C5 - The Growing Environment - Micky - completed Flashcards
What are the five things a vine needs?
Heat; Sunlight; Water; Nutrients; Carbon Dioxide
What is Veraison?
The change of color in the grape as the fruit ripens
What are the six factors affecting heat?
- Latitude
- Altitude
- Ocean currents
- Fog
- Soil
- Aspect
What latitudes do most vines grow in?
Between the latitudes of 30 and 50 degrees north and south of the equator
What is “aspect” in relation to a vine?
The direction in which a slope faces.
What is Continentality?
The temperature difference between the coldest and hottest months.
What is Diurnal range?
The difference between daytime and night-time temperatures.
What are four main types of protection from spring frost?
Heaters; Wind Machines; Sprinklers; Thoughtful vineyard design.
What are the factors that affect sunlight in a vineyard?
Latitude
Seas and lakes
Aspect
Sunlight hazards
What is the name of the process through which vines access water through its roots and is drawn up to the leaves?
Transpiration
What are the three main irrigation techniques?
- Drip irrigation
- Sprinklers
- Flood irrigation
What is the definition of a region’s climate?
The annual pattern of temperature, sunlight and rainfall averaged out over several years.
What are the average growing season temperatures of:
1) Cool Climates
2) Moderate Climates
3) Warm Climates
4) Hot Climates
1) 16.5c or below
2) Between 16.5c and 18.5c
3) Between 18.5c and 21c
4) Above 21c
What are the characteristics of Continental climate?
- Have the greatest difference in temperature between the hottest and coldest months (high continentality);
- usually characterized by short and hot summers with a large, rapid temperature drop in autumn.
What are the characteristics of Maritime climate?
- Cool to moderate temperatures and low continentality.
- Evenly spread rainfall throughout the year
- that temperatures are warm enough for grapes ripening far into autumn
e. g. maritime Bordeaux can successfully ripe Cabernet Sauvignon.
What are the characteristics of Mediterranean climate?
- Low continentality
- warm and dry summers
examples: the Mediterranean, coastal California, Chile, South Africa and SE Australia.
What is humus?
Soil that is made up of decomposing plant and animal materials (organic matters) which are rich in plant nutrients and have excellent water retaining properties.
What are the three most important nutrients for a vine?
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
What is a common symptom linked to a lack of nutrients?
Chlorosis
What are the common temperature hazards?
- winter - below -20C or mild winter
- spring frosts - killing newly burst buds and young shoots
- the growing season - e.g. cold Spring, extremely hot summer
What are the effects to vines with more sunlight?
a vine will photosynthesis more, produce more glucose for growth and ripening grapes.
flowering and fruit sets also benefit greatly from plenty of sunlight
What happens to vines if without sunlight?
photosynthesis cannot happen and plants die.
What are the common sunlight hazards?
not enough sunlight e.g. because of heavy cloudy cover
too much sunlight will cause sunburn, leading a bitter flavours developing in the grape skins
Briefly describe a vine’s growing cycle
In winter, the vine will dormant, no green parts on the plant.
In spring, budburst and new shoot begin to grow.
In spring and early summer, the vine flowers and small grapes form, known as fruit set.
In summer, the grapes continue to grow but still hard and green, high acidity and no sugar.
In late summer/autumn, the grapes start to ripen, color change (veraison)
After the grapes are harvested in autumn, the growing season ends.
Turning to winter, the leaves drop, the vine becomes dormant again.
Where can vines get Carbon Dioxide (CO2)?
atmosphere
Where can vines get sunlight?
the sun; reflection from water
Where can vines get heat?
the sun; reflection (reradiation) from soil
What happens if too much nutrients?
the vine will grow too vigorously, produce a dense leafy canopy that shades the vines too much.
The soil becomes depleted, the grape grower will need to replace them with natural or chemical fertilizers.
Describe “Chlorosis”
a common symptom linked to a lack of nutrients, the leaves turn yellow, photosynthesis is restricted. Grapes quantity and quality are reduced.
How to counter the lack of nutrients (causing Chlorosis) ?
use proper fertiliser
which element is constantly no change during the a vine’s growing cycle?
CO2
Describe the functions of Heat, Sunlight, Water, CO2 and nutrient
Heat - fundamentally important, if it’s too cold, the vine will either not grow or struggle to survive.
Sunlight + water + CO2 = photosynthesis = produce glucose and oxygen
the vine combines glucose and nutrients (from soil) to support growth and ripen it’s grapes.
Oxygen is lost through the leaves.
Which element is the defining factor determines which grape varieties can be grown and in where?
the amount of Heat
Why heat is important to vine’s growth
- if temperature below 10C, the vine will dormant
- the vine needs sufficient heat for flowering, fruit set and ripening
- determine which grape varieties can be grown and where, b’cos diff. varieties need diff. amount of heat.
e.g. Riesling grow in cool locations, Grenache grow in warm region
Why Cafayate in northern Argentina can successfully grow vines?
high altitude. (latitude is -26 South)
How ocean currents affect heat in a region
it brings large volumes of warm or cold water across the surface of the ocean, warming or cooling the wine regions.
Example of major ocean currents affecting regions heat:
- Humboldt Current > cooling Chile
- Benguela Current > cooling the South Africa regions
- Gulf Stream > warming the north-west of Europe.
Example of areas that need fog for cooling:
- California
- Casablanca Valley in Chile
What kind of soil absorb and reradiate more of the sun’s heat?
Dark in color and have a high stone and rock content
How soils with higher water content affect budburst?
it requires more energy to warm up, and conduct heat from the vine more quickly than dry soils. This can delay budburst.
Why aspect is particularly important in cool climate regions?
The extra warmth can help the vine being able to ripen a crop. Steeper slopes benefit even more.
Example region with cool climate but benefit from favourable aspect and steeper slopes.
Mosel, Germany.