001 - Theory Exam relevant Flashcards
Rootstock: Ramsey
V. Champinii, drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant, nematode-resistant, widely used in Australia;
high vigor, can lead to high potassium, high pH in wine;
Rootstock: 101-14Mgt
riparia x rupestris; drought-sensitive;
excellent phylloxera resistance, low vigor, early ripening, used in some high-quality French vineyards; can not tolerate lime well, shallow root system.
Rootstock: Riparia Gloire de Montpelier
riparia; drought-sensitive, high phylloxera resistance, oldest rootstock used in France.
Low vigor, provides for lower yields (higher quality) and early ripening, used throughout Europe.
Rootstock: 110 R
Berlandieri x rupestris; high vigor (tends to delay ripening/maturity); high phylloxera resistance, low nematode resistance; moderately lime tolerant, drought-tolerant (widely used in Mediterranean climates).
BIODYNAMIC
Biodynamic viticulture is based on organic viticulture, but imposes additional demands that include the use of specially made teas and other preparations and working according to lunar phases, among other techniques. Both organic and biodynamic viticulture require official certification by one of a few bodies (Demeter, Biodyvin)
Bulk Wine
Large volume of finished wine ready for final packaging into containers suitable for end market consumption
CANE PRUNING
the practice of leaving one or more canes, typically 5 to 15 buds long (e.g. Guyot). Goal is to limit the quantity of permanent wood and create balance.
BIODYNAMIC
Biodynamic viticulture is based on organic viticulture, but imposes additional demands that include the use of specially made teas and other preparations and working according to lunar phases, among other techniques. Both organic and biodynamic viticulture require official certification by one of a few bodies (Demeter, Biodyvin)
Bulk Wine
Large volume of finished wine ready for final packaging into containers suitable for end market consumption
CANE PRUNING
the practice of leaving one or more canes, typically 5 to 15 buds long (e.g. Guyot). Goal is to limit the quantity of permanent wood and create balance.
CANOPY MANAGEMENT
“Manipulation of the canopy microclimate by altering the position and number of shoots of fruit in space to influence sun exposure and air circulation. An open canopy is need for:
- Maximum sunlight interception &
optimum photosynthesis.
- Good air circulation to minimize
disease problems.”
Cover Crops
Plants in a vineyard (either deliberately sown or weeds allowed to grow), usually between the rows. Goal is to: provide benefits to the soil by increasing the organic matter, aid with compaction, and improve structure and water holding capability. Generally includes grasses and legumes; also cereals. Can also help with soil erosion, water absorbtion or adsorption. Can make frost worse in the spring, attract disease vector bugs, or over-compete with the vine (water/nitrogen) so are removed (close mow, cultivation, burned, herbicides) in some vineyards
Drought/Drought prone regions
Drought: A prolonged deficit of rainfall, compared with that normally expected given the regional climate. The UN defines drought prone areas as those with a 20% probability of drought in any given year.
Environmental variables
Fixed physical factors such as: slope, aspect, elevation, proximity to a lake etc that impact viticulture
GRAPEVINE TRUNK DISEASES
group of fungal diseases that infect the wood of the vine primarily through pruning wounds. In young vines, black foot and petri disease are the most prevalent and devastating and mainly caused by compromised nursery material.
In mature vines: Esca, Botryospaeria dieback, eutypa dieback and phomopsis are most prevalent. GTD causes dieback and death of spurs, cane, cordons and trunks and eventually the entire vine. There is no cure, only preventive measure and wood removal remediation. GTDs are one of the primary factors limiting vineyard longevity.
Harvesting options
Possible methods to remove grapes (either berries or bunches) from the vine. Impacted by: site, labor or cost constraints, desired style of wine.
Scott Kozen (VP of Premium, Gallo): Contracts for new machine harvester - don’t buy bc technology advances quickly and want the newest equipment.
