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WSET Diploma, Module 1 > Grape Development > Flashcards

Grape Development Flashcards

1
Q

When is grape development in the Northern hemisphere?

A

June to October (6-10)

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2
Q

What is grape development in the southern hemisphere?

A

December to April (12-4)

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3
Q

What are the four stages of grape development?

A
  1. grape berry formation
  2. verasion
  3. ripening
  4. extra-ripening
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4
Q

What happens during grape berry formation?

A
  • hard green grapes start to grow in size
  • tartaric and malic acids accumulate
  • some aroma compounds and aroma precursors accumulate
  • tannins (very bitter) accumulate
  • sugar levels are low throughout this stage
  • water flow into the grape is high at this stage
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5
Q

What are methoxypyrazines?

A

Aroma compounds that contribute to herbaceous aromas/flavors in some wines, such as those from Sauv Blanc, Cab Sauv, and Cab Franc. They develop during grape berry formation.

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6
Q

What causes a prolonged grape berry development period?

A
  • too much water and nitrogen
  • encourage shoot growth in preference to grape ripening
  • causes delay in the onset of the ripening stage
  • may not be sufficient time for ripening before the weather becomes cold and rainy and the grapes need to be harvested
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7
Q

What speeds up the grape berry development period, and how does this affect the final wine?

A

Mild water stress

  • yields to smaller grapes
  • reduces juice yield
  • greater skin to pulp ration (can be associated with bitter quality in red wines)
  • higher levels of color, tannins, and aroma compounds
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8
Q

What occurs during veraison?

A

Grape growth slows down (lag phase)

  • grape cell walls become stretchy and supple
  • green-colored chlorophyll in skin cells is broken down
  • grapes of black varieties start to become red in color due to the synthesis of compounds called anthocyanins
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9
Q

What does the vine need during grape development?

A
  • sunlight
  • warmth
  • mild water stress
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10
Q

What are adverse conditions during grape development?

A
  • too much water and nutrients
  • excessive shading of grapes
  • very cold or very hot conditions throughout the day and night
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11
Q

When does shoot growth start to slow down?

A

Ripening

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12
Q

What happens to the grape during ripening?

A
  • the cells in the grape expand rapidly
  • sugar and water accumulate
  • acid levels fall
  • tannins, color, and a number of aroma precursors and compounds develop
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13
Q

What is the temperature required for photosynthesis to occur at the maximum rate?

A

18-33 C (64-91 F)

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14
Q

What effect do warmer years with very hot, dry conditions have on the vine and photosynthesis?

A
  • extreme water stress
  • cause photosynthesis to slow or stop
  • hinder sugar accumulation
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15
Q

How do grapes develop sugar?

A
  • sugar is produced in the vines’ leaves by photosynthesis
  • a sugar solution is transported by the phloem into the grapes
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16
Q

in what conditions is the rate of grape transpiration faster? In what conditions is it slower?

A

Faster = warm, dry conditions

Slower = cool, humid conditions

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17
Q

How does the concentration of tartaric acid change during ripening?

A
  • total amount of tartaric acid in the grape generally does not change
  • however the concentration falls during ripening due to dilution, as sugar and water accumulate in the grape
18
Q

Why do wines from cooler climates tend to have higher natural acidity?

A
  • malic acid can be used in respiration during the ripening stage
  • respiration is slower at cool temperatures than warm ones
  • cool night time temperatures also mean that less malic acid is lost during respiration
19
Q

During the final month of ripening, what temperature range is crucial?

A
  • 15-21 C (59-70 F)
  • warmer than 21: rapid loss of acidity
  • cooler than 15: acidity levels are too high
20
Q

What happens to methoxypyrazine levels during ripening?

A
  • levels fall
  • Cool temperatures and limited sunlight (e.g. due to excessive shading of bunches) can hinder this decrease and the resulting wines may show particularly herbaceous aromas/flavors
21
Q

What aroma compound increases during ripening? What flavors can they create?

A
  • terpenes
  • give floral and citrus aromas, such as the grapey aromas found in Muscat
22
Q

What conditions give off “riper” aromas?

A

Warmer, sunnier climates tend to produce grapes and wines with aromas that could be described as “riper” than cooler, less sunny climates

23
Q

In black grapes, when are tannin levels the highest?

A
  • highest at verasion
  • start to decrease slightly at ripening
24
Q

What tannins polymerize, how does it affect the flavor?

A

causes them to become less bitter

25
Q

What happens to anthocyanins during ripening? What factors encourage this?

A
  • anthocyanins increase during ripening stage
  • plentiful sunlight, temps between 15 and 25 C
26
Q

What 4 factors determine the length of ripening?

A
  1. variety
  2. climatic conditions
  3. management of the vine and vineyard
  4. time of harvest
27
Q

Name 2 early ripening varieties

A
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Noir
28
Q

Name 2 late ripening varieties

A
  • Cab Sauv
  • Grenache
29
Q

In what climatic conditions is sugar ripening quickest?

A
  • sugar ripening is quickest in warm, dry conditions
  • however, very hot or dry conditions can cause the vine to shut down, which inhibits grape formation and ripening
30
Q

Name 2 elements of vineyard management that can slow down ripening

A
  1. heavy crop loads
  2. excessive shading within the vine canopy
31
Q

What happens if ripe grapes are left on the vine?

A
  • grapes start to shrivel
  • no more sugar or water are imported to the grape by phloem at this stage, but water loss in the grape through grape transpiration means that sugars are concentrated
  • extra-ripe aromas can also develop in this stage
32
Q

What are the factors that determine ripeness?

A
  1. amount of sugar in the grapes
  2. level of acidity in the grapes
  3. flavor profile
  4. tannin ripeness
33
Q

Describe the grape flavor evolution through ripening

A
  • under-ripe (often herbaceous)
  • to fresh fruit
  • to riper fruit
  • to jammy, or cooked fruit
34
Q

Describe tannins during grape formation and ripening

A
  • during grape formation, skin tannins accumulate but are bitter to taste
  • during ripening, tannins polymerise and become less bitter
35
Q

What is a winemaker’s main concern with tannins?

A
  • avoid bitter, unripe tannins
36
Q

Why do wines from warm climates tend to have higher levels of alcohol?

A

The desired sugar ripeness may be reached before the desired ripeness of aromas and tannins.

37
Q

What can winemakers do if the optimal balance of sugar, acid, and tannins isn’t achieved naturally?

A

Make adjustments during the winemaking process

38
Q

What’s easiest to adjust: sugar, alcohol, acid, or tannin levels? What does this mean when grape growers try to find optimal ripeness?

A
  • sugar, alcohol, and acid are easier to adjust than bitter, unripe tannins
  • many growers will focus on attaining the desired level of tannin and aroma ripeness first since they can adjust other things
39
Q

What happens to the vines in late summer and autumn?

A

Late summer

  • cane formation: green shoots lignify

Autumn

  • leaves fall
  • carbohydrate reserves stored in the roots, trunk, branches
  • vine enters its dormant period
40
Q

What happens to the vines in late summer and autumn?

A

Late summer
- cane formation: green shoots lignify

Autumn
- leaves fall
- carbohydrate reserves are stored in the roots, trunk, and branches
- vine enters its dormant period

WSET Diploma, Module 1 (70 decks)

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