Vine and Prejudice

Is science prejudiced? What is fake science and how has it affected the world of wine? How can a deeper understanding of science help wine producers to confront the major challenges currently facing the planet?

These are just some of the questions that are explored in this book. From the leading light in grape vine science comes this thoughtful and sometimes provocative history of the vine. Discover how grapes came to be, how they have evolved over time, and how they travelled across the globe, creating the wine varieties we know and love today.

With his unique take on the back story of the vine, Professor Attilio Scienza explains how our planet shifted and changed over time and how vines morphed and travelled during the earth’s long geological development. This book charts the journey from the earliest grape farmers to the scientists who figured out how to identify, classify and cross-breed vines, all the way to recent advances in DNA profiling.

Exploring the often-controversial history, fake news and ethical debates that have accompanied the science, Scienza takes a look at grape biology through a sociological lens. Scienza also implores us to think about the future, particularly the implications of genetic engineering and biotechnology. He reflects on the morals of human interference in the natural world and asks what’s next in the search for the perfect grape?