Grape Vine Plant

Prehistoric Grapes

• Humans used grapes long before they cultivated the vines. Hunter-gatherers picked the first early grapes for consumption along with whatever wild game they could kill. These early grapes were smaller in size than the grapes that we grow today. These grapes grew on woody perennial vines that clung to hardwood trees for support. The vines resembled modern wild vines, which may grow up to 80 feet into the canopy of a hardwood forest.

Wine

• Historians believe that grapes were made into wine before they were cultivated. Yeast, the microorganism that causes fruit to ferment and create alcohol, occurs naturally on the skins of grapes. Fermented foods such as beer, wine, and cheese were originally a safe method of preserving foods. Alcoholic beverages were often safer to drink than fresh water, which could be laden with the intestinal microorganisms that caused cholera, dysentery or other serious diseases. In countries where modern sanitation is lacking, people today still prefer fermented beverages to water.

Cultivation

• Archaeological evidence indicates that the first attempts to cultivate grapes occurred in the Black Sea region. Cultivation methods spread along trade routes to the Middle East. The Ancient Greeks were the first to seriously grow grapes. The Romans perfected Greek methods and developed many of the practices that are still used to develop grape plants today, including pruning for better grape fruit development, filtering methods and proper storage. Roman vintners also recognized that climate and soil could play a role in the taste of grapes.

Grapes Worldwide

• Today grapes are grown on nearly every continent of the world. Many grape varieties will only grow within the soil conditions of certain regions. For example, when Europeans attempted to grow grapes on North American soil, the grape varieties that they brought to North America died from soil-borne diseases to which native North American varieties were immune. Grape growers and enthusiasts are continually developing new hybrid varieties that combine hardiness and disease resistance along with improved flavor.