Changing patterns of wine production and consumption

Wine production is increasing in many parts of the world in response to a greater demand and a number of comparatively small producers are entering the trade. There have been changes in containers and closures, but quality continues to be assessed by taste in spite of considerable efforts to relate it to chemical composition. Improvements in pest, disease, and weed control have been widely embraced, while mechanical harvesting is likely to increase until the vendangeur becomes as rare as the hop-picker.