influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it. With its dark blue colored fruits and high juice content, Merlot varietal grapes have long been a favorite of wine producers around the globe, with it being found in vineyards across Europe, the AmericasEuropean Commission. PKM was partially supported by a Royal Society-Wolfson Merit Award and NIH grant U56CA113004 from the National Cancer Institute. As a one-time exception to the publishing policy of Biology Direct the articles in this series are being published with two reviewers.
