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

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

With a few exceptions the grapes used in wine making grow only in bands delineated by the latitudes 30-50 degrees North and 30-45 degrees South of the equator. As opposed to most 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.

Surprisingly, soils that are rich in nitrogen and other nutrients (conditions that are usually highly beneficial for the majority of plants) can produce grapes that are unsuitable for winemaking. Such grapes are however often fine for eating, but lack the required quantities of minerals, acids and sugars for winemaking.

Without doubt, the finest wines come from soils that would be considered 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 small, but the quality of the grapes produced is high. In this instance the pebbly earth permits good drainage, which is vital as vines require adequate but not excessive water, but these conditions also force the roots to penetrate deep into the earth where they are able to absorb a range of complex minerals.

Vineyards are also frequently found along river valleys, with slopes that provide plenty of sunshine. Vines in these circumstances are frequently of the European species vitis vinifera, from which a number of well known wines are made, such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

Viticulture, the name used for the practice of growing grapes for wine, is one of the most complex 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 several other ancient arts and modern sciences.

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

Once the farmer, chemist and manufacturer have completed their job, the businessman then takes the stage and today wine is very big business. Wine sales in the US alone run to something like 600 million gallons, representing in excess of $20 billion in consumer spending. Perhaps not surprisingly France leads the field 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 balance of science, art and business and winemaking is most certainly not a business venture to be undertaken by anybody of a timid disposition.

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