pace. the first open field trials of genetically modified Germany: GM grapevines grapevines have begun in France and Germany, German scientists of the German Federal Grapevine Research Centre at despite scepticism from growers and consumers. Siebeldingen have been looking for quality and fungi-resistant characters transmittable to established grape varieties. Resistance characters Oidium (powdery mildew) and downy mildew transferred to grapevines are resistance to the main fungal disease agents have been problems for growers since the of grapevines: Plasmopara viticola (downy mildew), Uncinula necator 19th century. The usual method of combating (oidium/powdery mildew), and Botrytis cinerea (grey rot). Fungi-resistant mildew is to spray with fungicides, but the vines should reduce fungicide application and result in less environmental fungi are becoming resistant to chemicals. contamination and lower production costs. Field trials for three GM Spraying also raises environmental issues varieties – Dornfelder, Riesling, and Seyval Blanc – began in 2005 in and health-and-safety concerns. A more Siebeldingen. Resistant genes have been successfully transferred from recent disorder is grapevine fan leaf virus, barley into grapevines, and the 130 transgenic vines will be tested for which is spread by nematodes (see below). their fungus resistance. DR FRANÇOIS LEFORT Since it is a viral disease, there is no cure; These trials, which will include wine-quality assessment, will last for 10 however, chemicals are used against the nematode vector. years, although GM varieties are not expected to reach the market for 25 Grape breeders have been trying to develop fungi-resistant varieties years. The foreign genes will not alter the wine quality of the transgenic since the end of the 19th century. These new varieties, mainly from France, Germany, and the US, were produced by ‘classical breeding’ – Grapevine a technique that creates totally new varieties. The process is a long one, taking at least 30 years from the initial crossing. In classical breeding, • Wine Grape Growers Australia recommended a list of “less risky” and the Winemakers’ Federation varieties to New York growers. genes from other Vitis species are introduced into a Vitis vinifera variety, of Australia are proposing a “vine All the varieties are interspecific but the new variety is not, for instance, a Chardonnay with new retirement scheme” to pull up grapevine hybrids: La Crescent, resistance characteristics, because the breeding process loses a part thousands of hectares of less popular Ravat 34, NY76.0844.24,Vignoles, varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Traminette, NY62.0122.01, Cayuga of the Chardonnay genome. So modifying a given variety for a single in 2006 in an attempt to curb White, and Vidal Blanc (white); desired character was – until recently – quite impossible. overproduction in Australia.There Frontenac, GR 7, Maréchal Foch, St Scientists searching for solutions to these problems looked to genetic are also state incentives to turn extra Croix, NY70.0809.10, Chambourcin, wine stocks into ethanol. What is Chelois, and NY73.0136.17 (black). transfer. This method modifies grapevines in a targeted way without surprising is that Cabernet Sauvignon Some of the hybrids, such as Vidal is now seen as a less popular variety. Blanc, Maréchal Foch, and DR FRANÇOIS LEFORT is a professor at the University of Applied Sciences Chambourcin, are old French hybrids. After several years of testing, of Western Switzerland in Geneva. He has been working on the diversity of • Bruce Reisch of NYS Agricultural grapevine varieties for many years. François is the creator of the Greek Vitis Experiment Station, Cornell database and the coauthor of the Bulgarian Grapevine database. He is University at Geneva, New York, has involved in building similar databases in Russia and Ukraine. 358 WINE REPORT 2007 GLOBAL REPORTS GLOBAL REPORTS GRAPE VARIETIES 359 grapes or the wine quality of adjacent non-GM vines if cross-pollination moratorium, recently hardened its stance by totally opposing trials occurs, since cross-pollination results in only the seeds carrying foreign anywhere in the world. Its influence resulted in an INAO ban on GM genes and not the flesh of the berry. grapevines, GM yeast, and GM bacteria in 2002, but it has not so far been authorized by the Minister of Agriculture. France: GM rootstocks Until work stopped in 2001 when 400 transgenic rootstocks were South Africa: the total GM kit pulled up, French scientists had been researching resistance to diseases South African researchers are working on GM grapevines, GM yeasts, and affecting the rootstock and not the grafted scion. This approach could GM bacteria for winemaking in the Winetech Biotechnology