D1: Vineyard establishment 9

Question 1

To produce high volume, inexpensive or mid level wines, high yields of healthy grapes need to be produced consistently and relatively cheap:

Answer 1

1) a flat fertile site in a warm, dry climate may be ideal (central valley chili)
* fertile soil and plenthiful warmths (plus the option of irrigation may mean high yields of grapes can be ripened adequately
* dry climate may reduce the incidence of fungal diseases, which in turn could save money on fungicide spraying and grape sorting in the winery
* flat land allows mechanisation, which can be quicker and cheaper, especially for large vineyards
* * high yields may come a lack of concentration in the grapes
* ** warm conditions may also result in wines with jammy aromas and a lack of freshness

Question 2

to produce prem or super prem wines:

Answer 2

the criteria for site selection may be very different:
1) obtaining healthy grapes of the optimum composition (considering levels of sugar, acidity, colour, tannins and aroma compounds) for the style being made will be a priority

2) cool climates: sites that will maximise potential to ripen the grapes
* sites with aspects that will receive most sunshine throughout the day (rheingau)

3) warm climates: choose relatively cool sites: high altitude, Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza or those exposed to cooling sea breezes (cassablanca valley) to bring better balance to the wine

Question 3

The price of land itself within desirable GI’s (burgundy grand crus clos de lambrays) is much more expensive

Answer 3

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Question 4

The location,layout and topography of the sita may have implications ex:

Answer 4

a vineyard that sits in a frost pocket may reduse less reliable yields and thus slower returns on investments

** the most are natural factors

Question 5

Steep slopes can be unsuitable for mechanisation:

Answer 5

labour can be expensive, slow paced and hard to attain in some regions

Question 6

if vineyard needs irrigation:

Answer 6

the source of irrigation water and its cost will need to be considered

Question 7

Ease of access to the vineyard site and the distance from the winery should also be considered to ensure that healthy grapes can be delivered to the winery with limited risk of oxidation and microbial spoilage

Answer 7

beter

Question 8

Proximity of the vineyard and winery to towns and cities for labour, supplies, cellar door customers, retail or distribution business may also be a key factor

Answer 8

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Question 9

Teeroir comes from the word terre meaning ‘land’

Answer 9

concept that claims that the distinctiveness of quality wines is due their sense of place

Question 10

Physical definition of terroir:

Answer 10

A wine shows characteristics that relate to the particular place in which the grapes are grown (climate, soil, aspect, elevation (cote dor, can taste different due these aspects)

Question 11

some commentators include human interventions in the concept of terroir ex french pdo’s:

Answer 11

Planting density, type of trellising

** physical elements

Question 12

Photosynthesis is the primary driver of vine growth, all aroma compounds are synthesised in the vine and that grape must is further transformed through the process of fermentation

Answer 12

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Question 13

Many commentators believe that overly zealus (ijverig) winemaking practices can obscure terroir:

Answer 13

picking overripe fruit and egeing in new oak can can mask their inherent character (the terroir expression of a wine)

Question 14

winemakers all over the world are now showing an interest in the different expressions of wines made from grapes in single vineyards or specific locations

Answer 14

strengthened by the use of soil mapping technology

Question 15

The grape grower needs to ensure the osil in the vineyard is suitable for planting vines and growing grape. the main factors that the grape grower will need to assess and potentially rectify are

Answer 15

1) the drainage and structure of the soil
2) mineral composition
3) presence of pests or unwanted plants
4) the topography of the vineyard may be modified

** in nearly all stages rectifying any problems at this stage is easier than when the new vines are planted

Question 16

the structure of the soil has a significant influence on root penetration, water drainage, nutrient holding capacity and workability and therefore soil structures that negatively affect these factors may need to be resolved:

Answer 16

1) very large rocks near the surface may be removed
2) a plough plan (an impervious (ondoordringbaar) layer of soil) may have formed from years of ploughin at the same depth
* this may need breaking down (subsoiling) before further cultivation can take place
* this process promotes better drainage and makes soil easier to cultivate once the vineyard has been established

3) if vines or other crops have been uprooted to plant new vines, it is important to ensure old roots are removed
* the roots must be burned down as they can otherwise harbour disease
* if weeds are a particular problem on the site, it may be advisable to use systemic herbicides at this point

Question 17

Farmyard manure, compost and fertilisers may also be applied to increase the level of nutrients and organic matter of the soil.

