History of grapes.pdf

Specialization Project “French Grape Varieties “

CHAPTER 1

History of grapes

G rapes are one of the earliest cultivated fruits, and probably around the Black Sea

Region. It is estimated that grapes were cultivated in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq)

as far back as 6,000 B.C. their cultivation spread to Phoenicia and Egypt and by 2,000

B.C .all over the Mediterranean region.

Grapes were cultivated 6,0000 years ago in Europe. there are over 60 varieties of

grapes that are cultivated for wine making and over 50 varieties are in current

production as table grapes. Over 200 years ago, Franciscan monks brought grapes to

California for the purpose of making sacramental wine. As the population grew, more

grape varieties were introduction.40 years later, the vineyard for tables grapes was planted

The whole point of growing grapes in those early days was making wine.

the Greeks had Dionysus, who later was renamed Bacchus by the Romans, a god

dedicated full time to matters of grapes and wine.

C ultivation of the vine began several thousand years before Christ and is mentioned many

times in the Old Testament. The ancient Egyptians made wine; the early Greeks exported

it on a considerable scale.

D uring the Roman Empire vine cultivation was extended to such a degree that a surplus

ensued, and in AD 92 the emperor Domitian decreed that half the vines outside Italy be

Specialization Project “French Grape Varieties “

uprooted. When replanting was later permitted, vineyards extended into northern France

and Germany and even into southern England.

T he middle Ages, AD c.400-1200, saw little progress in viticulture. From about 1200,

monasteries kept alive the art of wine making. Later the nobility also owned extensive

vineyards. The French Revolution and the secularization of the German vineyards by

Napoleon, however, removed many vineyards from ecclesiastical hands.

F rom the beginning of the 13th century, the wines of Bordeaux (an area under the English

crown from 1152 to 1435) were commonly shipped to England, the

Hanseatic ports, and the Low Countries. By the 14th century wines from

Spain and Portugal were also widely exported. Drinking habits were

largely governed by changing fashions at court, political relations with

producing countries, and changing rates of excise duty. During the 18th

century heavy duties on French wines and an English alliance with

Portugal led to a sharp rise in English consumption of Portuguese wines.

F or convenience in commerce, the Bordeaux merchants classified their finest red wines as

early as 1725, but it was not until 1855 that such a classification , based on the market

price for each wine, received official recognition. The wines of the Médoc district were

divided into five classes, or crus . The 1855 classification stands today with only one recent

significant change.

D uring the middle and second half of the 19th century the European vineyards suffered

from a series of disastrous diseases and pests, particularly mildew, or Oidium , and the

plant louse, Phylloxera . First discovered in 1863, Phylloxera spread across Europe,

destroying the vines by attacking their roots. Not until about 1880 was the grafting of

European vine species onto immune American rootstock accepted as the only viable

solution. Selective replanting also led to improved grapes.

S imultaneously, a movement began to ensure the authenticity of wine, culminating (1936)

in France when the appellation controlée (quality control) law, now the model for similar

legislation in other countries, came into effect. The law allows only wine made from

grapes grown in the Champagne region, for example, to be called champagne .

Specialization Project “French Grape Varieties “

CHAPTER 2

The vine

The vine belongs to the Ampelidaceae family, as does the Virginia creeper and other

Specialization Project “French Grape Varieties “

climbing berry-bearing growths (but not common ivy). It is only the genus Vitis(vine) that

interests the wine-maker. There are five families of wine-producing vines: Vitis vinifera,

Vitis riparia, Vitis ruspestris, Vitis labrusca and Vitis berlandieri. Of those, Vitis vinifera

(wine-bearing vine) produces all the noble grapes associated with European vineyards but

are now used throughout the world, with just a few exceptions. These are in the east coast

of America and Canada where other species are cultivated because they are more suited to

the terrain and climatic conditions.

Composition of the vine

The vine consists of:

Roots These are for anchorage and for absorbing nutrients and moisture from the

earth. The root system is large and can reach to a depth of about 12 m (13 yds)

Leaves Chlorophyll is the green matter in the leaves and is necessary for photosynthesis.

When sunlight falls on them, carbon dioxide is absorbed from the atmosphere through the

leaves into the plant where it combines with water, absorbed through the roots, to make

sugar. The sap which is circulating in the vine takes the sugar and stores it within the

grape. Leaves also shade the grapes in very hot climate.

Flowers Vine flowers are very small, They self-pollinate from May to June in the northern

hemisphere and from November to December in the southern hemisphere. Flowering lasts

about ten days when, hopefully, the weather remains warm and dry. Frost is the great

enemy- if it arrives during the flowering, unprotected vines will not bear grapes. Frosts

can be combated by smoke and heat devices and by spraying the vines with water.

Grapes The grapes from after pollination. At first they are small, hard and green, but as

they ripen, they swell out and change color in August and September. They should be fully

ripe 100 days after flowering. A ton of grapes produces 675 liters (148 gallons), equivalent

to 960 bottles of wine.

Composition of the grape

Specialization Project “French Grape Varieties “

Stalk When the stalk is used it imparts tannic acid to wine. It is mostly used in the making

of big, flavorsome red wine and is not used when making white and light wines. Tannin is

a necessary ingredient as it acts as a preservative and antioxidant. If over-used, it makes

the wine astringent as nasty. It is recognized on the palate by its tongue-furring properties.

Skin The outer skin or cuticle has a whitish downy or cloudy coat known as bloom. This

waxy substance contains wild yeasts and wine yeasts, millions of minute enzymes which

contribute to the fermentation process. It also contains other micro organisms such as

bacteria, principally the acetobacter which is a potential danger to wine. If uncontrolled, it

can turn wine into vinegar. The inside of the skin imparts color which is extracted during

fermentation.

PIPS Crushed pips impart tannic acid, oils and water. If left uncrushed, they do not

contribute to vinification.

PULP The flesh of the grape provides the juice, also known as must, which is essential for

fermentation. The must contains

1. 78%-80% water;

2. 10%-25% sugar;

3. 5%-6% acids.

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika: