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WSET D1 Viti & Vini > Ch 2 the Vine Growth Cycle > Flashcards

Ch 2 the Vine Growth Cycle Flashcards

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1
Q

What does a vine need to survive?

A
  1. Water
  2. Sunlight
  3. Warmth
  4. CO2
  5. Nutrients
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2
Q

When does winter dormancy occur in each hemisphere? And at what temperatures?

A
  • start with leaf fall in autumn and ends with budburst in spring

N: November - March
S: May - September

Below 10C (50F) are too cold for vine to grow

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3
Q

What temperature will kill V. Vinifera?

A

Below -25C (-13F)

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4
Q

What temperatures can severely damage vines?

A

Below -20C (-4F)

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5
Q

When does budburst occur in each hemisphere? What happens during budburst?

A

N: March- April
S: September - October

** Buds well and open, green shoots start to emerge

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6
Q

What kicks off budburst?

A
  • air temperatures above 10C/50F
  • soil temperature - stony, dry, free draining soils (sand, galets, gravel) warm more quickly and can kick off budburst in colder climates or when earlier start is needed for ripening (like CS)
  • Grape variety - temp required depends on grape variety (Merlot opens at cooler temps, Ugni Blanc at higher)
    • early budding: Merlot, PN, Chard, Grenache (Burg, Bordeaux, Rhone)
    • late budding: SB, CS, Syrah
  • Human factors: winter pruning can postpone budburst
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6
Q

What kicks off budburst?

A
  • air temperatures above 10C/50F
  • soil temperature - stony, dry, free draining soils (sand, galets, gravel) warm more quickly and can kick off budburst in colder climates or when earlier start is needed for ripening (like CS)
  • Grape variety - temp required depends on grape variety (Merlot opens at cooler temps, Ugni Blanc at higher)
    • Merlot, PN, Chard, Grenache are early budding (Burg, Bordeaux, Rhone(
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7
Q

What is a hazard/risk affecting budburst? Give examples and elaborate.

A

Spring frosts are a problem during this time.

  • In maritime climates where winter/spring temps are less marked, a warmer winter day can start budburst and any subsequent frost can harm burst buds, lowering yields (increasing issue in Bordeaux w Merlot w climate change)
  • Early budding varieties also more prone to spring frosts - i.e. Merlot in Bordeaux, PN + Chard in Burg
  • Winter pruning later in dormant period can delay budrbust - good protection against spring frost
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8
Q

When does shoot and leaf growth take place in each hemisphere?

A

N: March - July
S: Sept - January

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9
Q

What does vigour refer to? What does it depend on?

A

Vegetative vine growth - the growth of shoots, leaves and lateral shoots; which has implications on yield and ripening of grapes

Depends on

  1. Natural resources available to vine (temp, water, nutrients)
  2. Planting material (grape variety, clone, rootstock)
  3. Presence of any disease (virus lowers vigour)
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10
Q

What does a vine need during shoot and leaf growth? Why?

A
  1. Stored carbs - support initial shoot growth
    - stored carbs can be low due to water stress, excessive leaf removal, mildew infections, excessively high yields in previous season
  2. Nutrients - nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous
  3. Water - water stress can limit photosynthesis and shoot growth
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11
Q

When does flowering and fruit set take place in each hemisphere?

A

N: May- June
S: November - December

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12
Q

What happens during flowering and fruit set?

A

1 .Prompt buds burst producing lateral shoots
2. Compound buds remain dormant - need sunlight, temps above 77F, water and nutrients to maximize bud fruitfulness next season ** conditions in one season impact yields in next ***

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13
Q

What does flowering refer to?

A

The opening of the individual flowers within an inflorescence

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14
Q

What does fruit set refer to?

A

The transition from flower to grape after the pollen tube fertilizes the ovule and grape berry forms from ovules.

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15
Q

What are important conditions for flowering and why?

A

Warm conditions - minimum 17C/63F - earlier and successful flowering
Low temperatures cause flowering to last longer, causing uneven ripening

16
Q

What percentage of flowers become grapes?

