C6 - Vineyard Management - Micky - completed Flashcards

1
Q

What are the three main considerations a producer may need to make when choosing a site?

A
  • Environmental conditions
  • Business considerations
  • Grape variety
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Which environmental conditions does a producer have to consider? And what will be influenced by these factors?

A
  • Average temperature
  • Rainfall
  • Sunlight hours
  • Fertility and drainage of the soil

These will influence the choice of:

  • grape variety
  • the ideal planting density
  • systems of training and trellising.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What business (financial) considerations must be made by a producer when selecting a vineyard site?

A
  • Proximity to utility infrastructure: power, water…etc.
  • Availability of a vineyard workforce
  • Accessibility for machinery
  • Cost of land
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What must a producer consider regarding grape variety when selecting a site?

A
  • It must suit climatic conditions
  • Demand
  • Legal restrictions (GI, AC… etc.)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How is a new vineyard prepared?

A

Existing vegetation is cleared

  • Fertility tested (and corrected with fertiliser if necessary)
  • Young vines are planted by hand or machine
  • Vines protected from animals with plastic sleeves
  • Irrigation is sometimes allowed to help young vines establish themselves
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Why is irrigation allowed in some places, even in regions where it is otherwise prohibited, after new vines have been planted?

A

To allow the vines to establish themselves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

When does a vine’s first yield usually come?

A

In the third year after planting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

At what age on average are vines usually replaced?

A

30 - 50 years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the main factor that makes old vines desirable?

A

They give a greater concentration of flavours

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the potential disadvantages to growing an old vine?

A
  • Lower yield

- Susceptibility to disease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

For how long is a vineyard typically left fallow for recover after the vines are dug up?

A

Three or more years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the four main techniques used to manage the vine?

A
  • Training
  • Pruning
  • Trellising
  • Planting density
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

The grower will adapt the four main vineyard management techniques to suit the availability of these resources:

A
  • Temperature
  • Sunlight
  • Water
  • Soil nutrients
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Name a practical consideration a grower may have to make when establishing a vineyard

A

Use of machinery

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is the ultimate goal of a grape grower?

A

To maximise the production of fruit at the desired quality level as economically as possible

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is vine training?

A

The shape of the permanent wood of the vine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the two principal categories of vine training?

A
  • Head training

- Cordon training

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Both head training and cordon training can be _____ to benefit from heat retained by the soil or_____ to avoid frosts

A
  • Low trained

- High trained

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Describe a head-trained vine

A
  • They have relatively little permanent wood
  • Some only have a trunk
  • Some have a few short arms of permanent wood growing from the top of the trunk
  • They can either be spur-pruned or replacement cane pruned
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Describe a vine which is cordon trained

A

A trunk with one or more permanent HORIZONTAL arms (cordons)

Usually spur pruned

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Describe a positive and negative effect of cordon training a vine

A

The sturdy permanent cordon with shoots positioned along its length, makes mechanisation easier

It can take longer to establish because of the greater amount of permanent wood

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Cordon training can also be used to create…

A

big vine structures e.g. four or more cordons.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is pruning?

A

The removal of unwanted leaves, canes and permanent wood

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is the purpose of pruning?

A

It shapes the vine and limits its size

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

When does pruning typically take place?

A

Every winter and summer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What is the main purpose of winter pruning?

A

To determine the number and location of buds that will form shoots in the coming season

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What can help to ensure that buds are not too close together?

A

canopy management

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What are the two styles of winter pruning?

A
  • Spur pruning

- Replacement cane pruning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Describe spur pruning

A
  • short sections of one-year-old wood that have been cut down to 2-3 buds.
  • the spurs are either distributed along a cordon (cordon training) or around the top of the trunk (head training)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Describe replacement cane pruning

A
  • canes are longer sections of one-year-old wood, have anything from 8 to 20 buds
  • Typically one or two canes are retained
  • Each cane is tied horizontally to the trellis for support
  • Most common on head-trained vines
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

What are the two main disadvantages of replacement cane pruning?

