Lightning in a Bottle? Wine GIs and Disruptive Innovation

Abstract This article examines the intersection of innovation and tradition in the context of Geographical Indications (GIs) for wine, focusing on the transformative potential of New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) in viticulture. GIs signal provenance, whilst requiring a commitment to traditional production methods. However, viticulture in the EU today faces several challenges, including climate change, increasing competition from New World wine producers, and shifting consumer preferences. Innovation is an important resource for meeting these challenges. NGTs, exemplified by CRISPR technology, enable precise genetic modifications to promote traits such as disease resistance while preserving the genetic identity of traditional grape varieties. They hold out the promise of reconciling innovation with tradition. The European Commission’s Proposal for a Regulation on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques (COM(2023) 411 final) could pave the way for their adoption across the wine sector. However, the adoption of NGTs within this sector raises complex regulatory, legal, and socio-economic questions. The novel contribution of the study is to analyse the compatibility of NGTs with the European Union’s strict GI regulations, considering public perception challenges related to biotechnology, and implications for wine typicity and varietal diversity. In bridging the domains of GIs, biosafety regulation, and agricultural innovation, this study identifies the challenges to be overcome by the EU wine sector when seeking to reconcile its deep-rooted traditions with the radical potential of NGTs.