A

Anywhere between 0-60%, typically 30%

17
Q

Describe the optimal conditions for fruit set. What conditions negatively impact fruit set and why?

A

Optimal temps of 26-32C/79-90F - so warm summer days

Rainy, windy, cold temps can result in irregular fruit set and reduce yields

Hot, dry, windy conditions can cause water stress and also reduce yields

18
Q

Define coulure.

What causes coulure?

A

Coulure is the condition of the grape bunch in which fruit set has failed for a high proportion of flowers; this can reduce yields.

Caused by an imbalance in carb levels which can be caused by 
- low levels of photosynthesis due to
1. cloudy conditions
2. water stress
SOLUTION: IRRIGATION, CANOPY MANAGEMENT
- vigorous shoot growth diverting carbs, due to
1. fertile soils
2. heavy use of fertilisers
3. vigorous rootstocks
*** SOLUTION: CANOPY MANAGEMENT
19
Q

Which grapes are naturally more susceptible to coulure?

A

Grenache
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Malbec

** OJO Bordeaux varieties

20
Q

Define millerandage.

What causes millerandage?

A

The grape bunch produces a high proportion of seedless grapes, which are smaller; this reduces volume and wine quality

Cold, wet windy weather at fruit set will cause millerandage (cold, wet summer).

21
Q

When does grape development take place?

A

N: June- October
S: December - April

22
Q

What are the four stages of grape development?

A
  1. Early grape growth
  2. Véraison
  3. Ripening
  4. Extra ripening
23
Q

Describe early grape growth.

What factors impact this stage?

A

This is when green grapes start to grow in size and tartaric and malic acids accumulate. Methoxypyrazines and other aroma compounds develop. Tannins accumulate. Sugar levels are low.

too much water and nitrogen at this stage promote shoot growth rather than grape development; mild water stress is preferred to ensure grapes ripen on time before autumn weather/harvest.

Mild water stress will also speed up early growth; causing smaller grapes/reduced volume but with higher concentration of tannins/flavors/colors

**SOLUTION: CAREFUL IRRIGIATION/MONITOR WATER LEVELS

24
Q

What happens during véraison?

A

Black grapes begin turning red due to the synthesis of anthocyanins.

25
Q

Describe the processes surrounding sugar during ripening and what influences each of them.

A
  1. SUGAR: rises rapidly at the start, slows down toward end; produced by photosynthesis which requires
    - one third of full sunshine (so need sunny days, cloud cover is bad)
    - temps between 18-33C/64-91F - cold weather during this time will reduce sugar levels
    - if too hot or dry, photosynthesis will stop and so will sugar accumulation
    - rate of grape transpiration and therefore sugar accumulation is faster in warm, dry conditions than cool, humid ones - so warmer, drier climates face more risk of high sugar accumulation before tannins and aromas/flavors develop fully, affecting balance and therefore quality
26
Q

Describe the processes surrounding ACID during ripening and what influences them.

A

ACID- respiration helps metabolize acids, so acids become more diluted

  • respiration is slower at cool temps which is why cool climate wines have higher acidity
  • Mean temps above 70F in final month of ripening can lead to a rapid loss of acidity (and a rise in pH)
  • Mean temps below 15C (59F) can reduce acid loss to a point that acidity levels in the must are too high (FLX, ALSACE)
  • Cool night time temps mean less malic acid is lost during respiration - diurnal range important to preserve acidity (Central Otago, WA State)
27
Q

Explain other processes that take place during ripening.

A
  1. Methoxypyrazines fall - cool temps, limited sunlight can block this decrease so resulting wines will be too herbaceous (CS in Bordeaux for ex)
  2. Tannins polymerise and become less bitter - influenced by sunshine levels
  3. Anthocyanins increase - need temps between 59F-77F and plentiful sunlight
28
Q

What factors determine length of ripening stage?

A
  1. Grape variety - Chard + PN ripen early, CS + Grenache ripen late; Zin is uneven ripening
  2. Climactic conditions - warm + dry = quickest ripening
  3. Management of vine and vineyard - high yields, excessive shading, active growing shoots
  4. Harvest itime

WSET D1 Viti & Vini (19 decks)

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