Abstract
The grapevine is a perennial plant, with a seed-to-seed cycle of around 4-5 years. As with many species, the domestication of wine was accompanied by various modifications, commonly referred to as the domestication syndrome. Numerous genetic studies have confirmed the historical stages of grapevine domestication, identifying two primary centers and various secondary domestication centers. Domestication by human selection, whether intentional or not, has led to profound changes in many of the vine’s characteristics. From the area of primary domestication, cultivated grapevines followed the main civilizations and sea routes up to our era, moving globally toward western Europe. A fundamental event in the development of winemaking and the evolution of grape varieties was the phylloxera crisis. Numerous breeders in the late 19th and early 20th centuries really initiated the period of directed grapevine selection.