Vitis vinifera

A grapevine species native to the Mediterranean region and western Asia, cultivated worldwide for wine, table grapes, and raisins.

Wine: An alcoholic beverage made by fermenting grape juice or other fruit. Most Vitis vinifera cultivars are grown to produce wine.
Grape cultivar: A cultivated grape variety maintained for distinctive traits and agricultural use. Vitis vinifera comprises thousands of named cultivars.
Domestication of the grapevine: The prehistoric cultivation and selection of wild grapevines into domesticated forms. This process produced the cultivated lineage of Vitis vinifera.
Phylloxera: A grapevine pest whose root-feeding form devastated European vineyards in the nineteenth century. The outbreak forced widespread grafting of vinifera onto resistant American rootstocks.
Vitis labrusca: A North American grapevine species cultivated for fruit, juice, and some wines. Its characteristic flavors and cold hardiness differ from many vinifera cultivars.
Table grape: A grape cultivar grown primarily for eating fresh. Many Vitis vinifera cultivars are selected for fresh eating rather than winemaking.
Grape berry: The fruit of a grapevine, with skin, pulp, and seeds or seed remnants. Its berry structure shapes flavor, color, and processing behavior.
Caucasus: A region between the Black and Caspian seas, spanning parts of Europe and Asia. Archaeological evidence places early winemaking and grape domestication in this region.
Downy mildew: A disease of grapevines caused by the oomycete Plasmopara viticola. It threatens vinifera leaves and fruit, especially in humid conditions.
Vitis riparia: A wild North American grapevine species often used in rootstock breeding. Its resistance to phylloxera contrasts with vinifera's vulnerability.

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