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Wine Is An Century Old Art, A Modern Day Science and A Global Business

By: Donald Saunders

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Wine producing has been practiced in one way or another for many thousands of years with pottery jars found in Persia (present day Iran) dating back to 5,500 BC displaying evidence of grapes use in winemaking. In addition, jars from Jiahu in China dated to somewhere between 6000 and 7000 BC have also been discovered containing wine made from wild grapes.

However whether we are considering ancient or modern wine production, a number of the same conditions apply and similar techniques are used as the chemistry of the humble grape is a timeless quality.

With a few notable exceptions the grapes used for producing wine grow only in bands delineated by the latitudes 30-50 degrees North and 30-45 degrees South of the equator. Unlike the majority of other crops, grapes do not need a particularly fertile soil and it is interesting to note that a thinner soil frequently produces a small crop but also frequently produces higher quality grapes.

Strangely enough, soils that are rich in nitrogen and other nutrients (conditions that are generally highly beneficial for the majority of plants) can produce grapes that are not suitable for winemaking. Such grapes are however often very good for eating, but lack the required quantities of minerals, acids and sugars for winemaking.

Undoubtedly, the finest wines come from soils that would be thought of as poor quality for other agricultural purposes. For example, the stellar wines from Bordeaux are made from grapes grown in gravelly soil, which overlies a base of chalk or clay. The crop here is sparse, but the quality of the grapes is high. In this case the pebbly earth allows for good drainage, which is essential as grapevines have to have adequate but not excessive water, but the conditions force the roots to reach deep into the earth where they absorb a variety of complex minerals.

Vineyards are also most often found along river valleys, with slopes that provide abundant sunshine. Vines in these cases are usually of the European species vitis vinifera, from which various well known wines are made, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot.

Viticulture, the term used for the practice of growing grapes for wine, is one of the most complex agricultural undertakings today. A master vintner (nowadays, sometimes called an oenologist), has got to be an expert in a wide range of subjects including soil chemistry, fermentation, climatology and various other ancient arts and modern sciences.

In addition to categorization by variety, wines are also classified by vinification methods (sparkling, still, ros�, fortified, blush), by region (Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace etc.), by vintage and by a dozen other methods.

As soon as the grower, chemist and manufacturer have finished their work, the businessman then takes over and wine today is certainly very big business. Wine sales in the United States alone run to something like 600 million gallons, representing over $20 billion in consumer spending. Perhaps not surprisingly France is the world leader when it comes to exports with 22% of export volume, with Italy following close behind.

When all is said and done however, no matter how big a business wine making has become, it is still very much a balance of science, art and business and winemaking is certainly not a business venture to be undertaken by the faint hearted.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

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