To read the original article in full go to : Finding the parents of cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay: How DNA analysis can trace a wine's genetic origins.
Below is a short summary and detailed review of this article written by FutureFactual:
From Cabernet Sauvignon to Genome Editing: Tracing Wine's Genetic Origins and the Future of Viticulture
Wine began as fermented grape juice and quickly became entwined with human culture, rituals and meals dating back to the Paleolithic era. The article explains that wine consists of water and alcohol along with a mix of volatile compounds (aldehydes, ketones, esters) and non-volatile compounds (sugar, flavonoids, terpenes) whose proportions vary widely. Wild grapevines bore small, sweet berries, and early hunter-gatherers likely noticed them as a portable energy source. The genetic story shows Cabernet Sauvignon arising from a cross of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, most likely in 17th century Bordeaux, while Chardonnay traces to a Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc cross. The piece also highlights germplasm banks that safeguard genetic diversity for pest resistance and flavor, and notes that biotechnology could shape wine through genome editing in a changing climate. Source: Phys.org.