Vitis Vinifera - Cultivation In India, Tehatta - 20 Apr 2024

Vitis vinifera, commonly known as the grapevine, is a species of flowering plant native to the Mediterranean region, Central Europe, and southwestern Asia, ranging from Morocco and Portugal in the west to southern Germany and northern Iran in the east. Grapes, a major global fruit crop, are used to produce wine, juice, raisins, and fresh fruit. Of the 5,000 to 10,000 Vitis vinifera varieties, only a few hold commercial importance for wine and table grape production. The grapevine also features in the cosmetics industry, valued for its antibacterial, antioxidant, and skin-conditioning properties. Winemaking has utilized this vine since around 5400-5000 BC in the southern Caucasus region. The Romans' regular consumption of wine facilitated the spread of winemaking throughout Europe. An image captures a young unripe green grapevine plant with grapes, common grapevine leaves, homegrown in a garden, with some grapevines climbing over a balcony in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on April 20, 2024.