Peter Mitham explores the relationship between wine, biotech and genetics in Wines and Vines Magazine. If you are concerned about GMOs in your food, it might be time to start considering your wine too. The days of shopping at the farmer’s market and grabbing whatever bottle is on sale at the wineshop to pair it with are drawing to a close. To learn more, you can start with the Wines and Vines article.

UPDATE:

Dr. Steven Lund, Assistant Professor of Viticulture/Plant Omics at The University of British Columbia, shared his thoughts via email:
“Dear Mr. Nicalo,

This morning, I forwarded to our project team Mr. Mitham’s interesting W&V article on the social sciences aspect of our grape and wine genomics research. One of my lab’s graduate students followed up by navigating to your website whereupon he discovered your most recent blog posting. While I absolutely respect everyone’s entitlement to his/her opinion, your October 22 blog content is way off the mark with respect to its implications regarding the research targets of our project, and it unfortunately further sensationalizes genetic modification through factually incorrect information. Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of our social sciences research in this project will be to foster education about applications of genomics research in grapevine to the wine industry through biomarker development, which has absolutely zero to do with commercializing genetically modified grapevines and wines.”

I appreciate Dr. Lund’s concerns. My aim is not to sensationalize his work, merely to get people to begin thinking about the process of winegrowing and making. We have been pushing for people to consider wine in the same respect as their food for years. To be clear, I do not think he is trying to support GMO wine. My point is simply that it is time to begin carefully considering the process behind the wine we drink in the same way as food.

I do not believe that his wine research encourages genetic modification of grapevines and wines directly. It does seem to support a genre of reductionist scientific research that has proven dangerous and shortsighted for agriculture at large.

The language the UBC team uses to describe their research suggests significant overlap with the efforts to improve the chemical composition of our foods. Dr Lund writes, “We are also using comparative biochemical genomics to advance our understanding of the antioxidant capacities imparted by vitamin C and anthocyanin flavonoids with the goal of developing molecular tools for marker assisted breeding in raspberry and engineering improved anthocyanin compositional chemistry in wine grapes.”

What are your thoughts? What do you think of wine in our larger food system? What do you think of chemical-technology driven approaches to agriculture versus skilled farming combined with scientific knowledge? Do you think biomarkers will be used primarily by industrial winemakers or artisans? Please share your views in the comments below.

Join us on November 20th for an awesome event at The Refinery in Vancouver. Organized by my friend (and chocolate aficionado) Eagranie Yuh, this is going to be a lot of fun. Read Eagranie’s cool chocolately blog to learn more. Tickets are available online for $50 via EventBrite.

I’m writing over at Zachary Cohen’s awesome blog, Farm to Table today.

We need to work together to improve health and nutrition, reduce pesticides in our water and ensure safe food. These are just a few of the problems of our runaway food system, but you can help. Join us at Farm to Table.

Geoffrey Finch born in Victoria, B.C now lives full time in Paris, France. He currently teaches biodynamic agriculture and its influence on the future of wine at Sciences Po in Paris. For the last seven years he has been researching and producing material for a film he is making on biodynamic wine growing.

Finch believes that chemical farming methods are impacting nature’s inherent equilibrium and explores how a powerful movement to more natural farming methods may have implications for the survival of the planet. His film takes us to the heart of biodynamics and discovers why a growing number of winemakers are adopting biodynamic methods. How does biodynamic farming differ from organics? Have we seen any specific evidence that biodynamic farming increases soil biodiversity and encourages deeper rooting? Is there a link between biodynamics and quality? These are examples of the questions that Finch attempts to answer throughout the film.

Here is 20 minutes of teaser footage from ‘In Vino Veritas’ in two parts:

Wine is complex. It is multilayered, seductive, a social catalyst. Wine is simple. It is a tasty beverage. The truth is not only in the glass, but in your mind. We tend to prefer the interesting shades of gray in people, movies, culture and wine. Complexity is rarely popular, but should be cherished.

Who reviewed it, is it green and which celebrity is drinking it? It would be easier for us to sell wine if all that mattered was a score, a review or an organic certification.

We know that our wines aren’t for everyone. Sometimes you just want to pick up the first bottle with a cool label. Sometimes it is easier to trust a score or review. Sometimes all that matters is price. If you want to consider where your wine comes from, try a ProWine. And don’t worry- there is no rush. Trends come and go, but the truth of wine is always available. Grow great grapes. Don’t mess them up.

Wine is not about terroir, per se. It is about a human connection to the land. Our ability to coax, support and preserve the fruits of the earth. When we try to manufacture these fruits, instead of facilitating them, they simply do not taste as good.

I’ve spent a fair bit of time in Italy, but by far, the majority of my time and my favorite place is Piemonte. A few people have asked what to see, do, and most importantly where to eat and drink.

I’ve never stayed here personally, but have been for lunch and dinner (it is very good) and have friends who’ve stayed. If I didn’t have a friend to stay with this would be the place- http://www.santavittoria.org/

You should visit Renato Fenocchio, in Neive, just outside of Barbaresco.

And in La Morra, you should visit Agricola Marrone.

You should eat at a restaurant in Verduno called Bercau. http://www.bercau.it/default. aspx?lang=eng

There are at least two more must eat adventures, including an artisan shepherd-baker-cheesemaker and a restaurant that serves only Piemontese beef, but you have to bring me with you ;-)

Enjoy your trip and hopefully, I will see you there. If you need any assistance booking an appointment to see Renato Fenocchio or Gian Piero Marrone, just send me an email: anthony at farmsteadwines.com