Answer 17

1) ploughin (turning over the surface layer of the soil and burrying it) incorporates these add in the soil

2) if soil pH needs adjusting this is also an opportune time to rectify it
* for acidic soils (beajolais) lime (calcium based substance) can be spread on the osil and then ploughed in

Question 18

in extreme cases, substantial and costly landscaping work may be required to dramatically change the natural topography of the site to make viticulture viable :

Answer 18

regions with steep slopes, douro valley, terraces may be constructed to provide flat land on which to plant vines

Question 19

There are over one thousand grape varieties in commecial use, the winemaker need to consider these factors adapted to their climate:

Answer 19

1) time of budding: early budding grapes: chardonnay, more at risk for spring frost than late budding ‘riesling’

2) duration of annual life-cycle: early ripening chardonnay and pn are best suited to cool climates as they ensure to reach desired levels of ripeness before cool, wet weathers appears in late autumn
* late ripening mourvedre best suited in warm and hot climates
* early ripeners would gain sugars and lose acidity too rapidly in hot

3) tolerance of drought: grenache can withstand high levels of drought (southern rhone) inland spain and mclaren vale

4) resistance to disease: CS is less susceptible to grey rot then merlot so less monitoring and treating in damp climates
* this is why these two are best blending partners in bordeaux

5) Winter hardiness: Vidal and riesling relatively tolerant to very cold winter temp (Ontario and finger lakes)
6) vigour: SB on fertile soils with plentiful water will need lot of managing to avoid excessive shoot growth

Question 20

Considering grape varieties uppon:

Answer 20

1) style of wine: a producer wanting to make a wine with low tannin, fruity red for early drinking is more likely to choose Gamay or Grenache than nebbiolo or Aglianico
2) yield: high yielding grape varieties (grenache) can be a prime concern when making inexpensive wines
3) cost: some varieties are more difficult so more expensive to grow. eg pn is prone to disease and is therefore likely to need more monitoring and spraying
4) law: EU wine legislation restricts what grape varieties can be used ex: prosecco, grape glera
5) the risk of spreading pests and diseases means that strict quarantine procedures are in place when introducing new planting material to a country or region. in some regions there is a large range of choices as in others too little or sold out due the high demand
6) market demand: The winemaker must identify the demand and the route to market for the brand of wine that they are ultimately going to produce and select the variety to plant accordingly

• the succes of SB: if another trend is incomming the winemaker can headcraft another variety on the top of the trunk
• • the advantage is that the rootsystem is already established, so new variety can produce fast fruit suitable for wine much more quickly than a new brand planting

Question 21

If the grape grower buys young vines from a nursery, there may be a choice of clones for some or all grape varieties

Answer 21

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Question 22

The vast majority of grapevines are grafted onto rootstocks, the main reason is to protect the vine from phylloxera: however also other characteristics are linked to the rootstocks. the different characteristics are linked to parentage, and many hybrids of two different vine species in order to take advantage of some of the characteristics of both species:

Answer 22

1) pests: as well as phylloxera, some rootstocks are also tolerant of root-knot nematodes: Ramsey and Dog Ridge (both vitis Champini)

2) water: Hybrids of V Rupestris and V Berlandieri, such as 110R or 140 R are highly tolerant of drought because of their ability to root deeply and quickly
* rootstocks based on V Riparia such as Riparia Gloire are tolerant of waterlogged soils (so useful in region with lot of rainfall)
* areas with high salinity: V berlandieri such as 1103 Paulsen are tolerant of soils with higher levels of dissolved salt

3) Soil pH: Hybrids of V rupestris and V berlandieri: 99r and 110 r have high tolerance to aidic soils
* V berlandieri tolerance to soils with high lime content

4) vigour: low vigour stocks can enhance ripening which may be usefull in cool climates V riparia, 430 a and 3309c
* High vigour st: Rupestris 140 R can be useful if the grape grower wants to boost the vines growth and yields in vineyard areas with unfertile soils and dry conditions
* * also benefical for a certain winestyle desired
* ** sparkling wine production: high yields of grapes with delicate aromas and high acidity is more desirable

Question 23

In the EU grapes for pdo wines cannot be harvested from vines that are younger than four years old:

Answer 23

its common that in the first 2 or 3 years of a vine’s life, it is common for the grape grower to remove inflorescenses as they form so that the young vine can concentrate its resources on growth

Question 24

Young vines (up to 5 years) typically produce relatively low yields because their root system is yet to fully establish

Answer 24

Depending on grape variety and environmental conditions, between around 10-40 y the vine is able to produce its maximum yields of fruit
* beyond that age the yields start to decrease

Question 25

it is often cited that older vines produce a higher quality of fruit, capable of producing well balanced wines with greater concentration, than younger middle aged wines a few theories behind this view:

Answer 25

1) it could be with age the vines has become better balanced and adapted to their environment
2) lower yields can turn to greater concentration in each grape (vines resources shared among fewer grapes)
3) old vines tend to have more permanent wood so more storage place for carbohydrates
4) it could be that the vine was planted on one of the most favourable locations
5) it is common that the grower wait to grub up the best vines and replacing them

**the notion that old vines produce better fruit is not a definitive rule: a young vine planted in a suitable location and trained and trellised well is likely to produce better fruit than an old vine in an suitable location or that is badly maintained

6) some will label their wines with old vines or other names, but this can be from 30 years or 100 years, there are places that classifies the age of the vines like the historic vineyard society in california and the barossa old vine charter these classifications will often specify a min vine age