A

It requires a large, skilled workforce to choose suitable canes and train them

It is more complex than spur pruning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

What is the alternative name for “replacement cane pruning”?

A

Guyot training

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

What does summer pruning involve?

A
  • Trimming the canopy to restrict vegetative growth and direct sugar production to the grape
  • It can involve leaf stripping so that bunches of grapes have optimal exposure to sunshine
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

What is a vine’s ‘canopy’?

A

it’s made up of all the green parts of the vine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

What is a grower’s most important concern when considering canopy management?

A

Whether or not to use trellis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

What is a trellis?

A

A permanent structure of stakes and wires, used to support any replacement canes and the vine’s annual growth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

What is a bush vine?

A

The vines do not have a trellis system and the shoots can hang down as far as the ground

typically head-trained and spur pruned

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

What kind of climate is a bush-trained vine most suited to? Give two examples…

A
  • Warm/hot, dry, sunny

- Southern Rhône & Barossa Valley

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Why is bush-training best suited to a hot, sunny environment?

A

The extra shade helps to protect the grapes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Why is bush-training unsuitable for cool or wet regions?

A
  • The shade can impede grape ripening

- Lack of airflow can promote disease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Describe vines in Beaujolais

A
  • They are head-trained and spur-pruned

- The shoots are tied together at the tips, helping to expose bunches to air and sunlight

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

What kind of vines are not suitable for mechanical harvesting?

A

Untrellised

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Give another name for bush-training

A

gobelet

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Describe the two main aspects of trellised vineyards. And what is their collective term?

A

Each row of vines requires a line of posts joined by horizontal wires.

Canes and shoots are tied to the trellis.

Together, this is known as “canopy management”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

What are the three important reasons for canopy

management?

A
  • To control the amount of sunlight that gets to the canopy
  • To improve air circulation
  • To aid mechanisation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

How does trellising aid mechanisation?

A

It separates leaves from grapes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

What is the secondary benefit of separating leaves and fruit?

A

Spraying of insecticides and fungicides is more effective

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

What is the most widely used trellising system?

A

Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Which pruning system can VSP be used with?

A

Either replacement cane or spur-pruned

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Describe VSP

A

Shoots are trained vertically and tied in place onto the trellis forming a single narrow canopy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

How can VSP be adapted in hot, sunny regions?

A

Rather than tying the top of the shoots, allowing them to flop over, providing some shade for the fruit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Why might a grape grower choose adapted VSP over bush vine training?

A

It allows for mechanisation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

How is planting density measured?

A

It is the number of vines planted in a given area

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

What is a hectare?

A

An area enclosed by a square with 100m sides

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

What is the rough range of planting densities?

A

1,000 - 10,000 vines per hectare

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

How does an acre relate to a hectare?

A

One acre is approximately 0.4 hectares

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

Name a very important set of criteria when deciding on planting density

A

Availability of nutrients and water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

Explain the most advantageous planting density considerations for areas with limited water availability

A

Low planting density allows each vine’s roots to take up water from a larger volume of soil without any competition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

Explain the effect on a vine of having low levels of nutrients but sufficient water?

A

It can still grow vigorously and produce lots of vegetative growth in preference to fruit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

In a situation where a vine has plenty of rainfall/water, what may a grower do to reduce vigour?

A

Plant at high density to provide competition for resources among roots

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

With combination of what make it easier to maintain an open canopy

A
  • Planting density

- Pruning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

What is the problem for a winemaker when there is ample rainfall and very fertile soils?

A
  • Vines can be overly vigorous

- Pruning and planting density are often not enough

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

What is yield?

A

A measure of the amount of grapes produced

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

In what units may yield be measured?

A

Weight: i.e. tonnes of grapes/hectare

Volume: i.e. hectoliters of wine/hectare

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

What are the three principal reasons why a winemaker may need to know yield?

A
  • Legal requirements
  • Contractual obligations
  • Predicting tank space
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

How may yield be approximately predicted?

A

By observing the number of buds left on a vine after winter pruning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

Which factors make predicting yield after winder pruning difficult/inaccurate?

