<p>Environmental stressors are greatly responsible for the decline in the productivity of fruit crops and the economics of the respective industry. Grapevines exposed to drought stress leads to changes in physiological, morphological, biochemical, and molecular responses. The detrimental effects of water deficit on vine vigor, reproductive development, and fruit set, alongside the morphological and anatomical adaptations such as root system restructuring and leaf modifications. This review explains changes in physiological and biochemical mechanisms activated under drought conditions, such as stomatal closure, osmotic regulation, and stress-responsive gene expression. Grapevines employ adaptive strategies such as stomatal control, root architecture alterations, and osmotic adjustments. Furthermore, advanced management strategies to mitigate drought stress include optimized irrigation, proper management practices, selecting drought-tolerant rootstocks and cultivars, and the role of phytohormones, nanotechnology, bio-based polymers, smart materials, and omics approaches with artificial tools in enhancing drought resilience. Technological advancements and emerging methodologies for studying drought stress in grapevines are also discussed, offering novel insights into their applications. Finally, the study identified the critical knowledge gaps, emphasizing the urgency for continued research to bolster sustainable grapevine production in an era of escalating climate challenges.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>