ABSTRACT
The muscadine grape grows as a wild plant in the southeastern United States and in Mexico. Summer grape occurs in open forests, woodlands, woodland borders, and thickets, and climbs whatever trees and shrubs are at hand. Grapes are the subject of specialized areas of science and technology. Viticulture is the cultivation and production of grapes; enology is the science of wine and wine making; ampelography is the study and classification of grapevines and grapes. The fruit of the muscadine grape is eaten fresh and is commonly made into juice, wines, pies, jellies, and other processed products. Grape juice is pasteurized in North America, which causes most vinifera cultivars to lose their fresh flavor. The strongly flavored American variety Concord retains its flavor very well and so is widely used for juice. All mature grapes may be fermented into wine, but only certain cultivars produce wine of high quality, characterized by distinctive flavor, bouquet, and general excellence.
