Conversely to many other woody perennial crops, the Vitis vinifera grapevine does not display self-supporting and limited-in-space aerial architectures, but rather develops extended shoot systems relying on external mechanical supports. This behavior results from both structural factors, i.e. stem anatomy, bud and phytomer organisation, and also specificities in the modulation of primary growth and branching, i.e. phyllotaxis, apical dominance and acrotony. To mitigate the most limiting biological properties for cultivation, the grapevine domestication need a range of practices to facilitate plant management and improve agronomic performances. The structure and the functioning of the shoot system regulate not only the potential of biomass accumulation and source/sink balance and but also the canopy microclimate with effects on fruit quality and organ fungus susceptibility. This paper reviews the main biological processes and management practices that regulate grapevine shoot system architecture and development, revisiting the associated terminology.