Wine is prepared from fermented grape juice and is generally referred as an alcoholic beverage. Wine is made by fermenting crushed grapes and utilizing different types of yeast. Grapes have the capability to ferment devoid of the addition of enzymes, acids, sugars or other nutrients. For the production of wine, different types of strains of yeast and varieties of grapes are used depending on the type of wine.

Wines have a rich history from around 6000 BC and first appeared in Europe about 4500 BC. Wines were widespread and very common in ancient Rome, Greece and Thrace. Wine is believed to be originated in region which is now within the borders of Iran and Georgia. It has played a significant role in religion throughout human history.

 Wine is perishable and multifaceted chemical reactions including a wine’s acids, sugars and phenolic compounds are capable of altering the color, mouth feel, aroma and taste of the wine in a way that can be more enjoyable or pleasant to the taster. The aging of wine, and its capability to potentially enhance in quality, differentiates wine from nearly all other consumable goods. The aging of wine is influenced by many parameters such as: - vintage, grape variety, winemaking style, wine region and viticultural practices. The circumstance in which the wine is kept back after bottling can also control or influence how fine a wine ages and can require vital financial investment and time.

Storage is a significant concern for any type of wine that is subjected to preservation for long- term aging. Wines that are produced today are destined for short-term consumption (nearly 24 hours from purchasing), while there are few circumstances in which wines are kept away for long-term aging.Wines are one such commodity which possesses the potential to improve with age as well as have the ability to quickly decay if not kept in proper or adequate conditions.

In ancient days, the wine merchants use to handle the long-term storage but after the mid 20th century the duty of storing and handling wine has significantly fallen to customers or consumers.

Preparation of wine involves various methods from selecting the grapes to bottling of the wine. Preparation of wine is divided into two types- still wine production (no carbonation) and sparkling wine production (carbonation). The wine grapes have to undergo numerous procedures to be made into that perfect wine craved by many.

Grapes

The most important factor required to ascertain the best quality wine is the grapes. The best quality grapes will give the finest wine. The location of vineyard, weather, acidity and minerals in the soil, time of harvest, methods of pruning, pest management play a key role in the quality of grapes.

The earliest evidence of wine shows that it was first produced in the regions of Iran and Georgia way back in 6000 BC. Some archaeological studies in 2003 suggest that in China a fermented beverage was made by a mixture of rice and grapes which is dated to 7000 BC. Pottery jars discovered in the sites of Jiahu and Henan province of China were found to have remnants of tartaric acid and other organic components mostly found in wine.

It is also interesting to note that in Biblical reference Noah was considered to be the first winemaker. He is said to have planted a vineyard near Mount Ararat, where the first physical evidence of wine were found by archaeologists.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most popular and recognized red wine grape varieties in the world. Some of the best red wines are made from this grape. The grapes are small, tough and red and need slightly warm conditions to mature. The Cabernet Sauvignon wine which is made from these grapes tastes like cedar and blackberries. The grape contains high level of tannin which makes a very good red wine specially when aged properly (up to 10 years). The grape is very dominant in the Bordeaux region of France where it is usually blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Apart from Bordeaux it is widely grown in almost all wine producing regions of the world like California, Italy, Chile, Australia, etc. The grape is also known as Sauvignon Rouge, Vidure and Petit Cabernet in some regions of the world.