C5 - The Growing Enviroment

Question 1

What are the five things a vine needs to complete its annual cycle?

Answer 1

Heat, Sunlight, Water, Nutrients, & Carbon dioxide .

Question 2

Explain the role of the five things vine needs to complete its annual cycle.

Answer 2

Heat -The vine need sufficient amount of heat to grow and for successful flowering, fruit set, and ripening.

Vine uses sunlight to combine carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose and oxygen.

Vine combine the glucose with nutrients, extracts from the soil to support is growth and the most importantly, to ripening the grape.

Question 3

Explain the factors which affects heat.

Answer 3

Latitude, Altitude, Ocean currents, Fog, Soil, & Aspect.

Question 4

Vine can only grow when the temperature is above?

Answer 4

10 degree celsius

Question 5

Most vineyards lie between the latitudes of?

Answer 5

30 - 50 degree north and south of the equator.

Question 6

Give an example of how altitude affect/helping vine grow (WSET L3 textbook)

Answer 6

Cafayate in northern Argentina.

Question 7

Give two examples on how ocean currents cool the regions (WSET L3 textbook)

Answer 7

The Humboldt Current off Chile and the Benguela Current off South Africa.

Question 8

Give an example on how ocean currents warm the regions (WSET L3 textbook)

Answer 8

The Gulf Stream warms the north-west of Europe.

Question 9

Give two examples on how fog help cooling the areas (WSET L3 textbook)

Answer 9

California, Casablanca Valley.

Question 10

Describe how different soil type affecting heat.

Answer 10

Dark in colour or have a high stone and rock content absorb and reradiate more of the sun’s heat.

Question 11

Explain how aspect affecting heat.

Answer 11

The vineyard with an aspect facing the Equator receive the most heat.

Steeper slopes benefit even more from this effect, such as vineyard in Mosel, Germany.

Question 12

What is continentality?

Answer 12

The temperature difference between the coldest and the hottest moths is referred to as continentality.

Question 13

What is Diurnal range and how do they affect grape growing?

Answer 13

Diurnal range is the difference between daytime and night-time temperatures.

Cool nights help slow the loss of aromas and acidity in the grapes during ripening. Warm nights accelerate ripening.

Question 14

Please explain how sea and river affecting continentality?

Answer 14

Large body of water, such as seas or lakes, heat up and cool down more slowly than landmasses. Therefore, in winter they have a warming effect on the surrounding air and in summer they have a cooing effect. Area close to large bodies of water therefore generally have low continentality whereas wine regions that are far inland usually see more temperature extremes and have high continentality.

Question 15

Please explain how sea and river affecting diurnal range?

Answer 15

A vineyard’s proximity to seas and lakes can reduce its diurnal range. Even relatively small bodies of water, such as rivers, can hold enough warmth to keep adjacent vineyards warm overnight and provide cooling breezes during the day.

Question 16

Explain how the level of cloud cover affecting diurnal range?

Answer 16

The level of cloud cover (generally greater nearer seas and lakes) also influences diurnal range. This is because temperatures drop more quickly on clear nights, when there is no insulating blanket of cloud (increasing diurnal range), and rise more slowly on cloudy days, when sunlight cannot heat the ground directly (reducing diurnal range).

Question 17

Please explain how temperature hazards - winter affecting vine and how to prevent/ protect them.

Answer 17

If temperatures fall below -20 degree celsius, the vine can be seriously damaged or even killed by winter freeze. -> Earthing up.

If the winter is mild, or no winter at all, the vine will not have a dormant period and may produce more than one crop each year.Its life will be shortened, and the quality of the grapes will suffers.

Mild winters also mean larger populations of insect pests survive to attack the vine the following summer.

Question 18

Please explain how temperature hazards - spring frosts affecting vine and how to prevent/ protect them.

Answer 18

These occur when cold air below 0 degree celsius collects at ground level, freezing any water vapour that has settled on the ground or the vine. This will kill newly burst buds or young shoots.

There are four main forms of protection:

Heaters, Wind machines, Sprinklers, and thoughtful vineyard design - slope or train vines high.

Question 19

Explain how extreme temperature during growing season affecting vines?

Answer 19

Cold temperature in the spring may delay budburst. This shortens the growing season and could mean that there is not enough time for the grape to ripen fully in the autumn before it becomes too cold. Flowering and fruit set can also be disrupted by cold temperatures, resulting in a smaller than average crop of grapes.

During summer, very hot temperatures ca be harmful, ad in prolonged periods of extreme heat all vine activity will slow and eventually stop, even when there is sufficient water. This prevents the grapes from ripening properly. In extreme cases the vine will die.

Question 20

How sunlight benefit vine?

Answer 20

Without light, photosynthesis cannot happen and plats die.

Broadly speaking, the more light there is the more a vie will photosynthesise ad the greater the amount of glucose produced for growth ad ripening grapes.

Flowering and fruit set also benefit greatly from plenty of sunlight.

Question 21

List the factors that affecting temperature.

Answer 21

Latitude, Seas and lakes, Aspect.

Question 22

List the factors that affecting the amount of sunlight.

Answer 22

Latitude, Seas and lakes, Aspect.

Question 23

Explain how latitude affecting sunlight and give an example.

Answer 23

Day length during the summer growing season is longer the further the vineyard is from the Equator. Riesling in Germany.

Question 24

Explain how sea and lakes affecting sunlight and give an example.

Answer 24

Vineyards near large bodies of water tend to experience more cloud cover. In some case, vineyard situated above rivers or lakes can benefit from sunlight reflected from the surface of the water.

Question 25

Explain how sea and lakes affecting sunlight and give an example.

Answer 25

A slope’s aspects the amount of sunlight it receives and steeper slopes benefit more from this effect. Vineyard that face the Equator receive the most sunlight.

