Grapes are grown in vineyards. There are many different purposes for the vineyard, both for making wines and other uses. Anyone interested in grapes and wine-making processes should know a little bit about vineyards, such as their history, which dates back as least as far as Greek civilization. It is also important to learn what can harm the vines so that those problems can be minimized.
The first known usage of grapes was by the Greeks and Phocaeans. The Phocaeans brought many different things to Europe, including the vineyard. The areas of Europe that were most receptive to the vines were France, Spain, Italy and Portugal because they had the best climate for growing grapes. Now these countries are known as the wine country. Other areas of the world had a harder time accepting the grapes because of the phylloxera bug. However, later on phylloxera resistant vines were discovered. The surrounding area of a vineyard is its terroir. This defines the growing conditions of each vineyard, such as slope, drainage, terrain and sun exposure. The best conditions for big tasty grapes include lots of sun, proper drainage of the fields and proper pruning of the branches. In recent years, the demand for grapes has become so large that more and more countries are growing them, even if they have never grown grapes before. This drives the price of wines down a little, but good wine is always expensive.
There are certain pests and plant diseases that can affect the vineyard. One of the most well-known and devastating pests was the phylloxera insect. This bug ate the roots of the grape plants and destroyed the plants from below. This bug nearly wiped out the entire vineyard population of Europe. Then it was carried over here somehow, some people think through transportation of vines to and from Europe and North America. Nowadays, nearly every vineyard has to have phylloxera resistant vines or they will not survive. North America was the saving factor for the wine industry, as it was the only place that had the phylloxera resistant strains of grapes. Some other plagues to the vineyards are: little-leaf, rabbits, nematodes, gophers, the grape-berry moth, which makes the grapes change color too quickly, climbing cutworms, black rot, crown rot and mildew. As you can see, tending vineyards is not easy with all these problems that must be faced. Of course, on top of that, pruning and tending must be done to the vines themselves to ensure they produce good grapes and less leaves.
So now you know a little more about the vineyard and how it is run. You know the history of the grape and what problems a vineyard owner faces. That could explain a little about why good wine is so expensive. Good wines and grapes are rather hard to grow and there is a long process involved. But in the end, all that hard work is worth it.
Are you a devotee of excellent wines but do not know how to appraise the wine for its true value? Do not be discouraged. There are resources out in in retail outlets and on the internet that can instruct the ways to assess the value of wines as well as even show you how to create wines you can call your own. You can even purchase books that educate you on the methods to grow your own grapes! Just imagine how impressed your friends and family will be when you present them with a present of wines from your very own garden. If you are looking to know more, go here: Making Homemade Wine and more information at Making Red Wine Vinegar and at Wine Making With Fruit
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