Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Negev Wine Revival (From near extinction to market distinction: Developing a methodology for the sustainable revival of heritage grapevine cultivars)
Reporting period: 2022-06-01 to 2023-11-30
Our groundbreaking Proof-of-Concept (POC) research project is supported by the European Research Council and undertaken by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Haifa. Initiated in 2022, our aim is to create a methodology for retrieving endemic grape cultivars (Vitis vinifera) that were found in ancient wine economies and reintroduce their resilient qualities and the horticultural knowledge that sustained them within contemporary viticulture frameworks.
The effects of global warming are lowering the quality and yields of certain traditional wine grapes. One response the wine industry can pursue is the expansion of grape cultivar diversity. This may be achieved through concerted efforts to search, identify, and preserve the applied methods and bioarchaeological resources tied to the ancient viticulture industries that flourished in arid habitats. The cultivars planted in historical vineyards evolved over time in relation to the demands placed on them by their bio-geographical surroundings. Known as landraces, these endemic varieties possessed distinct identities and extensive individual histories of origin and human selection for local adaptation. Associated with traditional farming regimes, autochthonous grapevines were a vital resource in marginal areas because of their dual potential to thrive in adverse natural surroundings while achieving yield stability over extended periods. Findings on archaic grape cultivars and the affiliated cross-generational knowledge of the natural environment that enabled historical dryland viticulture to prosper will assist viticulturalists who are currently facing temperature increases.
We concentrated on the wine economy that flourished in the arid Negev desert between the 3rd-8th centuries CE. Our methodology fused bioarchaeological research on the evolution of archaic grape cultivars in the Negev with ethnographic inquiry into the remerging Negev wine industry. The bioarcheology included ancient DNA analysis of relic grapes that led to the precise identification of a Negev viticulture lineage. An interrelated ethnography provided primary field data on contemporary grape growers and wine producers that we connected to a broader survey of historical viticulture in the Negev.
The effects of global warming are lowering the quality and yields of certain traditional wine grapes. One response the wine industry can pursue is the expansion of grape cultivar diversity. This may be achieved through concerted efforts to search, identify, and preserve the applied methods and bioarchaeological resources tied to the ancient viticulture industries that flourished in arid habitats. The cultivars planted in historical vineyards evolved over time in relation to the demands placed on them by their bio-geographical surroundings. Known as landraces, these endemic varieties possessed distinct identities and extensive individual histories of origin and human selection for local adaptation. Associated with traditional farming regimes, autochthonous grapevines were a vital resource in marginal areas because of their dual potential to thrive in adverse natural surroundings while achieving yield stability over extended periods. Findings on archaic grape cultivars and the affiliated cross-generational knowledge of the natural environment that enabled historical dryland viticulture to prosper will assist viticulturalists who are currently facing temperature increases.
We concentrated on the wine economy that flourished in the arid Negev desert between the 3rd-8th centuries CE. Our methodology fused bioarchaeological research on the evolution of archaic grape cultivars in the Negev with ethnographic inquiry into the remerging Negev wine industry. The bioarcheology included ancient DNA analysis of relic grapes that led to the precise identification of a Negev viticulture lineage. An interrelated ethnography provided primary field data on contemporary grape growers and wine producers that we connected to a broader survey of historical viticulture in the Negev.
The remote setting and consistent arid climate in the Negev support long-lasting archaeological preservation of both biological materials and human construction. Marginal arid areas with longstanding horticultural histories are similarly ripe settings for locating living endemic cultivars, such as grapevines, whose mere existence empirically demonstrates their resilience to dry conditions and warm temperatures. Thus, in the winter of 2022-23, with the help of several interlocutors, we retrieved two types of feral grapevine cultivars found growing amid the ancient agricultural plots located within our research locale. The specimens were cloned, propagated and transferred to dedicated nurseries near Lachish in the western Judean lowlands where we administered molecular monitoring to track their growth cycles.
The two grape varieties were also sent for paleogenetic sequencing and identification at the Ancient DNA lab in the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel-Aviv University. We compared the genetic makeup of the feral grape samples with the genetic readings of modern grapevines available from open-access genetic libraries, as well as with genomic data obtained in a separate study of ancient grape pips that were retrieved from Avdat, a Byzantine era Negev viticultural hub. The feral grapes were identified as endemic varieties – the “Syriki” and the “Be’er” (Hebrew for “water well”) – and found to possess a second degree of genetic kinship to the Avdat grape pips. In September 2023, in cooperation with the Negev regional municipalities and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, 85 cloned cultivars were planted in an experimental vineyard situated at the base of the Avdat tourism park. The vineyard is being tended with modern agricultural techniques and we are tracking the responses of the grapevines to the arid environment and the ongoing progress of their revival.
In parallel, we conducted ethnographic research among longstanding elders – Jewish and Bedouin – who live in the Negev and were once involved in farming and viticulture. Our interviews frequently occurred on field outings that took place throughout the different seasons of the year among the agricultural and settlement relics from the Ottoman (1517-1918) and British Mandate (1918-1948) eras, that were often built on the ruins of even earlier farming installations and orchards. The stories and explanations we heard helped us to contextualize the practical aspects of past attempts at dryland viticulture.