A
  • Frost damage
  • Poor fruit set
  • Pests and diseases
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

How may yields be reduced by the winemaker?

A

By removing immature grapes shortly after véraison

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

What is the process of removing immature grapes after véraison called?

A

Green harvesting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

Why must green harvesting be carefully timed?

A

If done at the wrong time, the vine will compensate for the loss by increasing the size of the grapes that have been retained.

Cannot return the yield to the original size but also dilute the flavours in the remaining.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

What effect does yield have on grape quality?

A

No solid link between quality and yield.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

What are the broad potential effects of pests and diseases?

A
  • Reduced yield

- Reduced fruit quality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

What effect does leaf-damage have on a vine?

A

It reduces photosynthesis and consequently limits the vine’s ripening ability

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

What are nematodes?

A

Microscopic worms that attack the roots of the vine, interfering with water and nutrient uptake

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
75
Q

What is the other effect a nematode can have other than interfering with nutrient/water uptake?

A

Transmitting vine viruses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
76
Q

What is the best treatment for nematodes?

A

Prevention

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
77
Q

What are the two biggest problems when it comes to birds and mammals?

A
  • They can eat large numbers of grapes

- Half eaten/crushed grapes are more susceptible to fungal disease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
78
Q

How are birds and mammals deterred?

A

Nets and fences

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
79
Q

What do insects do to a vine?

A

Feed on grapes and leaves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
80
Q

How is the problem of insects treated?

A

With insecticide sprays or integrated pest management

81
Q

What kind of environment do downy and powdery mildew thrive in?

A

Warm, humid environments

82
Q

Which parts of the vine can downy and powdery mildew attack?

A

All green parts, including the leaves and grapes

83
Q

What effect does it have on a wine if attacked by mildew?

A
  • Grapes lose their fruity flavour

- The wine develops a mouldy, bitter taint

84
Q

What is grey rot caused by?

A

The fungus Botrytis Cinerea

85
Q

In what conditions does grey rot thrive?

A

Damp conditions

86
Q

Which part of the vine does grey rot attack?

A

Grapes

87
Q

What effect can grey rot have on black grapes?

A

They can lose their colour

88
Q

What is noble rot?

A

The name for grey rot when it has been used for making sweet wines by infecting certain white grape varieties.

89
Q

How was powdery mildew traditionally treated?

A

With a sulphur-based spray

90
Q

How was downy mildew traditionally treated?

A

With Bordeaux Mixture - a copper based spray

91
Q

How is spraying most commonly done?

A

By tractor

92
Q

Why must spraying stop close to harvest?

A

So that there are no harmful chemical residues in the wine

93
Q

Other than spraying, how may the risk of fungal diseases developing be reduced?

A

Using appropriate canopy management

94
Q

Explain how canopy management may reduce the chance of fungal disease

A

An open vine canopy allows greater flow of air, promoting evaporation and keeping it dry

95
Q

What’s the big advantage of preventing fungal disease with only canopy management?

A

It’s financially and environmentally beneficial, as sprays are not needed

96
Q

What do viruses do to a vine?

A

Most do not kill the vine but reduce its ability to function

97
Q

How do viruses affect yield?

A

They can dramatically reduce yield and quality

98
Q

How are viruses usually spread among vines?

A

Via cutting or nematodes

99
Q

What treatments are there for vine viruses?

A

None

100
Q

How can viruses be eradicated?

A

By digging up vines and sanitising the land

101
Q

How do bacterial diseases affect vines?

A

Many just reduce grape quality and quantity, but some can kill the vines

102
Q

Typically, how are bacterial diseases usually spread?

A

By small insects called sharpshooters

103
Q

How may bacterial diseases be treated or cured?

A

They can’t

104
Q

How can bacterial diseases be prevented?

A

Strict quarantine procedures and interrupting the lifecycle of the sharpshooters

105
Q

How may bacterial diseases be eradicated?

A

Digging up vines and sanitising the land

106
Q

What viticultural practice took off to control pests and diseases in the second half of the twentieth century?

