🍷 Ampelographer

An ampelographer is a scientist who tells grape varieties apart. The science is called ampelography. In the past ampelographers identified a variety by outward features: the shape and size of the leaf, the colour and shape of the berries, the look of the bunch and young shoots. This took huge experience: there are thousands of grape varieties, and many look alike.

Today DNA analysis has been added to visual features. It helps find the parents of a variety, discover whether the same plants grow under different names, and draw up pedigrees. In this way it was found, for example, that the same variety grows in different countries under different names.

The ampelographer's work matters to growers and winemakers. It helps check that a vineyard really contains the intended variety, preserve old local varieties and breed new ones. Ampelographers describe vine collections and compile reference books. It is a rare profession that combines botany, history and genetics. Without it, it would be hard to bring order to the diversity of the world's varieties.