NationalGeographic: Pierce's Disease Resistant Vines

Interesting article in National Geographic on the development & use of hybrid grapevines resistant to Pierce's Disease:
https://www.popsci.com/science/bacteria-resistant-wine-grapes/

I've tried the wines made from these varieties by AdamTolmach & they're pretty good. Selling them may be another matter, though.
He'll release the first of these wines this Fall.
Tom

Are these vines also resistant to phylloxera? Many of the native North American vine species are. I don't know if Vitis arizonica is one of them.

These new hybrids probably don't meet EU regulations, which ban the use of hybrid vines.

If the gene that confers resistance to Pierce's disease is known, perhaps GM techniques could be used to introduce this gene into the genome of existing V. vinifera varieties such as cabernet sauvignon.

There's marketing problems galore either way. As the article mentioned, US consumers are used to varietal labeling, and the resistant vines that have been cross-bred are new, unknown to the consumer, varieties. Using GM techniques could introduce resistance to existing varieties without changing their flavor profile, but it would raise the 'frankenvine' bogeyman.

-Paul W.