A
  • The use of man made sprays/chemicals to control pests and diseases
  • An increased use of chemical fertilisers
107
Q

Why has chemical spraying become a concern?

A

It damages the environment

108
Q

What are the three main options available to those wanting to reduce chemical spraying?

A
  • Sustainable agriculture
  • Organic agriculture
  • Biodynamic agriculture
109
Q

Are man-made chemicals prohibited in sustainable agriculture?

A

No, but their use is restricted.

110
Q

Fundamentally, what is sustainable agriculture?

A

Growers are encouraged to pay closer attention to pest lifecycles and weather, in order to prevent diseases and outbreak before it occurs

111
Q

What is a key part of sustainable agriculture when related specifically to pests?

A

integrated pest management (IPM)

112
Q

How may pest populations be controlled during IPM?

A

By encouraging the predators of certain pests to live in the vineyard

113
Q

What is organic agriculture?

A

Similar to sustainable agriculture, but with only a limited number of the more traditional treatments against pests and diseases and in smaller quantities

It is a set of accredited practices

114
Q

Why is organic agriculture inconsistent?

A

Certification bodies vary with regard to standards

115
Q

What is the one main rule all organic vineyards must follow to be accredited?

A

They need to undergo a period of conversion before they can be certified

116
Q

Who founded Biodynamic Agriculture?

A

Rudolf Steiner and Maria Thun

117
Q

What broadly, is biodynamic agriculture?

A
  • It adopts organic practices but also incorporates philosophy and cosmology
  • Vineyard soil is seen as part of a connected system with Earth, the air and other planets
  • Practitioners adapt growing practices to coincide with cosmic cycles
118
Q

In biodynamic agriculture, what is used as fertiliser, disease treatment and pest deterrent?

A

A homeopathic remedies called “preparations”

119
Q

How does a vineyard officially become biodynamic?

A

By being certified

120
Q

When does “budburst” occur in the northern and Southern Hemispheres?

A

March - April

September - October

121
Q

When does “early shoot and leaf growth” occur in the northern and Southern Hemispheres?

A

March - May

September - November

122
Q

Where does “flowering and fruit set” occur in the northern and Southern Hemispheres?

A

May - June

November - December

123
Q

When does “Véraison and berry ripening” occur in the northern and Southern Hemispheres?

A

July - September

January - March

124
Q

When does “harvest” occur in the northern and Southern Hemispheres?

A

September - October

March - April

125
Q

When is “winter dormancy” in the northern and Southern Hemispheres?

A

December - March

July - September

126
Q

At what mean daily temperature does budburst generally begin?

A

exceeds 10C

127
Q

The temperature at which budburst occurs depends on the …

A

Grape variety

128
Q

Name two varieties which bud at relatively low temperatures. Give another name for this…

A

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Early-budding varieties

129
Q

Name one variety which buds at relatively low temperatures. Give another name for this…

A

Cabernet Sauvignon

A late-budding variety

130
Q

What is the biggest risk to budburst?

A

Spring frosts

131
Q

What agricultural practice begins at budburst?

A

Spraying

132
Q

Describe what happens during ‘early shoot and leaf growth’? How is energy provided for this?

A
  • Shoots grow rapidly until the vine flowers
  • Initially fuelled by stored carbohydrate reserves
  • Energy provided partially by leaves as they grow and begin to photosynthesise
133
Q

When are water and nutrients most important during a plant’s lifecycle?

A

Early shoot and leaf growth

134
Q

If practiced, when does shoot-tying take place?

A

During early shoot and leaf growth

135
Q

What does the vine most need during flowering? Why?

A
  • Warm temperatures
  • Plenty of sunshine
  • Little or no rain, otherwise pollination may be disrupted, reducing fruit-set
136
Q

What is fruit set? What else occurs?

A
  • When a flower develops into a grape

- Unpollinated flowers drop off

137
Q

What is it called when more flowers than normal fail to fertilise?

A

Coulure

138
Q

What is Millerandage?

A

When grapes form without seeds and remain small

139
Q

What is the outcome of Coulure or Millerandage?

