Grape Growing

Question 1

How long can a vine live

Answer 1

60 years or more

Question 2

What are the parts of a grape and what do they contribute to the wine

Answer 2

Skin - high levels of colour and flavour

Pulp - water and sugar, contains acid and flavours

Seeds and stems - high levels of tannins, can make the wine taste bitter

Question 3

What does a vine need to grow and thrive

Answer 3

Warmth
Sunlight
Carbon dioxide
Water
Nutrients

Question 4

What is photosynthesis

Answer 4

The process of the vine turning carbon dioxide and water into sugar

Question 5

What are the stages of grape formation and ripening

Answer 5

Flowering
Fruit set
Véraison
Ripening

Question 6

What is flowering

Answer 6

Clusters of flowers are produced in Spring, each flower needs to be pollinated to become a grape

Question 7

What is fruit set

Answer 7

When the flower is pollinated it starts to grow seeds and swell, then becomes a grape

Question 8

What is Véraison

Answer 8

The point at which the grapes start to lose their dark green colour, white grapes become golden and black grapes become red then purple

Question 9

What is ripening

Answer 9

The grapes swell with water and become soft and fleshy

Sugar levels rise and acidity drops

Herbaceous flavours decrease, green fruit changes to stone fruit, black fruit changes from fresh to cooked

Tannins develop

Question 10

What is Botrytis/noble rot

Answer 10

A fungus that grows on white grapes causing noble rot

Question 11

What are the growing seasons in the Southern/Northern hemisphere

Answer 11

Northern - April to October

Southern - October to April

Question 12

What are the temperature classifications for cool, moderate and warm climates

Answer 12

Cool. 16.5 or below

Moderate - 16.5 - 18.5

Warm - 18.5 - 21