3.1 Temperature & Sunlight Flashcards
What are the 4 key resources of the growing environment?
- Sunlight
- Warmth
- Water
- Nutrients
What is the main source of both heat and sunlight?
Solar radiation
What temperature ensures the dormancy of the wine?
Cold Temperatures (under 10°C / 50°F)
What temperature can cause winter freeze and vine damage?
Extreme temperatures (around -20°C / -4°F)
What temperatures stimulate budburst? What is needed for successful and uniform budburst?
- Temperatures above 10°C (50°F)
- Significant rise in temperatures at this time
What is the optimum temperature range for photosynthesis?
18–33°C (64–91°F)
What temperatures promote successful, uniform flowering?
Above 17°C / 63°F
What temperature range promotes successful, uniform fruit set?
26–32°C / 79–90°F
How do temperatures during flowering and fruit set affect the next growing season?
Warm temperatures promote increased bud fruitfulness (above 25°C / 77°F is best) in the next year, and therefore affects yields in the next growing season.
Why is sugar accumulation in the grapes generally faster at warm temperatures?
- Warm Temperatures mean optimum rates of photosynthesis producing sugars
- Increased grape transpiration promotes the movement of sugar into the grape
What temperatures can lead to a rapid loss of acidity in the final month of ripening?
Mean temperatures above 21°C (70°F)
What temperatures can reduce acid loss to a point that acidity levels in the must are too high?
Mean temperatures below 15°C (59°F)
Generally, what aroma/flavours are associated with grapes grown in warmer climates? Cooler climates?
- Warmer Climates: riper aroma/flavours
- Cooler Climates: hinder the breakdown of methoxypyrazines, which can give herbaceous aromas.
In black grapes, anthocyanin synthesis (and therefore the development of colour) is optimum at what temperature range?
15–25°C (59–77°F)
What can happen to the vine during extreme heat (especially when paired with dry conditions)? Why?
- Photosynthesis can slow or stop
- Slows vine growth and grape ripening
Why: The enzymes that catalyse photosynthesis are heat-sensitive
Do late-ripening varieties require a greater or lesser amount heat through the growing season to ripen sufficiently?
Greater
Do early-ripening varieties require a greater or lesser amount heat through the growing season to ripen sufficiently?
Early-ripening varieties will need less heat in total and will ripen very early in warm climates.
Is full sunshine needed for photosynthesis? How much is needed, at a minumum?
- Full sunshine (intense sunlight, not blocked by cloud) is not required.
- generally amount of light only becomes the limiting factor to rate of photosynthesis if light levels drop below one third of full sunshine.
Name a weather condition that can slow photosynthesis (other than sun or water stress).
Fog
Name 6 positive effects that sunshine exposure has on grapes.
- Enhances the development of anthocyanins (colour pigments) in black grapes
- Reduces methoxypyrazines
- Promotes accumulation of tannins pre-véraison
- Promotes tannins polymerisation after véraison (less bitterness)
- Promotes favourable aroma precursors and aroma compounds
- Increases the rate at which malic acid is used up in grape respiration (lower acidity levels)
What negative effects does sunshine exposure have on grapes?
- Can lead to sunburn on sun-exposed grapes, which has a negative effect on grape quality and yields
Name 2 reasons sunshine in late spring / early summer is beneficial.
- Associated with successful fruit set
2. The exposure of compound buds to sunshine promotes bud fruitfulness in next year’s growing season
Which will receive MORE solar radiation per annum: regions at lower latitudes (nearer the Equator) OR regions at higher latitudes (nearer the Poles)?
Regions at lower latitudes (nearer the Equator)
Why do regions nearer to the Equator receive more intense solar radiation than those nearer the poles?
- Solar radiation is adsorbed and scattered as it travels through the Earth’s atmosphere, decreasing its intensity.
- The curvature of the Earth means that nearer the poles solar radiation must travel through a larger section of atmosphere to reach the Earth’s surface.
- Radiation hits the Earth at a low angle near the poles (due to curvature), so the radiation is spread over a larger area
Broadly speaking, grapes grown at lower latitudes can have _____ levels of sugar, _____ levels of acidity, ____ aromas and, in black grapes, ____ but ____ tannins and ____ colour intensity than those at higher latitudes.
- higher sugar
- lower acidity
- riper aromas
- higher but riper tannins
- more
How does latitude effect hours of daylight?
- Low latitude regions receive similar daylight hours (and hence heat and sunlight) throughout all seasons of the year.
- High latitude regions have longer daylight hours in the summer and shorter daylight hours in the winter.
What is the target latitude range for grapes for wine production?
Between 30° and 50° latitude on each side of the Equator
What issues would regions closer than 30° to the equator run into?
- Too hot during the day
- Water stress
- Sunburn
What issues would regions farther than 50° to the equator run into?
- Simply not warm enough during the growing season (despite long daylight hours) for enough sugar to accumulate in the grapes
By how much does temperature fall over every 100 m increase in altitude?
Temperature falls by approximately 0.6°C (1.1°F)
Give an example of a low latitude region whose altitude allows it to be successful in grape growing.
Salta Province in Argentina (3000 m above sea level)
Give an example of a high latitude region whose altitude allows it to be successful in grape growing.
Burgundy and Loire Valley
Is sunshine is more intense at high altitudes or low altitudes? Why?
- High altitudes
- Because the solar radiation travels through less atmosphere before it reaches these sites
Name 7 natural factors that effect temperature and sunlight.
- Latitude
- Altitude
- Slopes/Aspect
- Proximity to Water
- Winds
- Characteristics of the soil
- Fogs, Mists, Clouds