Programme be more acceptable to growers and consumers because the rootstock (WTBP). South African grapevine gene transfer research aims to improve does not affect the grape berry itself, which is genetically determined resistance to disease and adaptation to unfavourable environmental by the genome of the grafted variety. Rootstocks are also prevented conditions. The genes transferred to grapevines to improve fungal from producing leaves and flowers in the vineyard, to avoid any risk resistance are a yeast chitinase, a yeast glucanase, an antifungal peptide, of gene transfer to wild grapes (almost extinct in Europe thanks to and grapevine polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs). The first phylloxera) or to other grapes. transgenic field trial is currently under development. Work resumed in 2005 at INRA Colmar with the long-awaited Researchers have produced various new GM yeast strains in efforts to authorization from the French Ministry for Agriculture for open field improve wine clarification and juice yield, to generate new aroma profiles, trials of transgenic rootstocks made resistant to grapevine fan leaf virus, or to produce antioxidants and other compounds with an impact on a damaging disease with no cure. Grapevine fan leaf virus is a virus human health. These yeast strains are currently being further developed transmitted by soil nematodes that attack the vine’s roots. through SunBio, a biotechnology development company. South African Rootstocks made resistant to the virus cannot be infected by nematodes. GM yeasts have been accepted by the FDA and are now being used for The fact that the foreign gene is only in the rootstock and not in the grafted winemaking in the United States. scion or the grapes could make this strategy more acceptable to the public, The WTBP researchers are studying wine bacteria to explore the role since the wine will not be a GM wine. Once scientific assessment has been of lactic acid bacteria involved in malolactic fermentation and in the carried out, genetically modified rootstocks could be on the market quite production of antimicrobial agents called bacteriocins, which can inhibit quickly, offering a choice of the usual rootstocks but with resistance to fan the growth of spoilage organisms. The goal of gene-transfer technology leaf virus. There are, however, about 40 viruses that attack grapevines, so it is to develop lactic acid bacteria that can perform enhanced malolactic will take a while to make GM vines resistant to them all. fermentation. Still in the preliminary stages, this research focuses on Seventy transgenic rootstocks, surrounded by non-transgenic genomic sequences of commercially important lactic acid bacteria and rootstocks and a Pinot Meunier vineyard, were planted in experimental the development of genetic tools and expression systems. open vineyards in September 2005. The trial is authorized to run for four The South African wine industry gives generous financial support to years, and the vineyard will be destroyed on completion. The transgenic GM grapevine research. Public concern or opposition does not seem to rootstocks will not be allowed to flower, and no wine will be produced. affect WTBP plans, although they do concede that their most important INRA Montpellier, which is continuing with its classical breeding challenge is to “educate the consumer”. programmes, has produced a hybrid rootstock that is partially resistant GM grapevine research is currently being carried out in several other to grapevine fan leaf virus. countries, including the United States and Australia. Given the huge Opposition from the industry has been fiercer than expected. Terre et amounts being pumped into this research, it seems that GM grapevines, Vin du Monde, an association of 400 top world producers that includes rootstocks, yeasts, and bacteria will soon be an important part of Château Latour, Château Pichon-Longueville, Domaine de la Romanée- viticulture. Great changes are on the way. It will be interesting to see Conti, and Egon Müller, has declared its firm opposition to GM whether the consumer will be open to “education”. grapevines. The organization, which had originally asked for a GM 360 WINE REPORT 2007 GLOBAL REPORTS GLOBAL REPORTS GRAPE VARIETIES 361 IS GRUBBING UP THE However, a Japanese team studying Widest-cultivated white grape varieties ONLY WAY? the anthocyanin synthesis pathway Global, wine grapes only. showed that the insertion of a Grape variety Acres in 2005* Main countries To deal with overproduction, the retrotransposon, a kind of jumping French authorities decided to grub up gene, in one gene of this pathway 1. Airén 756,300 Spain 2. Chardonnay 458,900 US, France, Italy 10,000 ha of vineyards over a three- suppressed the expression of 3.