While one grape might look like any other to the uninitiated, when it comes to making wine there are some serious distinctions. There are, in fact, more than 600 different types of grapes. Only a few of that number are considered suitable for wine production.

Wine grapes distinguish themselves by having the properties that go into a good vintage – flavor, sweetness, body and so on. Even when a harvest starts with a superior grape variety, however, factors can come into play that make one crop more suitable than another. For example, a standard Chardonnay grape grown in a suitable environment might produce an outstanding vintage. One the other hand, if Chardonnay grapes are grown in the wrong geographical location or in a year with unusual weather patterns, wine produced from these grapes will likely be substandard.

So, what is it that determines one grape from another when it comes to making good wine? It all comes down to a few critical environmental factors that change from region to region and even season to season.

The environmental factors that can make a harvest a good one for grape production include:

• Soil conditions – The mineral and vitamin content of soils in different regions play a huge role in what type of wine grapes can be grown with success and which ones might not flourish. This is the reason why highly fertile regions in France, Germany, California, Spain and other wine-producing countries are famed.
• Weather – The type of grape suitable for production in certain areas (if grape cultivation is recommended at all) depends a lot on weather. The amount of rain, the average daily temperatures and the amount of sunlight can all impact a harvest and the quality of a vintage.
• Overall climate – The overall climate of a grape growing region can also impact the quality of a vintage and even determine which types of grapes should be grown there. Colder climates, for example, tend to produce grapes with a higher sugar content. They are more suitable, as a result, for growing grapes meant for use in dessert wines.

Not every grape – even those considered superior for wine production – will produce a good vintage. Beyond the variety of grape, geography, climate and daily weather patterns all play big roles in whether a harvest will produce an outstanding wine.