Wine Is An Ancient Art, A Modern Science and A Global Business

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

However whether we are talking about ancient or modern wine production, many of the same conditions apply and similar techniques are used because the chemistry of the grape is an eternal quality.

With some exceptions the grapes used in wine production grow only only between latitudes 30-50 degrees North and 30-45 degrees South of the equator. As opposed to many other crops, grapes do not need a particularly fertile soil and it is interesting to note that a thinner soil often results in a small crop but also often produces grapes of a higher quality.

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 suited to winemaking. These grapes are often very good for eating, but lack the desirable quantities of minerals, sugars and acids for winemaking.

Undoubtedly, the finest wines come from soils which would be considered poor quality for other agricultural purposes. The stellar wines from Bordeaux, for example, 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 produced is high. In this instance the pebbly soil permits good drainage, which is vital as grapevines need adequate but not excessive water, but these conditions force the roots to reach deep into the earth where they absorb a range of complex minerals.

Vineyards are also frequently found along river valleys, with slopes providing abundant sunshine. Vines in these circumstances are often of the European species vitis vinifera, from which a variety of well known wines are made, like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

Viticulture, the name applied to the practice of growing grapes for wine, is one of the most complicated agricultural undertakings today. A master vintner (today, sometimes referred to as 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, rosé, fortified, blush), by region (Alsace, Burgundy, Bordeaux etc.), by vintage and by a dozen other methods.

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

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

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