Wine producing has been carried out in one way or another for thousands of years now with pottery jars discovered in Persia (present day Iran) dating back to 5,500 BC displaying evidence of grapes use for winemaking. In addition, jars from Jiahu in China dated to somewhere between 6000 and 7000 BC have also been found containing wine made from wild grapes.
However whether we are considering ancient or modern wine production, many of the same conditions apply and similar techniques are used because the chemistry of the humble grape is an eternal quality.
With some exceptions the grapes used for producing wine grow only only between latitudes 30-50 degrees North and 30-45 degrees South of the equator. Unlike many other crops, grapes do not need a particularly fertile soil and it is interesting to note that a thinner soil normally results in a small crop but also normally produces grapes of a higher quality.
Surprisingly, soils which are rich in nitrogen and other nutrients (conditions which are usually highly beneficial for most plants) can produce grapes which are not suited to winemaking. These grapes are however often very good for eating, but lack the desired amounts of minerals, acids and sugars for winemaking.
Undoubtedly, the best wines are produced on soils which would be considered poor quality for other agricultural purposes. For example, the stellar wines from Bordeaux are made from grapes grown in gravelly soil, overlying a base of chalk or clay. The crop here is small, but the quality of the grapes produced is high. In this instance the pebbly earth permits good drainage, which is essential as vines have to have adequate but not excessive water, but these conditions force the roots to grow deep into the earth where they absorb a variety of complex minerals.
Vineyards are also frequently found along river valleys, with slopes that provide abundant sunshine. Vines in these circumstances are usually of the European species vitis vinifera, from which a number of well known wines are made, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot.
Viticulture, the name used for the practice of grape growing for winemaking, is one of the most complex agricultural undertakings today. A master vintner (today, sometimes called an oenologist), has got to be an expert in a wide range of subjects including fermentation, soil chemistry, climatology and several other ancient arts and modern sciences.
In addition to categorization by variety, wines are also classified by vinification methods (still, sparkling, ros้, fortified, blush), by region (Alsace, Burgundy, Bordeaux etc.), by vintage and by a dozen other methods.
Once the farmer, chemist and manufacturer have finished their work, the businessman then takes over and wine today is very big business. Wine sales in the United States alone run to something like 600 million gallons, representing in excess of $20 billion in consumer spending. Perhaps not surprisingly France leads the world 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 remains very much a matter of balancing art, science and business and winemaking is most certainly not a business venture to be undertaken by anybody of a timid disposition.