Wine Producing Regions in the World Essay

Wine is an alcoholic drink that is made from grapes, fermented without any addition of acids, sugars, enzymes, or any other nutrients. This process requires the use of yeast whose function is to convert the sugar in the grapes into ethanol and carbon dioxide. There are different types of wines depending on the type of the grapes, and the processing technique applied. Wine has been produced for years, with the earliest trace of winemaking showing it was being made in Georgia as early as 6000BC (Phillips 2000). The main reason why wine is consumed widely is due to its intoxicating effects. Wine is also popular because of its religious importance according to some religious beliefs, among other factors. There are a lot of regions in the world today, which are major producers of wine.

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One of the largest wine producing regions in the world is Arizona, in the United States. The wine produced in this region is branded as Arizona wine, referring to a type of wine produced from the grapes grown in the state of Arizona. In Arizona, there are three distinct regions of wineries and vineyards. These include the Verde Valley, Wilcox region, and Sonita region, to the south of Tucson. However, most vineyards in Arizona are in the Sothern part of Arizona and the eastern side of Tucson. The two designated American Viticultural Areas (AVA), include the Sonoita AVA, established in 19785 and the Wilcox AVA, established in 2016. Wine production in Arizona started in the 16th century, and it has witnessed a lot of expansion to date. Today, there are over 110 cellars and vineyards in the state of Arizona (Press 2014). Wine production in Arizona is managed by the Arizona Wine Growers Association (AWGA) and the Arizona Vignerons Alliance (AZVA). The AWGA markets the Arizona wine locally, at the national level and in the global market. The AZVA, on the other hand, is tasked with the regulation of the growing standards of grapes. Globally, Arizona wine is recognized as one of the finest and high-quality wine.

The state of California is another major wine producing region in the world. Wine produced in California is branded in the name California wine, referring to wine produced from grapes grown in California. Wine produced in the state of California accounts for nearly 90% of all wine that is produced in the United States (Benjamin & Podolny 1999). The state's wine production can be traced back to the early 18th Century. Viticulture in California has witnessed tremendous growth over the years to become one of the leading producers of wine in the world. If California was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer in the world (Benjamin & Podolny 1999). Today, there are at least 1,200 wineries in California, ranging from small local wineries to large organizations that distribute wine globally. The California coast and the central valley account for most of the state's wine production capacity. Some of the designated wine production areas in California include the Napa, the Russian River Valley, Sonoma, and Rutherford. More than 100 varieties of grapes are grown in California, including Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon among others. Some of the red wine grapes grown in California include Grenache, Malbec, Tanat, and Caringan. Due to the relatively warm weather in California, most of the Californian winemakers can make wines with alcohol contents exceeding 13.5%. Sparkling and dessert wines are also widely produced in California.

Italy is the largest producer of wine in the world, accounting for at least one-third of the global production. The country has some of the oldest known wine producing regions. Furthermore, Italian wine brands are the most widely consumed in the world, with also wide popularity among Italian wine lovers. Studies have revealed that Italy ranks fifth on the world wine consumption chart. In Italy, there are more than one million vineyards, representing the largest area cultivated for vineyards in the world (Giuliani et al. 20100. Wine production in Italy was started by the Greek and Etruscans before Romans took up the farming. The wine producing regions in Italy include the Aosta Valley, Liguria, Piemonte, Lazio, Sicily, Calabria, Veneto, among other regions. Some of the accepted categories of wine in Italy include Vini, Vini Varietali, Vini IGP, Vini DOP, and some sub-categories such as Vino Spumante, Vino Frizzante, and Vino Spumante di Qualita. Some of the most sought Italian wine appellations include the Barolo wine, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino, Procecco di Conegliano, Passitos, Moscatos and Amorone Della Valpolicella. Wine production in Italy contributes to a considerable proportion of its GDP.

France is also another country with a large number of wine producing regions. One of the largest wine producing region in France is the Alsace region. This region is located on the border between France and Germany. The Rhine valley is the main wine producing region in Alsace. This wine producing region is divided into two, the Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin. The most popular categories of Alsace wine include the Alsace AOC, (with 92% white still wines), Alsace Grand Cru AOC and Cremant d'Alsace AOC. Some of the sweet wines produced in Alsace include Riesling, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris (Frochot 2000). Globally, Alsace wine is known for its aromatics and minerality.

The La Rioja wine region in Spain is also a globally recognized wine producing region due to the popularity of its wine brands in the world market. In Spain, the wines of Rioja are by far the most popular. The wine producing region spreads over three communities, including La Rioja, Navarre and Basque county (Jimenez et al. 2012). Traditionally, wines produced in La Rioja are a blend of extracts from the grapes grown in these three regions. Viticulture in La Rioja began early in the 12th century, with commercial production beginning in the 16th century. The wine industry of La Rioja has expanded greatly, gaining a worldwide appeal in many wine lovers (Jimenez et al. 2012). The Regulatory Council for all wines produced under the La Rioja Denomination of Origin controls the marketing strategy of the wine, including the design of trademarks and logos. The distinct wine regions in La Rioja include Rioja Baja, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Alta. The region has over 55,000 hectares of cultivated vineyards, yielding over 250million liters of wine on an annual basis. One of the distinctive features of Rioja wine is the use of the Oak aging technique. Rioja wine, due to its wide marketability in Spain is an integral component of the Spanish cuisine and the Spanish culture.

Conclusion

In conclusion, wine production is not only popular in these five regions but also in many other regions of the world. The different varieties of wine-Red wine, White wine, sparkling wine and orange wine are cherished by wine lovers globally. The low alcohol content in most wines is also a major factor contributing to the popularity of this alcoholic beverage. With the invention of new processing methods and the breeding of new varieties of grapes, we can only anticipate for even better classes of wines in future.

Reference List

Benjamin, B.A. and Podolny, J.M., 1999. Status, quality, and social order in California Wine industry. Administrative science quarterly, 44(3), pp.563-589.

Frochot, I., 2000. Wine tourism in France. Wine tourism around the world: Development, management, and markets, 67

Giuliani, Elisa, Andrea Morrison, Carlo Pietrobelli, and Roberta Rabellotti. "Who Are? The researchers that are collaborating with industry? An analysis of the wine sectors in Chile, South Africa, and Italy." Research Policy 39, no. 6 (2010): 748-761.

Jimenez, E., Tejeda, A., Perez, M., Blanco, J. and Martinez, E., 2012. Applicability of Lean production with VSM to the Rioja wine sector. International Journal of Production Research, 50(7), pp.1890-1904.

Phillips, R., 2000. A short history of wine. Ecco.

Press, W.F., 2014. Higher yields as Arizona wine grape harvest nears. Gale Business Insights: Essentials