History of Grapes
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No celebration is complete with a bottle of Champagne. Champagne is made using a special variety of grapes. There are many grape varieties, and each variety has been cultivated over time, through different processes. Grape cultivation is a unique process that involves a set of techniques that span from seeding to fruit maturity.
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Grapes have existed since prehistoric times. Historians found that they were grown in Asia as far back as 5000 BC. The Phoenicians were responsible for bringing the grape from Asia into Greece some time in 1000 BC, where the climate proved to be conducive for growth. They can be seen in hieroglyphics shown in Egyptian tombs. Winemaking was quite prevalent in Egypt in 3000 BC, and much of it was red wine.
It was during the time of the Roman, that grapes began to be used extensively for wine making. By the second century, cultivators had come up with ninety different grape varieties. They developed extensive grape harvesting techniques, such as the use of barrels, bottles and a denomination system that indicated wine varieties belonging to different regions. There are many Bible stories that mention them and of course they were used as part of Christian celebrations.
The knowledge of growing grapes for wine making came to the western world through European conquests. European travelers brought gapes to the US where they were grown in large areas for wine making. The most fertile area for vine cultivation was California as the climate was fine and there was no presence of pests that preyed on the fruit. Many varieties of grape are grown here and 90 percent of American’s grape contribution comes from California. In course of time, grape cultivation also spread to Australia and South America.
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