Ch. 3 Grape Varieties

Question 1

What genus to grapes belong to?

Answer 1

Vitis

Question 2

What species of grape is used on a widespread basis in commercial winemaking?

Answer 2

Vitis Vinifera

Question 3

Where did vinifera vines develop?

Answer 3

Caucasus Mountains region

Question 4

Where are the Caucasus Mountains?

Answer 4

between Europe and Asia

Question 5

How did differences develop among grapewines?

Answer 5

1. the habitat of vinifera vines expanded
2. natural evolution
3. encouragement given to certain vines over others by early grape growers

Question 6

True or False:
Eventually, the differences between vinifera vines become distinct enough to that they could be identified as subspecies.

Answer 6

True

Question 7

What is another term for vine subspecies?

Answer 7

grape varieties

Question 8

How many grape varieties (subspecies) are there.

Answer 8

thousands

Question 9

Name an example of a grape variety (subspecies).

Answer 9

• Sauvignon Blanc

- Merlot

Question 10

True or false:

Vinifera is the only grape species in North America.

Answer 10

False. Vitis labrusca is the second most important grape species.

Question 11

What is vitis labrusca?

Answer 11

The second most important grape species because it makes table grapes for fresh consumption or unfermented grape juice.

Question 12

What is the second most important grape species in North America?

Answer 12

Vitis Labrusca

Question 13

What do vitis labrusca grapes taste like?

Answer 13

Sweet, flavorful, high in acidity

Question 14

Name a subspecies of vitis labrusca.

Answer 14

Concord grape

Question 15

What is the term given to the flavor component vitis labrusca grapes give to wine?

Answer 15

foxy

Question 16

True or false:

North American vines have a natural resistance to phylloxera.

Answer 16

True

Question 17

What is phylloxera?

Answer 17

An aphid-like insect that ravaged European vineyards in the nineteenth century.

Question 18

What is a scion?

Answer 18

The vinifera part of the vine

Question 19

How can winemakers create a phylloxera-resistant plant?

Answer 19

By grafting a scion onto the trunk, or rootstock of a North American vine

Question 20

Which North American wine species are used for grafting phylloxera-resistant plants?

Answer 20

vitis labrusca
vitis riparia
vitis aestivalis
vitis rupestris

Question 21

What is a species?

Answer 21

A grouping of grapevines that are genetically similar, have broad characteristics in common, and can produce viable offspring through sexual reproduction.

Question 22

What are examples of grape species?

Answer 22

vitis vinifera

vitis labrusca

Question 23

What is a variety?

Answer 23

A named type of grape vine with recognizable characteristics; more of less synonymous with subspecies

Question 24

What is a clone?

Answer 24

A clone is a grapevine grown by rooting or grafting a cutting from another vine, which is therefore genetically identical to the original plant

OR

A grape variety that has mutated to be slightly different from its parent.

Question 25

True or false:

Nearly all commercial grape varieties are propagated by asexual means.

Answer 25

True

Question 26

True or false:

Clones are perfect copies of or copies that slightly differ from the parent grape.

Answer 26

True

Question 27

How does genetic variation occur in grapes?

Answer 27

When aesxually reproduced grapevines are planted in new surrounds and slight genetic variations occur as the plant modifies itself to adapt to its new conditions.

Question 28

When is a new vine determined to be a new clone?

Answer 28

When it shows a consistent distinction from its parent

Question 29

True or false:

New clones are not given new names.

Answer 29

False. New clones generally have a new name or a number assigned to the grape.

Question 30

What is a mutation?

Answer 30

A mutation is a genetic change; a natural but random alteration to the DNA of a grapevine that results in traits unlike those of the plant’s parents or clone source.

Question 31

How can mutations occur?

Answer 31

A vine develops different characteristics from its parent (or fellow clones) through the imperfect reproduction of cells as it grows.

Question 32

True or false:

Mutations cannot lead to new types of grapes varieties.

Answer 32

False. Natural, slow development can lead to new types of grapes that show significant differences from its ancestors and can be determined a separate grape variety.

Question 33

What is a cross?

Answer 33

The offspring of sexual reproduction between different subspecies within the same species.

Question 34

What are two examples of Pinot Noir mutations?

Answer 34

1. Pinot Blanc

2. Pinot Gris

Question 35

What is an example of a crossing?

Answer 35

Cabernet Sauvignon (cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc)

Question 36

What is a hybrid?

Answer 36

The result of sexual reproduction between two closely related but different species.

Question 37

Why have hybrids often been developed?

Answer 37

An attempt to create a grape resistant to challenges such as mildew, phylloxera, cold weather, humidity, etc.

Question 38

Why are hybrids not universally accepted for use in commercial wine?

Answer 38

They struggle to develop adequate levels of tannin and can be exceedingly acidic.