Pellenc machine: picks, destems and sorts (using size exclusion technology)
William Hill experiment: harvested every other row machine vs hand. Liked machine better (estimated costs/acre of machine $150/acre)
By hand: $200/ton or so, can be $1200/acre
Biggest line item each year:
Transition to machine in CA (from 20/80 to 80/20) due to:
1) Quality increase in machines (less vine damage today, though still some)
2) Labor market tightening and cost increases
3) Vineyards set up for it; machines can mange 6’ spacing
Low density, high density
Ranges from 1500 vines/hectare to 15,000 vines/hectare. Spain: 900-1600 vines/hectare. France: 5,000-10,000 vines/hectare. Burgundy: 10,000-15,000 vines/hectare
20,000 at Liber Pater (Graves)
ORGANIC
A system of grape growing that shuns use of manmade compounds such as fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, pesticides as well as anything genetically modified, instead using naturally occuring substances such as copper and sulfur.
Phenolic ripeness
Imprecise term used to assess the berry’s maturation that describe changes in the grape’s skin color, berry texture, seed color and ripening and other phenolic changes often accompanied by lignification of the stems. The goal is to achieve physiological ripeness corresponding with maturation/technical ripeness (sugar ripeness).
Physiological ripeness
ripeness related to must weight or grape sugar concentration
PRECISION VITI
“Applies the data collected from the vineyard (soil, vine vigour, topography, plant growth) to respond to changes from plot to plot and from row to row. The data is collected by sensors either on aircraft (‘remote’) or mounted on a tractor or harvester in the field (‘proximal’). The idea is for all key
interventions (pruning, leaf removal, treatments, irrigation, crop thinning and harvesting) to be carried out precisely with the aim of producing the best quality and yield, reducing environmental impact and, where possible, reducing costs on treatments.”
PRUNING
” is the removal of plant parts to obtain horticultural objectives”. These objectives include:
- Controlling the size & form of the grapevine.
- Optimizing the production potential of the grapevine.
- Maintaining a balance between vegetative growth and fruiting.” “regulates the amount of fruit that the vine will carry, assuring ripeness; it also allows to space
the fruit out for sunlight and airflow.
It determines how strongly each shoot will grow, which profoundly impacts wine quality and style. Pruning can reduce or eliminate leaf-pulling, fruit-thinning, trimming and hedging, and even much of the spraying.”
Quality Potential
Quality that could be possible based on the constraints of a site, impacted by climate, soil, and vines (though vines can be changed). The actual quality will then determined by the vintage and skill of the winegrower
REGENERATIVE
It is a holistic approach that aims to protect soil life and natural fertility, improve water retention capacity, and protect and enhance biodiversity and mycorrhizal fungi
ROW ORIENTATION
direction in which the vines face, particularly important in cool/marginal and hot climates in relation to ultimate grape quality
Face towards sun at mid-day: Towards S in N.ern Hemisphere and N. in S.ern. Some growers prefer to catch afternoon sun to keep warm into the evening. Others will plant at 90 degree angle to prevailing wind.
Plant parallel to the longest site boundary - keeps rows as long as possible, which lowers expense of posts/anchors. Don’t want too long, though - more than 200 m will strain the wires too much and require intermediates posts.
Soil
“The matter in which a vine is anchored by its roots which provides nutrients and water to the plant and is the source of microbiome. Main purposes of soil:
- Provide anchor to the vine roots which support stable structure, minimize erosion
- Provide source and store of water with appropriate drainage
- Provide micro and macro nutrients needed for canopy and fruit growth
- Provide habitat for soil microbes responsible for breaking down inorganic nutrients and converting them to a vine accessible form”
Soil impacts the potential depth of root systems, water holding capacity, and provides essential minerals Vines impacted by: Soil pH (<5 too acid; >8.5, cause chlorosis), Water holding capabilities, temperature impact, supply of nitrogen/potassium.
SOIL MANAGEMENT
Soil management tools are operations, practices, and treatments which protect soil and enhance its performance. It focuses on soil structure (friability), water retention, microbial, organic, and inorganic composition (micro/macro nutrients) as well as soil pH (determines accessibility to vine) and salinity
Soil preparation
readies site for vineyard establishment and includes physical, chemical, and microbial soil needs. Soil preparation impacts water availability, fertility, vine health and balance, and thus contributes to both grape yield and quality.
