Italians have spent over 3,000 years perfecting grape cultivation for their famous wines , according to new research. Ancient grape seeds show "gradual domestication" from the Bronze Age through to the Middle Ages, say scientists. Today, annual worldwide grape cultivation produces around 80 million tons of fresh grapes and 26 billion liters of wine , with Italian vintages featuring prominently.

While the deep history of viticulture is well-studied in parts of Asia and Europe, scientists explained that data was lacking in the western Mediterranean region. For the new study, an international research team analysed more than 1,700 grape seeds from 25 archaeological sites around Italy spanning seven millennia from the Neolithic Period to the Middle Ages.