2.4 Grape Growing/Labeling Terms Flashcards
_____________ marks the start of the growing season, whereas _______ marks the end of the growing season.
Spring
Autumn
What steps are in the annual “life cycle of the vine”?
Bud burst
Shoot & leaf growth
Flowering and fruit set
Veraison and ripening
Harvest
Dormancy
What species of grape are most wines made from?
The European species: Vitis vinifera
Why do vines grow grapes?
So animals will eat the fruit and spread the grapes’ seeds.
(deer and birds, etc.)
What 5 things does a vine need to grow and thrive?
Warmth
Sunlight
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Water
Nutrients
What does the Sun provide the grape?
Heat
Warmth
What is photosynthesis?
The vine uses sunshine to combine carbon dioxide gas (which is taken in by the leaves) and water (which is taken up by the roots) in order to produce sugars.
How does the vine use the sugars created through photosynthesis?
The sugars are used for growth and ripening the grapes. It also allows the plant to grow healthy shoots, leaves and roots. (it also need nutrients from the soil to grow)
During which season are vines dormant?
Winter
Name 4 common white varieties of Vitis Vinifera.
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Riesling
Pinot Gris/Grigio
Name 5 common red varieties of Vitis Vinifera.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Syrah
Grenache
What are the 4 main parts of a grape?
Skins
Pulp
Seeds
Stems
Tannins are produced by what 3 parts of the grape?
Stems
Seeds
Skins
What is pulp made of?
Mostly water and sugar, with smaller amounts of acid and flavor compounds.
Which part of the grape gives color to red wine?
The skins
True or false: grape seeds can add bitter tannins to wine if they are handled roughly during winemaking.
True
What flavor do tannins produce?
Bitter
When does flowering occur?
Spring (May June in Northern Hemisphere)
How are the flowers of grape vines pollinated?
Vines are self pollinating - they don’t need flying insects.
True or False: Grapes produce clusters of flowers which will ultimately become a bunch of grapes. Each flower must be individually pollinated in order to become one of the grapes in the bunch.
True
What is fruit set? When does it happen?
Once pollinated a flower develops seeds and starts to swell. (small, green, hard)
After pollination
What is véraison and when does it occur?
Véraison is the onset of ripening
Mid-summer.
Red varieties change from green to purple or black
White grapes become golden
sugars increase
acidity levels decrease.
Before ripening, grapes are high in _____ and low in _____.
Acid
Sugar
As they ripen, grapes become higher in _____ and lower in _____.
Sugar
Acid
During ripening, black grapes develop _______.
Tannins
( the quality of the tannin also changes, becoming riper, and less bitter/astringent)
True or false: As the grape ripens, the herbaceous flavors decrease and the signature flavors develop. For some white grapes the aromas and flavors change from green fruit to stone/ tropical fruit as the level of ripeness increases. For black grapes, the aromas and flavors change from fresh fruit to cooked fruit.
True
What are 3 methods to concentrate grape sugars for production of sweet wines?
Extra-ripening
Botrytis/noble rot
Frozen Grapes
If grapes remain on the vine after the time they’re usually harvested, what happens to them?
Extra-ripeness will develop
requires the right conditions
Water in the grapes evaporates thereby concentrating acids and sugars
Aromas in the grape change from ripe/fresh to dried
If left long enough, grapes will raisinate- developing dried fruit flavors and very concentrated sugars (almost often used for dessert wines)
What is Botrytis/noble rot?
Botrytis is a fungus that grows ripe grapes that can cause noble rot.
How does Botrytis effect the grape?
It punctures before the grape, allowing water to evaporate (thereby concentrating acid, sugar and flavor). Botrytis only has the ability to benefit wine quality if conditions are correct:
1st -the fungus must develop on ripe grapes
2nd- damp misty mornings followed by warm sunny afternoons allow the fungus to develop rather than overdevelop (if the fungus over- develops it is called “Gray Rot” and the harvest is lost.
What style of wine is usually made with grapes affected by Botrytis/Noble Rot?
Sweet, dessert wines
What wine style is creating using frozen grapes?
Ice wine (Eiswien)
What happens to healthy grapes when they are left on the vine to freeze and they’re picked when frozen?
- The water inside the grapes freezes
- The grapes are then pressed and separated from the sugary liquid
- This sugary liquid is fermented
What are the characteristics of Ice wine/Eiswien?
The sugary liquid is intensely high in acids, flavor, and sugar.