Chianti once a white, not red, wine region

Ancient grape DNA from Chianti has revealed the Tuscan region once produced mainly white wine, with 2,000-year-old seeds showing a dominant white variety cultivated from Etruscan to Roman times, scientists say.

Researchers at the University of York sequenced 80 grape pips from a waterlogged well at Cetamura del Chianti, preserved for millennia, and found striking genetic continuity in a single long-lived clone.

After Roman settlement, new grape varieties appear, suggesting imported vines re-shaped Chianti’s wine profile, while scientists say modern reds replaced an ancient white tradition.

The findings, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, also linked one seed to grape families still grown in Eastern Europe. Dr Nathan Wales said tasting these relic varieties offers a direct connection to wines served at Roman dinner tables.

Researchers say the discovery changes our understanding of early Tuscan viticulture and shows remarkable continuity between ancient and modern wine landscapes in the Chianti region today.