The Changing Nature, Spatial Patterns and Ecological Dimensions of a Global Economic Activity

Wine has been a popular beverage for many years amongst different societies. The process of winemaking is one of the most complex and detailed processes, where every step is meticulous towards ensuring the best quality wine is produced. However, different phenomena are able to affect the wine even after it is bottled and stored.

Normally wine is started in the fall when the ripe grapes arc harvested. It is not ready to be tasted until at least the following May-the origin of the young, and often very harsh, ‘May Wine.’ This time sequence coincides with the typical school year and thus provides an ideal opportunity to have a continuing demonstration. As the year passes and the course progresses, continued reference can be made to the various stages of the wine production….

Much of California’s wine regions parallel in their respective histories. However, what sets Napa Valley apart is its rich collection of individual growers and producers dedicated to furthering the reputation of the region from the very beginning. Importantly, its unique location provides ecological serenity for the production of wine from its expansive variety of soils to the balancing effect of its climate.

Scientists predict that climate change may shift production of the best wines from places like Napa Valley to vineyards in the Pacific Northwest and New England, locations that have traditionally been considered too cool for wine production (3). This would not only be devastating economically to the wine industry in Napa but also to the billion dollar tourist industry associated with grape growing and wine production in the Napa Valley.

As a qualified agronomist, employed by a wealthy vigneron, the aim of this extended research task is to support and advise the best practises and producers to establish a new 50 hectare vineyard in the prestigious Barossa Valley located 60 kilometres North-East of Adelaide(fig. 1). Also included in this study is the characteristic of the soils and climate of this area. The trellis support and irrigation of the crop with also be taken into account, along with the most suitable grape for the area and market for winemaking. The preparation towards the soil before the planting procedure begins and wether to use grafted vines or cuttings for vineyard is crucial for efficient production. Composing recommendations for

North Georgia is an area in which grapes are grown for wine making that is rich in a number of elements that make the region one that develops good quality wine. Though not quite as large as other regions in the United States, there are a number of elements unique to Georgia that in turn helps these grape growers develop wines with unique flavor characteristics. This paper will address many of those elements, as well as various techniques used for grape growing, diseases grape growers have to battle, the benefits to viticulture in this region, among a number of other components. The goal of this paper is to help with an expansion of knowledge of the components explored about what it means to grow grapes for winemaking in North Georgia.

The astonishing success of Chile and Argentina relies upon regional factors. The 'Wine Belt' of South Usa is showing is the best world's best growing conditions that's why the nations about this belt are creating world-class wines

The first known people to regulate the growth of wine were the ancient Romans. The Romans found that wine grew best in higher elevations and off the ground; as well as in certain regions. The practice of regulating wine carried on to recent history and modern times with France and other European nations heavily regulating wine production. Additionally, new world wine nations – like the United States and Australia – have implemented laws regulating the production, distribution and sales of wine. In the United States, wine laws vary in federal, state and local realms. Wine laws in the United States regulate what appears on the label, how it is distributed, where and when it can be sold, and intellectual property.

Wines, both red and white, have been a source of refreshment for over 8000 years. To date, a cave in Armenia is the only location of the oldest known winery ever discovered, circa 4100 B.C. And since that time, the people’s love of grapes and their savory, fermented liquids has never looked back. Over the centuries, there have been a handful of countries that have proven more climatically advantageous in producing exceptionally renowned wines. Today, Australia is acknowledged as one of the top 5 best wine producing countries in the world.

Wine it is a fundamental component of many Australian’s day to day life, being closely related with both business and pleasure. Whether it be a quiet drink on a Friday night to a career in wine manufacturing, wine affects the lives of many daily. Not only does wine affect the individuals of Australia, it forms a lucrative industry, employing 28000 people in both winemaking and grape growing (2006 Census of Australia), with Australia being ranked consistently as one of the top ten wine producers in the world. Wine production is a growing industry, with exports totalling $2.87 billion in 2006-2007 an increase of 4.4 percent over the previous year. Annually, Australia produces 1.4 billion litres of wine (Australian Government, 2010).

With the global wine industry expected to generate almost $292 billion in 2014, Wine production and its supply chain are no doubt big business. The supply chain involved from a growing grape to an uncorked bottle is one that involves many intricate details. Because of the popularity of wine, grapes are in fact the largest fruit crop on Earth. But that is not indicative of the complex and interlacing processes that are necessary to grow the proper grape for wine production. Proper weather conditions, the right mixture of soil, and balanced pruning are just the tip of the iceberg in just the first step of the entire wine supply chain. These same grapes that have been tended to as if they were patrons of a restaurant having their own fine glass are then picked and crushed only to be placed into containers to begin the next step of their journey. A long series of processes including, cold soaks, must adjustments, adjustments, fermentation, and yeast addition are where complex science and agriculture join forces. In a scene worthy of a science fiction movie in a mad scientist’s labratory, these grapes slowly become wine. Finished product can be bottled or transferred in bulk to its next destination but will eventually land in a glass where a final customer enjoys the fruits of all the labor involved in this harmony of moving parts.

One might think of the Chardonnay grape as a traveler, comparative to a nomadic race, roaming from place to place. From France to California, stopping along the way to leave its imprint on the locals - surviving in some areas to become a dominant part of history and commerce, as some members of a tribe might, and some continue on to search out the omnipresent dream of a promised land. For the Chardonnay grape, this Promised Land was California and its journey was fruitful. The Chardonnay grape of the species Vitis vinifera ssp. vinifera has long had a mysterious origin while expanding its future from the Old World to the New, enjoying cool temperatures and surviving thanks to its winter hardiness. Along the way, Chardonnay was planted in Oklahoma, and even though the land and climates are much different from those of its native France, Chardonnay continued to surprise. Steadfast and as stubborn as its growers, the vine production in Oklahoma continues to grow. These small, light green fruits can produce one of the most well-known and highly produced white wines in the world were inevitable.

For certain Wine viticulturists the harsh winters have always been a problem . Its difficult to grow most grape varieties in these brutal winter conditions .

The wine industry has in the past made strides in the application of technology in the grape growing wine making process and the introduction of innovative new products. The use of technology and automation was used by New World producers to enhance the consistency and the quality of their wines and reduce operating costs. Robert Mondavi’s work with NASA in 1993 to apply remote sensing and digital mapping technologies to enhance vineyard management illustrates the company’s commitment to technological progress and innovation in its wine making business. Investment in technology led to introduction of capsule-free, flange-top bottle by Robert Mondavi, single-serve bottles, premium non-cork stoppers and clear pressure-sensitive labels by the Sutter Home winery.

Section one argues that traditional grape and wine production favored small scale integrated production. From the mid nineteenth century producers had to adapt to three major exogenous events: the integration of national and international markets, the appearance of new vine diseases and production shortages that these provoked, and the major advances in the knowledge of fermentation and the development of wine making equipment that produced economies of scale and which allowed cheap table wines to be produced in hot climates. These changes encouraged an expansion of production in hot climates in the New World and a shift in the locus of production of cheap table wines from Europe’s centre to the periphery. Thus while the four Midi departments and Algeria produced the equivalent of less than 15 per cent of France’s domestic wine consumption in the 1820s, this figure had reached 50 per cent by 1910. Other regions, such as La Mancha in Spain or Puglia in Italy experienced similar changes, although at later dates. By the turn of the twentieth century, a combination of higher yields and increase in adulteration flooded wine