Humans have been cultivating wine grapes for centuries longer than scientists previously believed.
A new study reveals that Vitis vinifera was first domesticated around 11,000 years ago, according to a March 2 journal article in Science. The new research, based on genetics data of over 3,500 grape types, suggests that grapevines were first domesticated around 3,000 years prior than previously believed. Previous archaeological research suggested that Vitis vinifera was first cultivated in the Transcaucasian region around 6,000— to 8,000 years ago, according to the National Library of Medicine.
