We’ll be in Udine on 18 January 2016 for the presentation event of the first 10 disease-resistant grape vines produced in Italy: a breakthrough innovation for wine growing world wide and the result of research led by Udine’s University and Institute of Applied Genomics together with Vivai Cooperativi di Rauscedo, a wine growers’ cooperative.

The disease-resistant grape vines have been developed to reduce the need for treatment with plant protection products, and make wine-growing less expensive and more competitive.

The aim of the research project was to obtain grape vine varieties allowing growers to significantly reduce treatment with plant protection products. This required hundreds of crossbreeds, evaluating tens of thousands of plants and over 500 micro-vinifications, all of which took over 15 years, but the result was definitely worth it: the disease-resistant grape vines developed in Udine have a potential market in all the wine-growing areas of the world.

The advantages brought by the disease-resistant varieties are vast, since they can benefit the environment as well as make wine growing more profitable and competitive. Wine growers and the wine industry as a whole definitely join us in drinking to that.

In Europe grape vine is the crop with the highest environmental impact: although it occupies a mere 3.3% of agricultural land, it employs over 65% of the fungicides used in agriculture. Treatment of the vines with plant protection products is a relevant part of the cost of wine growing, so the introduction of grape vine varieties requiring less treatment can make the difference in terms of cost reduction and make the resulting product much more competitive.

Intellectual property rights have also been managed with the utmost care throughout the project: applications have been filed with the with the Community Plant Variety Protection Office for Community plant breeders rights valid in all European Union countries, and patenting procedures are under way at international level.

The denominations chosen for the ten new grape vine varieties are: Fleurtai, Soreli, Sauvignon Kretos, Sauvignon Nepis, Sauvignon Rytos (white grape), e Cabernet Eidos, Cabernet Volos, Merlot Khorus, Merlot Kanthus, Julius (red grape).

After the presentation, we’ll be tasting the wine from the disease-resistant grapes, and wishing this extraordinary enterprise the success it deserves.