CHINA - Growing Environment & Grape Growing

Question 1

What is the most common climate in China?

Answer 1

Continental, very cold, dry winters. Heavy summer rains in some regions.

Question 2

Where are winter burial of vines necessary? Why?

Answer 2

Inland areas such as Heilongjiang and Jilin

Question 3

What is the climate like in Beijing and Hebei?

Answer 3

Coastal, but still considered continental. Warm humid summers with lots of rain, cold winters. Still low rain overall.

Question 4

What is the major climatic hazard faced by growers in the Beijing and Hebei?

Answer 4

Humidity induced disease pressure. Somewhat moderated by ocean breezes, but still a major challenge in the wet summer months.

Question 5

What is the downfall of some of the older vineyards in Beijing and Heibei?

Answer 5

They were planted on flat lands with poor drainage, resulting in over-production and poor quality.

Question 6

What region is in the northwest of the country?

Answer 6

Xinjiang and Gansu

Question 7

What regions are in the inland, central region of the country?

Answer 7

Ningxia
Shanxi
Shaanxi

Question 8

Where is Shandong?

Answer 8

Central East coast

Question 9

What is the climate like in Shandong?

Answer 9

Warm, maritime. Wetter overall, with most rain in August-September. Lots of rot.

Question 10

What is the climate like in Ningxia?

Answer 10

Dry, continental, but with monsoon rains. Windy, and therefore dry.

Question 11

What is done in Ningxia to battle the dry, windy climate?

Answer 11

Irrigation from the Yellow river, and planting in the Helan Mountains to protect from winds

Question 12

What is the climate like in Xinjiang and Gansu?

Answer 12

Extremely dry, cool and continental.

A short growing season, and lots of wind.

Question 13

What are the hazards and threats in the Xinjiang region?

Answer 13

• Autumn and spring frost
• Short growing season
• Wind disrupting the growth cycle
• winter freeze

Question 14

What sales technique is coming in the Xinjiang region?

Answer 14

Selling wine to East coast wineries.

Question 15

What are the advantages of growing in the Xinjiang region?

Answer 15

• Water availability from snow melt
• Very warm summers allowing for high production levels.
• Very dry, reducing the need for sprays

Question 16

What is the climate like in the Yunnan province?

Answer 16

Sub-tropical humid climate.

Question 17

How do growers deal with the sub-tropical climate in Yunnan?

Answer 17

Altitude (1600-2900), including the foothills to the Himalayas.

Question 18

What else is unique about the climate in Yunnan apart from it sub-tropicality?

Answer 18

There is a long frost free season, meaning it is one fo the few inland areas where vines do not need to be buried.

Question 19

What trellising methods are most present?

Answer 19

Ungrafted, trained to Multi Cordon Fan, or Single Dragon, for older, traditional vineyards.
- Spur pruned, Chang shaped systems are more modern

Question 20

What are the factors that may lead to poor fruit quality with the Chang training system?

Answer 20

• Dense canopies

- Excessive irrigation and fertilisation.

Question 21

What virus is prevalent?

Answer 21

Leaf roll virus

Question 22

What are the limitations to progress in older vineyard management?

Answer 22

• A lack of viticultural training
• a lack of good quality planting materials
• shortages in the availability of labour.
• The need for government sanction for any changes

Question 23

When are vines typically buried and dug out?

Answer 23

Typically buried in November and dug out in March-April

Question 24

What are the disadvantages of burying vines for winter?

Answer 24

• It’s expensive, and can add 20-30% to production costs
• It’s labour intensive, needs manual labour in addition to mechanisation
• There’s a small pool of qualified, older workers that aren’t being replaced by younger ones

Question 25

What grape varieties are mostly planted?

Answer 25

• 90% table grapes and raisins.
• The wine grapes are almost exclusively black varieties.
• 70% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 10% each Carmenere and Merlot
• less than 5% CF, Chard and Ries

Question 26

What is important to remember when looking at growing statistics?

Answer 26

They have questionable reliability, as much of the data could include table grapes.

Question 27

What are the indigenous wine species growing in China?

Answer 27

Vitis Amurensis. Resistant to cold, but producing odd flavours.