To attain a first-hand appreciation of the real-world potential for Negev wine revival, we applied ethnographic fieldwork to examine contemporary Negev vineyards and wineries. The fieldwork enabled us to gain insights into the motivations for growing grapes in the remote Negev, the current state-of-the-art for arid land viticulture, the adaptive cultivation strategies employed (or not) within this framework, the quality of Negev wines, and the present and future socioeconomic, national and international significance of the Negev wine revival. The primary research afforded concrete opportunities to witness, engage and reflect on the complex assortment of daily and seasonal choices and challenges facing current Negev viticulture development.
The two grape varieties were also sent for paleogenetic sequencing and identification at the Ancient DNA lab in the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel-Aviv University. We compared the genetic makeup of the feral grape samples with the genetic readings of modern grapevines available from open-access genetic libraries, as well as with genomic data obtained in a separate study of ancient grape pips that were retrieved from Avdat, a Byzantine era Negev viticultural hub. The feral grapes were identified as endemic varieties – the “Syriki” and the “Be’er” (Hebrew for “water well”) – and found to possess a second degree of genetic kinship to the Avdat grape pips. In September 2023, in cooperation with the Negev regional municipalities and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, 85 cloned cultivars were planted in an experimental vineyard situated at the base of the Avdat tourism park. The vineyard is being tended with modern agricultural techniques and we are tracking the responses of the grapevines to the arid environment and the ongoing progress of their revival.
In parallel, we conducted ethnographic research among longstanding elders – Jewish and Bedouin – who live in the Negev and were once involved in farming and viticulture. Our interviews frequently occurred on field outings that took place throughout the different seasons of the year among the agricultural and settlement relics from the Ottoman (1517-1918) and British Mandate (1918-1948) eras, that were often built on the ruins of even earlier farming installations and orchards. The stories and explanations we heard helped us to contextualize the practical aspects of past attempts at dryland viticulture.
To attain a first-hand appreciation of the real-world potential for Negev wine revival, we applied ethnographic fieldwork to examine contemporary Negev vineyards and wineries. The fieldwork enabled us to gain insights into the motivations for growing grapes in the remote Negev, the current state-of-the-art for arid land viticulture, the adaptive cultivation strategies employed (or not) within this framework, the quality of Negev wines, and the present and future socioeconomic, national and international significance of the Negev wine revival. The primary research afforded concrete opportunities to witness, engage and reflect on the complex assortment of daily and seasonal choices and challenges facing current Negev viticulture development.
Our research illustrates how contemporary vineyards and wineries in increasingly arid areas can benefit from a better understanding of the longstanding history of grape growing and wine-making traditions in their region. The hardiness of the Negev wine grapes and their proven ability to adapt and thrive in parched climates are especially valuable traits as the rise in temperatures is harmfully impacting traditional wine growing areas. In response, today vine growers and winemakers from around the world are seeking cultivars that possess greater resilience to the increase in heat and the ensuing effects of desertification.
Our applied methodology – a novel combination of bioarcheology, genetic analysis, historical inquiry and ethnography – enabled us to establish an empirical link between archaic grape cultivars and current modes of viticulture that can gainfully be applied within other pax-Mediterranean historical viticultural contexts. To overcome the impact caused by current climate pressures and the increase in temperatures, we posit that like their historical
forebearers, current-day viticulturists must forge a sustainable rapport with their local terroir through the revival of arid-adapted grapevine cultivars with rich varietal lineages.
Surely the revival of viticulture in the Negev desert terroir and beyond is not solely predicated on modern innovation, but also pivots on a reconnection with profound historical legacies. Hence, by valuing and integrating the merits of ancient viticulture through embracing past agro-technologies, reviving heirloom cultivars and developing eco/edu tourism programs, the wine sector can chart a course that respects its history while favorably embracing the future. This holistic approach and its associated methodology can ensure that the uniqueness and cultural significance of various wine regions continue to thrive, ultimately benefiting local residents for generations to come.
Our applied methodology – a novel combination of bioarcheology, genetic analysis, historical inquiry and ethnography – enabled us to establish an empirical link between archaic grape cultivars and current modes of viticulture that can gainfully be applied within other pax-Mediterranean historical viticultural contexts. To overcome the impact caused by current climate pressures and the increase in temperatures, we posit that like their historical
forebearers, current-day viticulturists must forge a sustainable rapport with their local terroir through the revival of arid-adapted grapevine cultivars with rich varietal lineages.
Surely the revival of viticulture in the Negev desert terroir and beyond is not solely predicated on modern innovation, but also pivots on a reconnection with profound historical legacies. Hence, by valuing and integrating the merits of ancient viticulture through embracing past agro-technologies, reviving heirloom cultivars and developing eco/edu tourism programs, the wine sector can chart a course that respects its history while favorably embracing the future. This holistic approach and its associated methodology can ensure that the uniqueness and cultural significance of various wine regions continue to thrive, ultimately benefiting local residents for generations to come.