Carole Meredith

Carole P. Meredith is an American grape geneticist who was a professor at the Department of Viticulture and Enology of University of California, Davis before she retired in 2003. Meredith and her research group pioneered the use of DNA typing to differentiate "Vitis vinifera" grape varieties and for elucidating their parentage, which gives insight into the varieties' history and place of origin.

In 1996, Meredith and her research established the parentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, which was the first application of such techniques. Later, Chardonnay, Syrah and Zinfandel followed. [http://www.lagiermeredith.com/WhoWeAre.html Lagier-Meredith: Who we are] ] The research group showed that the varieties Zinfandel, Primitivo, and Crljenak Kaštelanski are identical. [ [http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=7124&title=Researchers%20Discover%20Zinfandel's%20Hidden%20Roots UC Davis September 3, 2002: Researchers Discover Zinfandel's Hidden Roots] ] The varieties Charbono and Corbeau were also found to be identical. [ [http://www.slowfoodusa.org/ark/charbono_grapes.html Slow Food USA: Charbono Grape of California] ]

After her retirement from academia in January 2003, Meredith and her husband Stephen Lagier grows world-class Syrah in the Mount Veeder AVA of Napa Valley under the Lagier-Meredith label. [ [http://lagiermeredith.com/ Lagier-Meredith website] ] The first vines on their property were planted in 1994.

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