Spur Pruning
Practice of pruning where spurs are cut to retain 2 buds. Common with free standing (gobelet trained) in low vigor sites (Roussillon, Spain) or Cordon trained vines in high vigor vineyards (CA, Australia, NZ)
TEMPERATURE (RE VITICULTURE)
temperature during ripening strongly influences potential wine style. Temperatures >21C in the final month of maturity lead to a rapid loss of malic acid and lower total acidity. Average mean temperatures<15C in the final month create a risk grapes will not ripen fully. Average temperature requirements vary by variety thus temperature is an important aspect of vineyard planning. Wine quality is related to short-term temperature variability. Restricted variability is likely beneficial to acid retention and pigment, aroma, and flavor development as oposed to just sugar ripeness. In warm/hot regions greater variability from cooler night temperatures may improve quality as extended ripening window allows for greater flavor development. Extreme variability risks damage (frost/heat stress/direct heat damage)
Trunk disease
“Diseases that attack mature vines and therefore very costly, no cures. (Cabernet and Sauv Blanc particularly vulnerable, they have vigor and need more pruning.)
b) Main trunk diseases are Eutypa (dead arm) Esca and Botrysphaeria (aka bot canker) all are caused by fungi that infect the trunk usually via pruning cuts. Botrysphaeria/Bot canker tends to attack vines <10 yrs of age and takes years to kill the vine. “
Vine nutrition
The supply of inorganic nutrients (sometimes called mineral nutrients) to the vine. Three major nutrients are required: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium with minor nutrients including magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, and boron.
Vine training systems
Process of establishing a vine framework in the required shape - including tying down and trimming growing shoots in the summer and winter pruning. Generally are trained to a supporting structure (stake or wires & posts). Established in the first two to three years of a vines like, prior to the production of fruit. Structure includes forming the trunk, the cordons or head and any requires arms.
Vineyard density
The quantity of grapevines planted in a certain measure of land, a decision that impacts the vines resources and productive capabilities. Ranges from 1,500-15,00 vines/ha. Spain 900-1600; France 5,000-10,000; Burgundy 10,000-15,000. Hotter drier climates withourt irrigation have lower density; in NW with irrigation water availablity and soll fertility play bigger role.
Vineyard establishment
The process and procedures to prepare a vineyard for planting including physical adjustments to the site, layout decisions, selection & ordering of plant material (scion and rootstock), infrastructure installation (irrigation, etc) and soil preparation.
WATER AVAILABILITY
water sourced from rainfall and permitted surface and underground sources; also refers to ability for water to travel through the soil to be accessible by vines (eg not obstructed by clay pans). Grapes need 25-100 cm of water per square meter to grow depending on cultivar, rootstock, climate, temperature and soil
WATER HOLDING CAPACITY
soil water holding capacity is determined by its texture, structure, depth, and organic content (OC). 1% increase in OC means soil retains 16,000 gal/acre more
WINE QUALITY
Wine quality can range from extremely high – wines of great typicity, made from healthy grapes, showing concentration of fruit and balance of structural elements, complexity and length – to extremely low – wines with no varietal or regional typicity, made from grapes affected by viral or fungal diseases, with low fruit concentration, poor balance of structural elements, no complexity or length
Wine Style
Major categories of wine type, generally Red/White/Rose, sweet/dry, full bodied/light bodied, fine/mass-marketetc. Grapes are farmed with intended style in mind.
Biochar
Fine-grained charcoal made from biomass that enhances soil, increasing water retention capabilities (+20%), soil fertility, and mycorrhizial fungi
Peronaspera
Downy Mildew
Oidium
Powdery Mildew
ASPECT
direction in which a slope faces and an important characteristic of vineyard sites, especially in cool climates in extreme latitudes where seasonal impacts are most pronounced. It impacts the hours of sunlight during the growing season and the time of day with the most intense sun exposure. Aspect thus impacts soil temperatures.
