View source for Vitis vinifera

'''Vitis vinifera''' (/ˈvaɪtɪs vɪˈnɪfərə/, Latin “wine-bearing vine”) is the principal species of domesticated [[grapevine]] cultivated for [[wine production]] worldwide, underpinning most classic wine styles and regions.<ref>Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz, ''Wine Grapes'', HarperCollins, 2012, ISBN 978-0062206367.</ref> It comprises thousands of named [[grape variety]] whose genetic diversity drives differences in flavour, structure and ageing potential.<ref>This, Lacombe & Thomas, “Historical Origins and Genetic Diversity of Wine Grapes”, ''Trends in Genetics'', 22(9), 2006.</ref>

== History ==
Archaeological and biomolecular evidence places the domestication of Vitis vinifera between 6000 and 4000 BCE in the [[Caucasus]] and [[Near East]], before viticulture spread across the Mediterranean with trading and colonising cultures.<ref>McGovern, ''Ancient Wine: The Search for the Origins of Viniculture'', Princeton University Press, 2003, ISBN 978-0691070803.</ref> Genomic studies indicate derivation from the wild subspecies ''[[sylvestris]]'', with subsequent introgression and selection shaping cultivated diversity and regional adaptation.<ref>Myles et al., “Genetic Structure and Domestication History of the Grapevine”, ''PNAS'', 108(9), 2011.</ref> Domesticated forms are predominantly hermaphroditic—an advantage for reliable fruit set compared with the typically dioecious wild vines.<ref>Myles et al., “Genetic Structure and Domestication History of the Grapevine”, ''PNAS'', 108(9), 2011.</ref>

== Characteristics ==
In managed [[vineyard]] systems, Vitis vinifera exhibits a balance of sugars, acids and [[phenolic compounds]] conducive to quality wine, including skin [[tannin]] and [[anthocyanin]] fractions that determine colour and structure in red styles.<ref>Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz, ''Wine Grapes'', HarperCollins, 2012, ISBN 978-0062206367.</ref> The species’ ampelographic diversity is expressed through differences in [[berry morphology]], ripening time and aroma precursors, documented by modern [[ampelography]] and genetic profiling.<ref>This, Lacombe & Thomas, “Historical Origins and Genetic Diversity of Wine Grapes”, ''Trends in Genetics'', 22(9), 2006.</ref>

== Distribution ==
Vitis vinifera dominates global winegrowing and is recorded in viticultural databases across [[Europe]], the [[Americas]], [[South Africa]], [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]], among other regions.<ref>Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC), “Vitis vinifera”, vivc.de.</ref> Owing to susceptibility to [[phylloxera]] and several fungal diseases (e.g., [[powdery mildew]]), vines are typically [[grafted]] onto resistant [[rootstock]]s to ensure longevity and vineyard health.<ref>Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz, ''Wine Grapes'', HarperCollins, 2012, ISBN 978-0062206367.</ref>

== Winemaking ==
The species provides the [[raw material]] for a spectrum of wine categories. Aromatic whites (e.g., [[Riesling]]) and structurally robust reds (e.g., [[Cabernet Sauvignon]]) illustrate the breadth of vinifera expression, shaped by decisions on skin contact, [[fermentation]] temperature, [[malolactic fermentation]] and [[élevage]] (including [[oak maturation]]).<ref>Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz, ''Wine Grapes'', HarperCollins, 2012, ISBN 978-0062206367.</ref> Regional [[blending]] traditions within the species are widely used to balance acidity, tannin and aroma complexity.<ref>McGovern, ''Ancient Wine: The Search for the Origins of Viniculture'', Princeton University Press, 2003, ISBN 978-0691070803.</ref>

== Development ==
Contemporary research focuses on conserving heirloom cultivars, clarifying clonal relationships and breeding for resilience to drought and disease while retaining sensory identity.<ref>This, Lacombe & Thomas, “Historical Origins and Genetic Diversity of Wine Grapes”, ''Trends in Genetics'', 22(9), 2006.</ref> Population-genetic work and reference genomes are refining the understanding of domestication, migration routes and the molecular basis of key quality traits.<ref>Myles et al., “Genetic Structure and Domestication History of the Grapevine”, ''PNAS'', 108(9), 2011.</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Viticulture]]
* [[Grape variety]]
* [[Ampelography]]
* [[Phylloxera]]
* [[Rootstock]]
* [[Fermentation]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Grape varieties]]
[[Category:Viticulture]]
[[Category:Wine grapes]]