10.2 Viticulture Scenarios: Pauillac, Bordeaux

Question 1

What is the climate?

Answer 1

• moderate summers and mild winters, with rain throughout the year

Question 2

What are the soils?

Answer 2

• Free-draining

- Poor in nutrients

Question 3

What is the main grape variety?

Answer 3

Cabernet Sauvignon

• medium to late ripening
• can struggle to ripen in Bordeaux’s coolest sites and years
• can also lack some body and a diversity of fruit aromas/flavours
• an be blended with Merlot, which ripens earlier and adds body and fruit.

Question 4

How are vines typically trained? Why?

Answer 4

• trellised to a VSP system

- arranged canopy to promote sunshine and air circulation (reduce fungal diseases)

Question 5

How are vines typically trained and pruned?

Answer 5

• head-trained

- replacement cane-pruned

Question 6

Are the grapes planted at high or low densities? Why?

Answer 6

• high densities
  (1 m by 1 m)
  (around 10 000 vines per hectare)

Why?

• Rainfall is high (vine competition is not a problem)
• Land is expensive (makes economic sense)

Question 7

Are yields typically high or low?

Answer 7

• vary depending on vintage conditions

- generally low (50–60 hl/ha)

Question 8

Are vines typically hand or machine harvested?

Answer 8

• Could be either