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Tuesday, 19 November 2013

Help save France's collection of grape varieties – please sign the petition

The rare Meslier Saint François – starting to bud April 2012

In case the French in the previous post put you off, here is a petition well worth signing! It seeks to preserve the unique collection of grape varieties kept by the INRA at the Domaine de Vassal near Marseillan in the South of France. There are 27 hectares of vines at the domaine, between the sea and L'Etang de Thau with over 7500 vines planted. The varieties are planted in sand, which means that they are phylloxera free. 

There is now a proposal that the collection be moved and this could threaten the continuance of this valuable collection – valuable not just to France but as a resource around the world.   

More details here on Jim's Loire and the petition is here. As of 19th November 2013@14.33 there are 1792 signatories

The organisers are aiming for 5000 signatures by 29th November. Let's do our bit to help!

Update: 22nd November: signatures reached 2565just over halfway to the target of 5000. Now includes Jancis Robinson and José Vouillamoz.  



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