A

Reduced yields

140
Q

What is generally the cause of Millerandage and Coulure?

A

Cold, cloudy or rainy weather during pollination

141
Q

How long do grapes grow before veraison?

A

6 - 8 weeks

142
Q

What is véraison? Describe it

A
  • The point at which grapes begin to ripen

- Skin changes colour

143
Q

What occurs between Véraison and ripening?

A
  • Grapes swell and fill with water
  • Sugar levels rise, acid levels drop
  • Colour pigments and flavour compounds accumulate
  • Tannins develop
144
Q

What conditions are ideal for ripening?

A
  • Warm and sunny conditions

- Mild water stress to inhibit shoot growth and encourage grape ripening

145
Q

What processes may happen during berry ripening? What is the purpose?

A
  • Summer pruning
  • Green harvesting
  • Summer pruning removes excess foliage, ensuring the canopy remains open
  • Green harvesting controls yield and improves fruit quality
146
Q

What conditions are ideal for harvest? Why?

A
  • Dry
  • Excess rainfall before harvest can cause the grapes to swell, diluting flavour
  • Chances of rot are increased too
147
Q

When must spraying finish?

A

A reasonable time before harvest to ensure there are no harmful residues in the wine

148
Q

What happens naturally during winter dormancy?

A
  • Shoots become woody (canes)
  • Leaves fall
  • The vine stores carbohydrates in its roots
149
Q

What effect can winter freeze have on a vine?

A
  • Buds can die

- The vine can die

150
Q

How may a vine be protected from winter freeze?

A

By piling earth up around the vine

151
Q

What may a grape grower do during winter dormancy?

A

Winter pruning

152
Q

What happens to the colours of black and white grapes during Véraison?

A
  • Black grapes turn red, then purple

- White grapes turn translucent and golden

153
Q

What happens within grapes during ripening?

A

Sugar levels rise and acid levels drop

154
Q

How is the ripening process in a grape tracked?

A

Monitoring the rise in sugar levels

155
Q

What else may happen within a grape as acid levels drop and sugar levels rise?

A
  • The grapes will develop their signature flavours

- Tannins in the grape skins become less bitter and astringent

156
Q

What dictates when the ideal balance of sugar, acid, flavour and tannin is reached in a grape?

A
  • Grape variety
  • Climate
  • Style/quality of wine being produced
157
Q

When does harvest ideally begin?

A

When the grape grower and/or the winemaker believes the grapes have the exact qualities needed to create the desired style of wine

158
Q

What may cause a winemaker to bring the harvest forward?

A

Poor weather conditions

159
Q

What does hail do to crops?

A

Destroys them

160
Q

What can rain do to crops?

A

Cause the grapes to swell excessively and dilute the juice

161
Q

Why do winemakers need to coordinate the arrival of fruit at the winery?

A

To make sure it is not suddenly overwhelmed with fruit it does not have the capacity to process

162
Q

How is harvesting done?

A

By hand or machine

163
Q

Name the main factors which dictate how a vineyard should be harvested

A
  • How the vineyard is planted
  • Labour availability and cost
  • Vineyard topography
  • Weather conditions
  • Winemaking choices
164
Q

Is premium wine can only be made by grapes harvested by hand?

A

No, it can be by machine or hand harvest

165
Q

How do machine harvesters work?

A

By shaking the trunk of the vine and collecting the ripe berries as they fall off, leaving the stalks behind

166
Q

What are the major disadvantages/difficulties of machine harvesting?

A
  • They are not selective, often collecting unhealthy, damaged and unripe grapes, as well as bits of leaf, insects and other contaminants
  • They can only be used on flat or gently sloping land
  • They are best suited to varieties whose grapes are not easily damaged and come away easily from their stems
  • They cannot be used for wines whose grapes need to be picked in whole bunches
167
Q

What is MOG?

A

“Matter Other than Grapes” - unwanted contaminants collected often by machines during harvest

168
Q

How are MOG dealt with during harvest?

