One surprising finding Dr Velasco made was the huge degree of difference, 11.2% in all, between pinot noir's two sets of chromosomes. Those sets of chromosomes come from the varieties originally crossbred to create the clone. These parental varieties must therefore have been very different from one another, for 11.2% is far more genetic variation than exists between, say, a chimpanzee and a human.***
The Ecomomist, ever the optimist, sees this decoding as a good chance to further enhance the wine we will drink in the future, such as by adding new and more reliable flavours and increasing the resistance to diseases. But this is not enough. The possible medical improvements are sparking my enthusiasm:
A gene for producing acetylsalicylic acid, better known as aspirin, would help to prevent heart attacks and blood clots. You could get your doctor to supply your daily half-bottle by prescription. The aspirin's analgesic effect would head off hangovers before they even started. Caffeine could be added to keep drinkers awake during boring dinner parties. And it may even be possible to insert a gene to produce sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in Viagra. For many men that would help to prevent the ultimate wine-induced humiliation.****
Do you thinks they've got carried away a bit? They have just started:
Times have changed. Scientists have a clear duty. Following the lead of many world leaders, they must make it clear that they are not willing to negotiate with anyone who supports terroirisme.****
* A High Quality Draft Consensus Sequence of the Genome of a Heterozygous Grapevine Variety, Riccardo Velasco et al., Public Library of Science
** and Syrah the Latin lover...
*** Vine times, Dec 19th 2007, The Economist
**** Unleash the war on terroir, Dec 19th 2007, The Economist
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