Ampelography
Advanced Grapes & Varietiesam-puh-LOG-ruh-fee
Definition
The science of identifying grapevine varieties by their physical characteristics.
In Depth
Before DNA analysis, ampelographers identified grape varieties by leaf shape, berry size, cluster morphology, and shoot tip appearance. The field was essential for cataloging the thousands of Vitis vinifera cultivars worldwide. DNA profiling has revealed many mislabeled varieties (Primitivo = Zinfandel, Tribidrag). Pierre Galet's ampelographic atlas remains a foundational reference.
Details
- Category
- Grapes & Varieties
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Pronunciation
- am-puh-LOG-ruh-fee