A

They can be removed at the winery during sorting

169
Q

Why it’s not always possible to sort out MOG at the winery?

A

Some harvesting operations are too large

170
Q

What is arguably the biggest advantage of machine harvesting?

A

Speed

171
Q

Give two reasons as to why speed is such a big benefit when it comes to machine-harvesting

A
  • The vintage may be threatened by bad weather

- Some varieties may become overripe very quickly e.g. Sauvignon Blanc

172
Q

Why might it be beneficial that machines can work overnight? Explain your answer

A

Grapes can be brought back to the winery when they are still cool, If they are cool, money is saved on cooling them before fermentation.

It slows down the process of oxidation

173
Q

Name two wines whose grapes need to be picked in whole bunches

A
  • Champagne

- Beaujolais

174
Q

Describe hand harvesting

A

It involves pickers cutting off individual bunches of grapes with secateurs

175
Q

List the three main disadvantages of hand harvesting

A
  • slower
  • more labour-intensive
  • more expensive
176
Q

What is the biggest advantage of hand-harvesting?

A

It allows grape selection to take place in the vineyard

177
Q

For which wines is hand-harvesting essential? Why?

A
  • Those requiring grapes affected by noble rot
  • Onset and level of rot can vary between bunches
  • Less damage occurs
  • Grapes can be further protected from damage by transporting them in shallow, stackable trays
178
Q

Unlike machine harvesting, the…are retained

A

Stems

179
Q

Why is it good that hand harvesting allows stems to be retained

A
  • Whole, intact bunches can produce a very clean, pure juice when pressed during white winemaking
  • It is essential for whole-bunch fermentations in red winemaking
180
Q

Give three examples of places where machine harvesting is not possible. Give the reason

A
  • Douro
  • Mosel
  • Northern Rhône
181
Q

In low nutrients, sufficient water - Why ensuring the correct number of buds after winter pruning is important

A

balance the number of buds and energy stored (carbohydrates)

182
Q

What are the advantages of maintaining a well managed open canopy?

A

fruit quality and disease control

183
Q

Where commonly uses high planting density.

A

Europe

184
Q

In areas with high level of nutrients and rainfall, while high planting density is not sufficient, what else can grower do to limit the growth of the vines?

A
  • low-density planting using multiple cordons or canes, which often produce good quality grapes at high yield.
185
Q

How to achieve vineyard biodiversity and it’s benefit

A
  • encourage predators of certain pests to live in the vineyard
  • supporting a range of plants rather than a monoculture of vines
  • those predators provide nutrients for vines when mowed and ploughed into the soil.
186
Q

What common way to track the grapes ripening process?

A

monitoring the sugar level

187
Q

Benefit of low-trained

A

vine benefits from heat retained by soil

188
Q

Benefit of high-trained

A

avoid frosts

189
Q

What is the simple goal of a grape grower?

A

to produce a healthy crop of ripe grapes suitable for the style of wine the winemaker wants to make.

190
Q

Why canopy management is particularly important in wet climates region?

A

an open canopy can improve air circulation through the leaves and grapes, this can avoid damp stagnant air to promote fungal disease.

191
Q

Managing the combination of density and _____ correctly confers on fruit quality and disease control.

A

pruning

192
Q

The vine stores energy in the form of ______ over winter.

A

carbohydrate

193
Q

some vineyards in the __________, are on soils that offer the vines more nutrients than many of the classic European regions.

A

New World

194
Q

What are the common pests to vine?

A
  • phylloxera
  • nematodes
  • birds and mammals
  • insects
195
Q

What can be done to prevent nematodes?

A
  • Sanitising the soil before replanting

- using resistant rootstocks

196
Q

More sprayings are required in ________ climates, where there is high rainfall during the growing season

A

maritime

197
Q

How are the black and white grapes looking and feeling before veraison?

A

green and hard.

198
Q

What factors a grape grower needs to consider when determining the timing of harvest?

A
  • quality of the grapes
  • weather e.g. hail, rainfall
  • capacity of the winery
199
Q

“hard harvesting” also referred to as…..

A

hard picking