Grapevine Genome Yields Secrets

We're all chock-full of mutations, scientists find

(NEWSER) - Wolverine’s not so different from you and me: Scientists have found that each person has as many as 60 mutations in our genomes—portions of our DNA that aren’t matched in either of our parents. Mutations happen in both eggs and sperm cells, and neither cell’s mutations are consistently dominant in the resulting human. Scientists studied two families, each with one child, searching through 6,000 potential mutations for each child's genome. More»

You may not have heard of them, but they're 'thrilling'

(NEWSER) - Ready to move beyond familiar cabernet sauvignons and chardonnays? Eric Asimov of the New York Times suggests a dozen little-known but “thrilling” wines to explore:

• Assyrtiko: This white wine grape from the volcanic island of Santorini “produces dry, deliciously minerally wines” that pair well with seafood.
• Frappato: These grapes from southeastern Sicily make “lovely, fresh and lively wines that are delicious summer reds, especially when lightly chilled.”

E and J Gallo unwittingly sold fake Red Bicyclette

(NEWSER) - French winemakers have been convicted in a massive scam to dupe unwitting Yanks by passing off 18 million bottles of a cheaper wine as Pinot Noir. The French producers sold the wine to major US buyer E and J Gallo for its popular Red Bicyclette brand. By calling a cheaper grape Pinot Noir, the winemakers more than doubled their profits, raking in more than $10 million euros from the fraud, the BBC reports. More»

(NEWSER) - It’s not easy, but it is possible to find inexpensive American wine that “will fascinate and intrigue,” Eric Asimov writes in the New York Times. Whereas European vintners grow a diverse range of regional grapes, Americans generally stick to classics like cabernet sauvignon, resulting in “a small amount of top-flight wine along with an ocean of generic.” Still, there are notable exceptions. More»

Grape ingredient could be used for anti-aging drugs

(NEWSER) - Researchers have found new signs that the fountain of youth could be filled with red wine, the New York Times reports. Resveratrol, an ingredient in grape skins, has been found to slow the effects of aging by triggering a change in the body—making it switch resources from fertility to tissue maintenance. Some scientists are so impressed by the findings that they're already taking resveratrol capsules. More»