French Wine Vines

Vines are a member of the Vitaceae family. These are plants of the genus Vitis widely cultivated for their fruit bunches of grapes, whose juice is pulled and which becomes the wine after fermentation.  They are climbing shrubs that attach to the brackets by tendrils.  The rib palmate leaves have five lobes more or less cut and are heart-shaped at the base.

They are experiencing significant polymorphism depending on the variety and species.  Flowers 5-merous are very small, greenish and grouped into clusters.  The ripe fruits are berries and vary in color.  They are white, yellow, purple or black, and almost always black in the wild.  A fine description of changes in leaf shape and fruit is necessary to identify the varieties.  It is the object of ampelography.  Land planted with vines is called a vineyard.

Vine species
The Vitis genus includes numerous species
We consider that the main species of cultivated vineyards in Europe and worldwide is Vitis vinifera. This species is indeed the source of many cultivars, known varietals, including Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot, Sauvignon etc.  However, we do not cut the vine at this single case. Some other species can be used for juice, including American Vitis labrusca and Vitis coignetiae Asia. The taste of their grape is not as popular as that of grapes from Vitis vinifera.

History of Vine and Wine
Some varieties are derived from hybridization between Vitis vinifera and other species (Vitis berlandieri, Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rupestris etc).  Finally, some of these other species may serve as rootstocks for cultivars in order to protect them from parasitic diseases such as phylloxera or fungal mildew or powdery mildew.
Europe

Vitis vinifera L. is a species cultivated in Europe, western Asia (Middle East, Caucasus), northern and extreme southern Africa.  The majority of grapes come from the sub-species Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera.  Some varieties have been introduced in all continents and viticulture has gained prominence in North America (California), South (Argentina, Chile), Australia, South Africa and China.  Viticulture occupies about 8 million hectares in the world and produces around 300 million hectoliters of wine.
Vitis labrusca L, the American vine, vines or vine-isabelle raspberry (English fox grape, whose grapes they taste “foxy” unpopular in Europe)
Vitis riparia Michx, Vines shores (frost grape)
Vitis rupestris Scheele, vines rocks (sand grape)
Vitis berlandieri Planch, Vines called Spanish (Spanish grape), (syn. Vitis cinerea var. Helleri (LHBailey) MOMoore)
Insensitive to phylloxera, vines, and their hybrids are used either as rootstocks or by crossing with varieties of Vitis vinifera hybrids as producers.  The Vitis labrusca grapes can be vinified giving a foxy wine, whose taste is reminiscent of raspberry.  A variety of this species, the Isabelle is sometimes cultivated in Central Europe, including Switzerland, under the name “big raspberry”.
Asia
In the Far East, we find:
Vitis amurensis Rupr, Vine of Love (in reference to the river)
Vitis coignetiae Pulliat ex Planch, Vine Japan
It does not show a real interest in wine, the taste of the grape is very popular.
Genome

In 2007, a first decoding of the genome was coordinated by INRA and provided a sequence with the hope of improving the finest selection of vines or the creation of varieties resistant to diseases (possibly GM, which is a source of controversy).

Vineyards in Charente
Use
Fruit
Production of fresh grapes (table grapes) 
Production of raisins
Production of beverages
Winemaking
Derivatives of winemaking
concentrated grape musts
alcohol distilling marc
marc pulp feed
tartar (tartaric acid used for the agri-food)
Production of beverages made of grapes
grape juice
Sparkling Grape
Other derived foods
vinegar
verjuice
Oil Grape Seed
The roasted seed provides a coffee substitute, retinol, extracted from grape seeds, is used in the manufacture of cosmetic anti-wrinkle creams
jellies and jams
canned in syrup and alcohol

Pharmacopoeia

The vines contain tannins, quercetin, quercitrin, tartrates, sugars, inosit, acids, choline and carotene.  We would use the sap and leaves as an astringent and anti-inflammatory.
Tears of vines, secretion obtained when a branch is broken, are an excellent diuretic and for eye drops.

The decoctions are constricting tendrils in diarrhea.  A variety of red grape, Vitis vinifera var. tinctoria, is known for its special properties.  Anthocyanins are full of vitamin D, that protect and tone the capillaries and veins. It is used in cases of rosacea, heavy legs, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, menopause and hot flushes. Anthocyanins are found in very significant quantities for their pharmaceutical aspects in the skins of red grapes and wines.
Other uses
The wood of vines is a very fine grain, and used to make various objects, including sticks. The vine shoots are sought for Barbeques.

Economic importance
Extension of the vineyard
The total area of vineyards worldwide was 7.886 million hectares in 2000, including:
Europe: 62.7% (France 11.6, Italy 11.5 Spain 14.9)
Asia: 19.2% (China 3.3)
America: 11.9% (U.S. 5.2, Argentina 2.7, Chile 2.2)
Africa: 4.3% (South Africa 1.5)
Oceania: 1.9% (Australia 1.8)
The share of Europe declines (loss of 4 points since 1996) while that of other continents is increasing.