Question 26

List three type of sunlight hazards and explain how it affects vine.

Answer 26

Cloudy conditions during flowering period can result in a smaller crop of grapes.

Also, the slowing in photosynthesis caused by heavy cloud cover can stop grapes ripening fully.

Intensely sunny conditions can cause sunburn, leading to bitter flavours developing in the grape skins.

Question 27

How does grape grower deal with sunlight hazard?

Answer 27

Vine canopy - arrange and manage the leaves of the vine.

Question 28

Why vine needs water?

Answer 28

For photosynthesis and to swell its grapes during ripening.

Question 29

What is transpiration?

Answer 29

The process the vine accesses water through its roots and, in a process known as transpiration, water is drawn up to the leaves.

Question 30

What determined the amount of water needs?

Answer 30

Temperature.

Question 31

What is the benefit to limit the water supply once a sufficient canopy of leaves has grown?

Answer 31

As vine has enough water to keep photosynthesising but the shortage of water means that the vine concentrates on grape ripening rather than further shoot growth. This has the added advantage of reducing the impact of shading because the canopy does not grow too large.

Question 32

List three type of irrigation system.

Answer 32

Drip, Sprinklers, Flood.

Question 33

What is Drip irrigation?

Answer 33

Most advance and expensive. Each vine has its own dripper that can be computer controlled to ensure that each vine gets the optimum amount of water.

Question 34

What is Sprinklers?

Answer 34

These are still widely used and cheaper than drip irrigation but they wast a lot of water and, like rain, they create damp conditions in the vineyard increasing the risk of disease. If correctly designed, sprinklers can also be used for frost protection.

Question 35

What is flood irrigation?

Answer 35

This is very cheap to use but is only possible in vineyards that are flat or very gently sloping and where there is access to large quantities of water.

Question 36

When will vine temporarily stop transpiration in order to preserve its resource?

Answer 36

When there is a water shortage.

Question 37

What happens if there is too much water?

Answer 37

1. Continue grow shoot and leaves and resulting in less sugar for ripening,
2. Increased amount of shading in the canopy will restrict the ripening.
3. A waterlogged soil can cause the roots to become saturated and die.

Question 38

Rainfall is important both in its timing and the amount that falls. Please list and explain how rainfall can negatively affect flowering and harvesting.

Answer 38

Flowering and fruit set can both be disrupted by heavy rainfall and this can significantly reduce the number of grapes that are formed.

Damp conditions also encourage the spread of fungal diseases.

Heavy rainfall before harvesting can cause the berries to swell excessively. This dilutes the flavours in the wine and the berries may swell so much that they split, which attracts fungal disease.

Question 39

How to reduce the risk of hail.

Answer 39

Netting or even owning several vineyard sites in different locations.

Question 40

What defines a region’s climate.

Answer 40

A region’s climate is defined as the annual pattern of temperature, sunlight and rainfall averaged out over several years.

Question 41

What defines a region’s weather?

Answer 41

A region’s weather, on the other hand, is the annual variation that happens relative to the climatic average.

Question 42

When it the growing season in northern hemisphere.

Answer 42

April to October.

Question 43

When is the growing season in southern hemisphere.

Answer 43

October to April.

Question 44

Please define Cool Climates.

Answer 44

Regions with an average growing season temperature of 16.5 degree C or below.

Question 45

Please define Moderate Climates.

Answer 45

Regions with an average growing season temperature of 16.5 to 18.5 degree C.

Question 46

Please define Warm Climates.

Answer 46

Regions with an average growing season temperature of 18.5 to 21 degree C.

Question 47

Please define Hot Climates.

Answer 47

Regions with an average growing season temperature in excess of 21 degree C.

Question 48

Describe Continental Climate.

Answer 48

The greatest difference in temperate between the hottest and coldest months (high continentality)

Short summer with a large, rapid temperature drop in autumn.

Also noted for having dry summers.

i.e. Cool continental climates (Chablis and Champagne) are at risk from spring frost, and low temperature throughout the growing season can affect flowering, fruit set and ripening.

Question 49

Describe Continental Climate.

Answer 49

Characterised by cool to moderate temperatures and a low annual difference between the hottest and coldest months. (low continentality)

Rainfall tends to be evenly spread throughout the year which helps to moderate the temperature. This means temperatures are warm enough for grapes to continue ripening far into the autumn.

Rainfall in the spring and summer can be harmful to the flowering, fruit set and health of the grapes at harvest.

i.e. Maritime Bordeaux can successfully ripen the thick-skinned grape variety Cabernet Sauvignon, which might otherwise struggle to ripen at this latitude.

Question 50

Describe Mediterranean Climate.

Answer 50

Also characterised y a low temperature difference between the hottest and coldest months but the summers tend to be warm and dry.

The conditions can be found throughout the Mediterranean, as well as California, Chile, South Africa and South Eastern Australia.

The extra warmth and sunlight, comparing with maritime climates, wine tend to be fuller bodied with riper tannins, higher alcohol and lower levels of acidity.

The lower rainfall can have a positive effect on the health of the grapes but can also lead to drought.

Question 51

What does soil do to vine

Answer 51

Supplies the vine with water and nutrients.

Question 52

What does soil made up of?

Answer 52

Tiny particles of various sizes, large stone or rocks and humus.

Question 53

How does soil affect site climate?

Answer 53

Heat

Drainage (Stone on the surface can reflect the heat but sandy and stony soil does not hold water and facilitate water drainage

On the other hand, too much clay it can easily become waterlogged).

Question 54

Best soil is?

Answer 54

Loam - made up of a mixture of sand and clay particles.

Question 55

The most important nutrients for a vine are?

And describe when lack of nutrient and too much of nutirent.

Answer 55

Nitrogen, Phosphorus and potassium.