5.3 Planting Materials Flashcards
Name the 6 ways in which certain grape varieties can be more or less adapted to their climate.
- Time of budding
- Duration of annual life-cycle
- Tolerance of drought
- Resistance to disease
- Winter hardiness
- Vigour
Brave attitudes decide the vines distinct hardiness
Describe what role this plays in how a particular grape variety adapts to its climate: Duration of annual life-cycle. Give an example.
Early ripening grape varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir)
- best suited to cool climates
- ensuring that they reach a suitable level of ripeness before wet, cold weather starts towards late autumn
Late ripening grape varieties (Mourvèdre)
- better suited to warm and hot climates
- Early ripening varieties in these climates would gain sugar and lose acidity too rapidly, resulting in unbalanced wines.
Example of variety able to tolerate drought/water stress
(Grenache) can be the best options in dry climates such as: -
southern Rhône - inland Spain - McLaren Vale
Give an example.particular grape variety
Resistant to disease.
Ex: Cabernet Sauvignon is less susceptible to grey rot than Merlot, one of the reasons why these two grape varieties make useful blending partners, particularly in rainy Bordeaux.
Give an example of grape variety that tolerates .Winter hardiness.
Some grape varieties (Vidal and Riesling) are relatively tolerant of very cold winter temperatures, making them suitable for the harsh winters experienced in Ontario and the Finger Lakes.
What market factors are taken into account when selecting grape varieties to plant.
1. Style of wine
character of grape should be consistent with style - if you want light and fruity plant Gamay, Grenache not Nebbiolo
2. Yield
depends on style. high yield varieties for hi vol, or small yield for prem niche markets
3. Cost
is your grape going to be high maintenance (PN) think sprays, pruning, monitoring for disease
4. Law
what are you allowed to grow, yield restrictions, e.g. Prosecco must be from Glera
5. Availability
can you obtain the variety you want, does it need to be quarantined etc
6. Demand (market)
not only demand but routes to market, fashionable or niche, any changeover cost for new varieties, clone availability.
See Your Clever LAD
What other decisions go into choosing a grape variety to plant?
- Clones (if purchased from a nursery) - Rootstocks
What is the main reason for grafting onto rootstocks? What are other reasons?
- Main: Protection from phylloxera - Other: Rootstocks can have varying characteristics linked to its parentage
What 4 factors are at play when choosing rootstocks to use?
- Pest Tolerance
- Water
- Soil pH
- Vigour
Explain the important factors relating to vine age
- PDO wines in the EU must be least 4 years old before grapes harvested for wine.
- vines highest yield
- Between 10 and 40 years afterwards lose vigour, yields decrease
- in high yield vy will be replaced
- most famous very old vines older than 50
- Burgundy, Eden Valley, Barossa (prem prices)
- Arguments for old vines
- Better balanced, adapted to their environment
- Lower yields, higher concentration
- More wood, higher store of carbohydrates to access when stressed
- Meaning of old vine on label - nothing.
- ‘vieilles vignes’ or ‘viñas viejas’
- Associations which protect and classify old vines
- The Historic Vineyard Society in California - The Barossa Old Vine Charter
Rootstock list 1
waterlogged soil
pests (rootknot nematode)
winter freeze
Riparia Gloire (V riparia)
Ramsey & Dogridge (V champini)
Concorde (V labrusca)
Rootstock List 2
Hi Acid Tolerant
Drought Tolerant
Enhance Vigour
Control Vigour
Lime/ low Acid/Hi PH
Salt
99R (V rupestris/ berlandieri)
110R 140R (V rupestris/ berlandieri)
140R (V rupestris/ berlandieri)
3309C 420A (V riparia/rupestris and V riparia/berlandieri)
41B (V berlandieri)
1103P (V rupestris/berlandieri)
