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Vouillamoz José

The Swiss biologist and grapevine specialist Dr José F. Vouillamoz (born 1971) graduated with honours in biology from the Swiss University of Lausanne in 1994. He continued his studies with a doctoral thesis entitled "Molecular cytotaxonomy and phylogeography of the genus Onosma in Switzerland and neighbouring countries", which he completed in 2001. Combining his passion for wine with molecular genetics, he received a scholarship from the Swiss National Science Foundation to research the origin and genealogy of the numerous autochthonous grape varieties of the Swiss canton of Valais. For the grant, he spent the year 2002 as a postgraduate researcher with his colleague Professor Dr Carole Meredith at the University of California in Davis (USA).

Vouillamoz José - Julia Harding, José Vouillamoz, Jancics Robinson und Buchcover Schweizer Rebsorten

In 2003, Dr Vouillamoz carried out research with the Italian grapevine expert Dr Stella Grando at the San Michele all'Adige Institute (Trento) on the localisation of the domestication of the grapevine, taking into account genetics, archaeology and chemistry. This work was carried out in collaboration with Professor Patrick McGovern of the University of Pennsylvania and the Archaeological and Anthropological Museum of Philadelphia. As a result, Dr Vouillamoz came to the conclusion that, in his opinion, the first domestication of the grapevine took place in what is now Southeast Anatolia in Turkey and not in Transcaucasia, as is generally assumed.

In 2004, Dr Vouillamoz and Dr Grando discovered the parentage of the Sangiovese variety (although there are other opinions about this). Together with the ampelographer Dr Anna Schneider from the National Research Council in Grugliasco (Turin), the multiple relationships of Nebbiolo, which is a parent of at least six northern Italian grape varieties, were determined. The extensive research and DNA analyses led to unexpected discoveries of the relationships of the old Valais grape varieties Cornalin d'Aoste, Lafnetscha, Rèze, Rouge du Pays and many others (a complete list of these very old varieties can be found under Old vines).

In 2006, Dr Vouillamoz and Dr Claire Arnold from the Swiss University of Neuchâtel published the "Swiss Vitis Microsatellite Database" on the Internet with the DNA profiles of more than one hundred grape varieties cultivated in Switzerland. Dr Vouillamoz expanded the family tree of the Syrah variety and identified Pinot as the most probable great-grandparent, established the genetic relationships of Mondeuse Blanche, Mondeuse Noire and Viognier, determined the local origin of Chasselas and completed the family tree of Müller-Thurgau. In 2012, the team of authors Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz published the book "Wine Grapes - a complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties". And in 2018, Vouillamoz published "Swiss grape varieties - their history and origins".

Picture: © Stephen Howse

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