If we take a closer look into the origins of wines, we will notice that wines have been around for at least 4,500 years. Although there are no clear records as to where the first wines were actually produced, some facts pointed to the Middle East as the place where wine making first started. However, since the wine making practice in the Middle East at that time was not properly documented, we don’t really know why and how this practice was ever conceptualized. All we know is that the art of wine making was passed from generation to generation. Wine making is like a family tradition in most parts of the world. In fact, there are families that are known to have produced wines for hundreds of years.
The Early Records Of The Use Of Grapes For Making Wine
One of the earliest records of the art of wine making came from the Egyptians. This Egyptian document which mentioned the use of grapes for wine making date back to 2,500 BC, mentioned the use of grapes in wine making. During that time, wine was commonly used as offerings to kings and royalties. The best vineyards in Egypt were reserved for the making wines for the king and the royal family.
Aside from the Egyptian records, wine was also mentioned in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. Wine took on a sacramental role in Christian churches. According to the Christian belief, wine represents the blood of Jesus Christ which was offered is offered in exchanged for the salvation of humankind. Up until now, the use of wine is still very much part of the Christian religious celebrations. The Christian holy mass is celebrated with the use of wine and bread.
As years go by, the art of drinking wine spread all over the world. The Romans are said to be the ones who introduced the art of wine making to different parts of Europe. There, the art of wine making took a lot of refinements to suit the taste of the Europeans. Since the climate of Europe is different from that of Egypt and the Middle East, most of the wines produced within the European continent are said to taste better compared to those wines produced in other parts of the world. Many experts believe that the soils of Europe are well suited for growing a lot of variety of grapes and this accounts for the many different taste of wines that are now being produced all over the European continent.
Wine Making: An Age Old Tradition That Has Been Passed From Generation To Generation
Looking at how wine prices are determined
Wine is like any other article of trade that exists in the market. The final wine price is determined by the production costs, the rarity of the product and its status and worth. Wine makers have a choice whether they produce their wines cheaply or at a high cost.
The price of wine is determined by several factors:
- A winemaker may choose to create their wine using low yields or bigger volume high yields (a yield is a term used to measure the number of grapes or the volume of grape juice produced per area). This ensures the use of fuller flavored grapes.
- Some winemakers might make their wine in concrete vats or oak barrels which adds very much to the wine price.
- Some winemakers may choose to harvest their fruit themselves by hand to avoid the price of employing labour and the price of machinery.
All of these additional costs will be recovered in the selling price of wine when it goes to be sold. This explains why a wine from a quality producer will always be more expensive than wine from bulk production.
Are wines better value when they are cheap or expensive?
Quality wine costs more to make than lower quality wines. As is said above the growing and winemaking methods are more costly and therefore quality wines cannot be found at a low price. It has been known for some winemakers who are eager to make extra money on the sly to charge more for their wine than it is actually worth, however trustworthy merchants protect customers values by not purchasing wines from these kinds of people.
Although wine with more expensive wine prices tends to be known as being of better quality, the value is determined by the buyer, because everyone’s tastes vary.
Quality wines are often allowed to mature over a long time period so that they can reach their best and full potential. When time passes and the wine itself is drunk by consumers, those wine bottles that are left in small numbers become very rare and become worth a great deal of money, with its worth increasing year by year. Wines that are also rare and of great expense are wines that are made in small quantities each year.
At the end of the day, wine prices vary because of their production costs and time and material used to create them. If a persons passion is in quality wines, then they may be willing to pay for the rarity of an expensive bottle, yet for someone who is just in search of a bottle to go with a meal, less expensive bottles may be better suited; it all comes down to individual taste.
What wine is made from – wine grapes
Grapes are the main ingredient in wine. Grapes take on the flavour of the soil and grow sweeter in the sun as they grown on the vines. There are many different types of wine grapes and the variety of the grape and the blend of different varieties is the most significant factor which determines the flavour and character of a wine.
Grape varieties differ depending on the region they grown in. The humidity of the area is a big determiner of the quality of the grapes which is why wine is mostly produced in hotter climates such as France and California. The soil quality of the vineyard is also very important as better soil can create better grapes that in the end make the quality of the wine better. Insect infections or bad weather has been known to destroy whole grape harvests. Quality of the wine is maximized when all of the varieties involved in the wine making are suited to the site in terms of climate and soil structure.
Varietal Grape Blends of Wine Grapes
Wines made predominantly from a single wine grape variety that are usually specified on the label are called ‘Varietal’ wines. Wines made from single grape varieties are very popular and some examples that are made from a predominant grape are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Merlot, all very fashionable wine sellers throughout the wine industry.
Combination of Grapes are known as ‘Wine Grape blends’
Approximately all of the world's greatest wines are made from combining different grapes and different vats or barrels of the same grape. Today blending is important in the production of fine wine and may combine wines with different but harmonizing characteristics. Port, cherry and champagne are three well known grape blends. Some of the world's most valued and expensive wines are from the Bordeaux and Tuscany regions and are a blend of several wine grape varieties
The concept of ‘Terroir’
The concept of terroir is the variety of the grape, the elevation and topography of the vineyard, the type of soil used when growing grapes, the climate and season when the grapes are down and the local yeast cultures. The range of all of these possibilities leads to a great variety among wine products, which can be extended by the fermentation, finishing, and aging processes. Many producers use growing methods that preserve the smell and taste influences of their unique wine terroir, which all adds to a better bottle of wine at the end of the process.