Bio Bio research identifies 26 new grape varieties

A Chilean winery researching hundreds of unidentified vines in Southern Chilean region of Bío Bío since 2011 has found 26 new varieties.

The region has been growing grapes for over 500 years and over time a number of new varieties have been tried and become popular with some growers. Winemaker Juan José Ledesma from Viñas Inéditas-Terroir Sonoro has been using the latest DNA techniques to identify the 120 varieties grown in Bio Bio, with a surprising 26 never recorded anywhere else in the world.

Ledesma told Decanter.com. “We’ve found varieties that are naturally well adapted to climate change and different soil salinities, and have probably survived over 300 years as dry-farmed varieties in Bío Bío.”