In an action that highlights the value of the public-private partnership, the Center for Research and Innovation of Viña Concha y Toro, together with UC Davis Chile, Andrés Bello University and VSPT Wine Group, with the support of CORFO, presented the complete genome of the Carmenere strain.

With a glass of wine in hand and in front of an audience of more than 130 people, representatives of UC Davis Chile, Viña Concha y Toro, VSPT Wine Group, Andrés Bello University and CORFO, made a toast for the scientific advance achieved: consolidating the complete genome of the Carmenere strain.

The joint effort, which emphasizes the value of the public-private partnership in research for the industry, is an unprecedented result, since the genetic map of this strain, the icon of the Chilean wine industry in the world, has never been completed before.

Picking up a concern from the industry, which needed to have a reference genome for the genetic identification of clones, the scientific team worked for years to achieve this goal.

This is the first project of this kind and scope that is made worldwide, which will position Chile as a relevant player in genomic research for the agricultural sector. The advances presented provide basic scientific information for the development of technologies focused on the needs of the industry, which are cost efficient and improve competitiveness throughout the production chain.

“Having the complete genome of the Carmenere cultivar is a milestone that has an enormous impact, not only on Viña Concha y Toro, but on the entire industry. Knowing in detail the code that governs our emblematic strain opens up several opportunities for future work, as many as our ability to innovate allows us to develop”, said Gerard Casaubon, Director of the CRI.

In the context of the celebration of the National Wine Day, the leaders of the project presented the platform that contains this discovery, which will be available not only for the national wine industry, but for the whole world. You can check the platform here.