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Jean-Michel Boursiquot, ampelographer and professor at Montpellier
SupAgro, would restore some truths on resistant varieties and names used.
Interview.
Jean-Michel Boursiquot, ampelographer and professor at
Montpellier SupAgro, said that the names of some current resistant varieties
may mislead the consumer.
What is the
difference between a cultivar (cepage) and a variety?
The term cultivar originated in the sixteenth century. It
was used for the first time by a poet (JA de Baïf, 1573), and this word
initially referred to all the vines grown on a parcel. At that time, it was used
exclusively for Vitis vinifera. The term "cultivar" should be
reserved for Vitis vinifera, and not for interspecific crosses that also use
the term "resistant varieties". One can also speak of "rootstock
varieties." In Vitis vinifera, the cultivar is sometimes confused with the
variety. This is the case for example for Syrah, or Malbec, where for the cultivar
in question, there is only one variety. Conversely, for Grenache (blanc, gris, noir,
lledoner pelut) or Pinot (noir, blanc, gris, meunier) we find several varieties
that come from mutations, not crosses. When variations affect important
characteristics that have technological implications, such as color of the berry,
it is called varieties. The resistant plants we are talking about right now are
the ones from crosses between Vitis vinifera and American or Asian species. It
is therefore "resistant varieties".
Where did this
confusion between cultivar and variety originated?
There was a deviation in Germany in the 1990s. Institutes
have conducted interspecific crosses and obtained new resistant varieties such
as Regent, they wanted to plant in AOC. But the EU law is very clear. It only
allows for the that the planting of
Vitis vinifera in AOC at the moment. Rather than a regulatory change, the
Germans classified, improperly and wrongly, it in Vitis vinifera, where it
should have been classified into resistant varieties.
Do you favor an
evolution of this legislation?
It is desirable to change European regulations on this
point. What is important and what should prevail is the quality and specificity
of the products and the opportunity to reduce phytosanitary inputs. I'm not a government
workings specialist, but some people in France are planning to push in this direction.
I think all the other countries would follow.
What is your opinion
on the names of these new varieties?
These new varieties, called cabernet volos, cabernet cortis,
cabernet blanc, cabernet noir or cabernet Jura, originated from a cross between
Cabernet Sauvignon and an interspecific hybrid. They have a maximum of 50% of
the genome of cabernet. To get a rate of 90%, you would have to recross several
times with Cabernet Sauvignon, and this would lead to stunted varieties and low
productivity, due to inbreeding. Current resistant varieties are not Cabernets.
They will not give the same wine taste and this will be very different from one
variety to another.
The name could also create a lot of confusion. This will
trivialize the terms of merlot, cabernet or sauvignon. At present, there are
already more than 20 varieties of Cabernet! When there are 80 or 100, what will
they do? How will nurserymen and winemakers find it? As for the consumer, they
may be lost and will lose confidence. Market access by traditional varieties
was a major economic success vector. A loss of confidence on these names would
be very dangerous. These new varieties must use different names to avoid
confusion or deception.
Moving Legislation
Professional advice from
FranceAgriMer gave a positive opinion on a draft decree reframing the varieties
classification procedure. Once it is ratified by the ministry, after positive
opinion of the CTPS, the size limit of the experiments will be increased to 20
hectares by arean and by variety. Furthermore, a list of 25 varieties was
proposed by professionals for accelerated enrollment in the classification.
At the name level of
these varieties, the EU sets no limit. It is currently the breeder who has
discretion. "But there is a demand from several countries to legislate on
the subject, explains Eric Rosaz, the INAO. France is pushing at the European
level to the OIV. We are opposed to name
a variety by using all or part of the name of a geographical indication, as is
the case for the Cabernet Jura for example. "
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