The principal ecogeographical groups in French grapevines assortment

The natural french grapevine varieties assortment has been reduced during the recent years because of many factors, principally the post-phylloxeric reconstitution, the rationalisation of the production and the varietal and clonal selections. Before a still more important reduction is to be made it is necessary to give a classification of french autochton cultivars based on ecogeographical groups or sortotypes. These works keep classic genetic interest in possible crossings : less inbreeding, more heterosis. Besides they enable a better approach of modern classifications based on biochemistry or atomic physics, pigments, enzymes, tracers, and so on, so as to confirm or infirm botanic results.