Quality Practices of Micro-Wine Producers

INTRODUCTION

Fermented liquors or beverages are one of the most novel creations of the early civilization and it was passed on from one generation to another. The earliest human cultural development characterized by the use of stone tools was the Stone Age or the Neolithic era. It was the start of the development of agriculture and farming such as domesticated plants and animals and one of its kinds is winemaking. The Neolithic era describes how wine came into view from the scientific discovery of the Hajji Firuz Tepe in Northern Zagros Mountains of Iran (Levin, 1996). A jar that contained a yellowish element was analyzed and it turned out to be a residue of juice of grapes which is considered as a main ingredient in winemaking. The jar with a volume of 9 liters (2.5 gallons) was found together with five similar jars embedded in the earthen floor along one wall of the Neolithic mud brick dated to calendar 5400-5000 B.C.

Today in the international business arena, wine production continue to evolve and grow but a very common factor that affect its quality improvement as a variable of quality performance is the growing practices and the weather condition, variability in quality and price is predicted by the weather that created the grapes (Ashenfelter, 2008). Non-corporate wine businesses also face challenges in relation to quality improvement. The European Union have established corporate standardization and quality management systems that help them produce quality products that are internationally competitive while controlling costs and the use of resources. However, small enterprises have not been in a position to participate in the same way. Standardization and quality management systems can only be employed in collective business report systems such as specialized services under a service fee. Small-medium enterprises do not play a leading role in using standards as a consequence of their organizational and financial position (ISO bulletin,...