Le viti selvatiche

The wild grapevine, Vitis vinifera l. subsp. sylvestris Hegi (Gmelin), according to most opinions represents the progenitor of Vitis vinifera. Even now, it can be found spontaneous in most regions overlooking the Mediterranean basin, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. In Italy it is very frequent in the Maremma Tuscany and Sardinia. Aware of the scientific importance of this botanical species, our Department initiated a project to preserve and to study the features of wild vines found in Tuscany, with particular reference recovered in Maremma. Have been identified 167 accessions in different habitats about 70 of which were placed in a special collection, in order to make ampelographyc and molecular observations (nuclear microsatellites and cloroplastic). The investigations carried out so far have shown a wide genetic variability, emphasized by morphological, phenological and qualitative (plants male, female, black and white grapes), between which emerge anthocianin profiles of the grapes very peculiar. As part of the recovered material, thanks to the use of molecular markers was highlighted how some alleged accessions of wild vine are actually the subspecies vinifera. Molecular characterization shows a considerable genetic variability among accessions physically close together. The grapes from the vineyard by biotypes in the collection have reached a good level of technological maturity, making it particularly rich in anthocyanins and total polyphenols. From micro-vinification carried out during the last vintages were obtained interesting wines from several accessions. Ongoing investigations are intended to expand the number of accessions, and to evaluate the genetic closeness also with the currently cultivated vineyards in Tuscany.