Vitis vinifera

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Wine

By Jancis Robinson

Published 2006

  • About

Vitis vinifera, the species of vine from which most of the world’s wine is made. The relationship of vinifera to other species of the Vitis genus is described above under vitis, and details about the species and wine grapes in general are given under vinifera. There are many thousands of vinifera vine varieties, which in turn are classified into three proles. The relationship of Vitis vinifera to other members of the plant kingdom is discussed under botanical classification. The commercial culture of Vitis vinifera is introduced within the viticulture article.