Grape growing history is basically dated ever since Neolithic periods and we do have proof that people were refining grapes then to make wine. It does sprend till modern times from around the year 5 BC. Georgia is known to have the oldest domestication of Vitis vinifera. While in 3200 BC there were different establishments that were focused on growing grapes.
During early cultivations Vitis vinifera, a hermaphrodite species, was preferred when compared to female and male vines that had dependencies when thinking about pollination. The hermaphrodite vines had the ability to pollinate themselves and produce more of their own kind.
Viticulture practices were started during the time 1200 BC to 900 BC by the Phoenician. As time passed the practices became really popular in Carthage. One 28 volumes manuscript written by Mago also speaks about viticulture practices in high details. This is one manuscript that did manage to make it through the Roman Empire’s Carthage artifacts destruction attempts in the third Punic War and today gives us much info about the history of growing grapes.
Inspired by these scripts, Roman statesman Cato de Elder, wrote De Agra Cultura in 160 BC which described the viticulture and agriculture of the Romans. The 12 volumes text by Columella, De Re Rustica, mentioned many details about the Roman viticulture of the time. We first heard about trellis use in Columella writings.
He also speaks about the earlier trend of training the vines to grow on tree trunks and how he personally favored the usage of stakes for support and not tree trunks. Columella basically liked stakes because it was really hard to prune vines when they were growing on trees. As vegetation thickness stopped proper sunlight exposure for the vines pruning became essential.
Different world known wine growing regions including German Mosel, French Bordeaux, SPanish Rioja, Rhone and Burgundy became popular when we saw the Roman Empire spreading their dominance towards Western Europe.
Roman viticulturists were the pioneers in identifying steep hillsides as ideal locations for growing grapevines. They understood the important fact that air was travelling down from the high parts of the valley. Too much of cold air harmed the grapevines as it interfered with photosynthesis affecting the food produced by the plant and winter frost was also not suitable for grapes.
During middle Ages catholic monks were really good at growing grapes. They introduced cru vineyards, which basically produced similar vintage wines. This was when Metayage system appeared in France and became quite popular. The laborers had the choice of deciding most of the facts linked with viticulture from grape species to method of growing.
Most practices of the middle age continued till the 18th century. Some studies were conducted so that people will see compatibility levels between localities and different grapevines. This period also saw conflicts of quality over quantity. Since only quality grapes would offer quality wine landlors did prefer quality over quantity. Laborers did think about quantity too because this gave them more money.
Grape growing history started around the year 5 BC and appeared in Europe thanks to the Roman Empire, which brought it from Greece. The modern day culture of vineyards was introduced by Catholic Monks. Different eras and various places have evidence of viticulture being practiced since ancient times.
