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

But whether we are considering ancient or modern wine production, many of the same conditions apply and not dissimilar 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 should be noted that a thinner soil often produces a small crop but also often produces grapes of a higher quality.

Paradoxically, soils which are rich in nitrogen and other nutrients (conditions which are usually highly beneficial for the majority of plants) can produce grapes which are not suitable for winemaking. Such grapes are often excellent for eating, but lack the desirable amounts of minerals, sugars and acids for winemaking.

Undoubtedly, the finest wines come from 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, which overlies a base of chalk or clay. The crop here is sparse, but the quality of the grapes is high. In this instance the pebbly earth allows for good drainage, which is vital as vines need adequate but not excessive water, but these conditions also force the roots to grow deep into the earth where they absorb a variety of complex minerals.

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

Viticulture, the name applied to the practice of grape growing for winemaking, is one of the most complicated agricultural undertakings today. A master vintner (nowadays, sometimes referred to as an oenologist), must be an expert in a wide range of topics including fermentation, soil chemistry, climatology and several other ancient arts and modern sciences.

As well as categorization by variety, wines are also classified by vinification methods (sparkling, still, fortified, ros?, blush), by region (Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace etc.), by vintage as well as by a dozen other methods.

Once the farmer, chemist and manufacturer have done their job, the businessman then takes over and wine today is certainly 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 the world leader when it comes to exports with 22% of export volume, with Italy following close behind.

At the end of the day however, no matter how big a business wine producing has become, it is still very much a matter of balancing art, science and business and winemaking is certainly not a venture to be undertaken by anyone of a timid nature.