Vineyards are typically properties for grape-growing, and the grapes may be used for wine production, raisin production or table grape consumption.

Orchards are distinct from vineyards, in that orchards do not require trellises for mature trees bearing fruit or legumes. For millenia, vineyard agriculture has flourished in a wide range of climates, with most vineyards found in Mediterranean, or Mediterranean-style climates, which are also found in California, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, parts of Australia, and portions of southern Africa, particularly in South Africa. Millions cof acres around the world are devoted to vineyard cultivation, and a great variety of vineyards are found in temperate climates, including in Germany, Russia, Canada and temperate portions of Asia. However, the requirements for water and temperature needed to grow grapes mean that vineyards are typically capital-intensive, and sometimes labor-intensive, operations.

Notoriously, grape flavors and tones, and the wine made from them, pick up various elements in the soil, including elements that may come from nearby crops grown adjacent to the vineyard, including melons, nuts and citrus fruits, such as oranges, limes and lemons.

Some resources are:

The Wine Institute: http://www.wineinstitute.org/

The American Institute of Wine and Food: http://www.aiwf.org/

The Concord Grape Association: http://www.concordgrape.org/

California Grape & Tree Fruit League: http://www.cgtfl.com/

Raisin Bargaining Association: http://www.raisinbargaining.com/

NRCS: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/FEATURE/buffers/calif.html