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The three top Italian wineries Gaja ***** (Piedmont), Biondi-Santi ***** (Tuscany) and Feudi di San Gregorio (Campania) have announced that they are working together with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the Italian Sommelier Foundation (FIS) on a project on the survivability of vines in space. The project was developed by Franco Maria Ricci, president of the FIS, and presented in Rome at the foundation's annual International Wine Culture Forum.
"We want to know whether the vine can live as well as survive in space and on other planets, and if so, under what conditions, Franco Maria Ricci (FIS) explains the idea.
So a selection of vines and wine bottles from the three participating wineries will spend a period of time in space. After their return, vines and wines will be compared with samples that never left Earth. The selected wines are two vintages each of Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (2006 and 2015), Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi Riserva Piano di Montevergine (2012 and 2015) and Gaja Barolo Sperss (1988 and 2017). The three wines represent three of Italy's most important grape varieties: Nebbiolo from the north, Sangiovese from the centre and Aglianico from the south of the country. Offshoots of Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Aglianico, as well as the bottles destined for transport into space, have been received by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), which will oversee the experiment. Oenologist Donato Lanati from the Enosis research centre will also be involved in the project. According to project initiator Ricci, international partners will be added as the project progresses, including the University of Bordeaux.
"The Italian Space Agency is a leader in researching the effects of the absence of gravity on crops, for example olive trees, but this is the first time they have looked at grapevines," said Feudi di San Gregorio chairman Antonio Capaldo. The vines are to remain in space for two to three years. Afterwards, the scientists will carry out a comparative analysis. Antonio Capaldo is mainly interested in the effects on the cuttings, less on the bottles. Previous experiments indicated that the cuttings were more resistant to the effects of climate change or parasite infestation after a shock such as the loss of gravity.
The project follows a similar experiment by the start-up Space Cargo Unlimited, which stored bottles of the famous 2000 Petrus (Pomerol) and 320 vines of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in space over a period of 14 months. A launch date for the Italian space project is not yet known.
(ru / Source: Decanter; Photo: 123rf.com)
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