Steve wrote on Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:38:14 +0000:

??>> Would you please expand on "totally different clonally" ?
??>> It has no obvious meaning to me.

SS> I mean that the clones of Zin in California may be similar
SS> to each other, but not closely related to the clones of
SS> Pimitivo in Italy.

SS> Zin and Primitivo have a common ancestor, but clonal
SS> selection in California and Italy could have effectively
SS> produced two very different grapes for practical purposes.
SS> In the same way that Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are
SS> practically different for example, despite the fact that
SS> they technically belong to the same variety.

SS> It's pure speculation that the clones are very different,
SS> but I bet they are not the same clones both sides of the
SS> Atlantic. As far as I know no one has done the research.

SS> But it could be that the differences between California Zin
SS> and Italian Primitivo might not be totally down to terroir.

I am still rather puzzled. A clone in genetics is an exact
replica. Cloning, in horticulture and biology, produces an
organism whose genetic information is identical to that from
which it was created.

I would suspect that it is usual to grow new vines of Pinot
Blanc and Pinot Gris etc. from cuttings. In this case, the DNA
sequence for two cuttings is identical even if growers may try
to select for a particular characteristic. I don't know how you
can achieve this asexually. Genetics seems to be taking a
beating :-) Since "clonality" is described as the ability to
form clones or the ability to be cloned, it does not seem to
describe a process of selection that might produce different
varieties.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not