Growing Environment, Vine Plant Flashcards
As a region gets warmer in the EU zones of production how do regulations regarding minimum alcohol, acidification and chapatilization change?
Minimum potential alcohol increases, level to which must can be enriched decreases, deacidification becomes illegal and acidification becomes legal.
How does temperature affect yield?
Affects rate of vine growth, number of flower clusters produced and their size, success of flowers setting into berries
How does temperature affect quality?
Affects level of yield obtained, accumulation of sugars, reduction of acidity, development of wine aromas and precursors
How does sunshine intensity affect yield and quality?
Indirect effect on vine growth due to heat accumulation
Direct effect on bud viability, initiation of vine flowers, berry ripening, cane maturation, rate of photosynthesis
What is a cool climate? What grapes are appropriate? What are typical regions?
Growing season average temperature is below 16 degrees
Appropriate for early ripening grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Typical regions: Champagne, Mosel, Southern England, Marlborough, Tasmania, Anderson Valley, parts of Carneros
What is a moderate climate? What grapes are appropriate? What are typical regions?
Growing season average temperature is 16.5-18.5 degrees
Appropriate for intermediate ripening grapes: CS, Merlot, Sangiovese (results in medium-bodied wines)
Typical regions: Northern Rhone, Rioja, Piedmont, Tuscany, Coonwarra, moderate parts of Napa and Sonoma
What is a warm climate? What grapes are appropriate? What are typical regions?
Growing season average temperature is 18.5-21 degrees
Appropriate grapes: Grenache, Mourvedre, Ruby Cabernet, Port, Liquer Muscat
Typical regions: Southern Rhone, Douro, McLaren Valley, Paarl
What is a hot climate? What grapes are appropriate? What are typical regions?
Growing season average temperature is over 21 degrees
Appropriate grapes: table and drying grapes
Typical regions: Jerez, San Joaquin Valley
What are the characteristics of a Maritime climate?
Annual temp range: low
Rainfall: high
Ripening period: long with moderate temp
Regions: Bordeaux, Muscadet, Rias Baixas, Vinho Verde, Southern England
What are the characteristics of a Mediterranean climate?
Annual temp range: low
Rainfall: dry summer, wet winter
Ripening period: N/A
Regions: Mediterranean, US west coast, Chile, SE Australia, South Africa Cape
What are the characteristics of a Continental climate?
Annual temp range: high
Rainfall: dry
Ripening period: short
Regions: Mendoza, central Europe, central Spain
What are the characteristics of a Tropical climate?
Annual temp range: minimal
Rainfall: seasons defined by rainfall
Ripening period: twice a year
Regions: Brazil, India
Why is Mendoza able to grow Malbec and CS?
Mendoza is a warm continental climate (dry, warm) which decreases rot risk. This means that grapes can be harvested later and allowing grapes such as Malbec and CS to ripen fully.
What are characteristics of wines from cool continental climates?
Intense flavour, late harvest, high alcohol white
Sweet: Alsace vendage tardive
Dry: Wauchau, Austria Smaragd
What is mesoclimate?
Site climate
What characteristics should a grape grower look for in a mesoclimate?
Aspect (cool climate: southerly aspect)
Water
Surrounding vegetation
What is the advantage of a vineyard on an isolated hill? What are some examples?
An isolated hill is not affected by large cold currents from a main hill.
Examples: Corton at Aloxe-Corton, Burgundy and Montagne de Reims, Champagne
What is microclimate?
Canopy climate
What is the effect of a thick, vigorously growing canopy in a cool climate?
- Increased shade reduces flower initiation and berry set
- Cool temp results in higher acid retention
- Increased humidity and shade reduces sugar accumulation
- Increased competition between shoot tips and berries for sugar reduces berry ability to ripen
What is a climatic indice?
An index to evaluation potential and existing vineyard sites and determine suitable varieties
What is Amerine and Winkler Cat I?
GDD below 1370
Light-bodied white wines
Chablis, Mosel Valley, Champagne
What is Amerine and Winkler Cat II?
GDD 1370-1650
Medium-bodied red whies
Napa, Bordeaux, Northern Rhone
What is Amerine and Winkler Cat III?
GDD 1650-1930
Full-bodied red wine
Barossa Valley, Stellenbosch, Southern Rhone
What is Amerine and Winkler Cat IV?
GDD 1930-2200
Fortified wine
What is Amerine and Winkler Cat V?
GDD over 2200
Bulk wine, table and drying graes
What is EU Zone A?
regions; natural alcohol; max enrichment; enrichment may not raise total alcohol to more than; acid adjustment
Germany (ex Baden), UK 8% \+3% 11.5% (to 12% for reds) -1 to 0g/L
What is EU Zone B?
regions; natural alcohol; max enrichment; enrichment may not raise total alcohol to more than; acid adjustment
Baden, Loire, Champagne, Alsace, Austria, Parts of Romania, Most of Czech Republic 8% \+2% 12% (to 12.5% for reds) -1 to 0g/L
What is EU Zone CI?
regions; natural alcohol; max enrichment; enrichment may not raise total alcohol to more than; acid adjustment
Bordeaux, SW France, Rhone, Parts of Portugal, North Atlantic coast, Spain, Hungary, Trentino-Alto Adige, Parts of Slovakia and Romania 9% \+1.5% 12.5% -1 to 2.5g/L
What is EU Zone CII?
regions; natural alcohol; max enrichment; enrichment may not raise total alcohol to more than; acid adjustment
Languedoc-Roussilon, Provence, Northern Spain, Most of Italy, Parts of Bulgaria, Slovenia, Romania 9% \+1.5% 13% -1 to +2.5g/L
What is EU Zone CIIIa?
regions; natural alcohol; max enrichment; enrichment may not raise total alcohol to more than; acid adjustment
Parts of Bulgaria and Greece 9% \+1.5% 13% -1 to +2.5%
What is EU Zone CIIIb?
regions; natural alcohol; max enrichment; enrichment may not raise total alcohol to more than; acid adjustment
Portugal (except Vinho Verde), Southern Spain, Calabria, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily, Parts of Greece 9% \+1.5% 13.5% 0 to +2.5g/L
Why does a vine need sufficient water?
To carry out photosynthesis To access nutrients in soil To ensure vine growth, yield potential and fruit quality To prevent cells from collapsing To ensure cells function properly
How much water do vines need in cool regions? Hot regions?
Cool: 500 mm/year
Hot: 750 mm/year
What does total water volume available during growing season depend on?
Vine density
Soil water holding capacity
When rain falls
What is the effect of water on yield and quality?
Excess rain will:
- cool the mesoclimate
- make it more difficult for machines to work in the vineyard
- increase fungal disease risk
- reduce fruit set
- cause bunch compaction, berry splitting
- dilute much if falls before harvest
How many hours of sunshine does vitis vinifera require to produce ripe fruit?
1,250 hours
What are examples of geographical features that affect climate?
Bodies of water Ocean currents (Pacific Ocean, Humbolt Current, Gulf Stream) Forests (trees west of Medoc) Mountain ranges (altitude)
What influences soil fertility?
Texture, structure, organic matter content, mineral content, availability of air and water, level of acidity/ alkalinity
Why do vines grow best on soil with low fertility?
Because canopy growth restricted and often stony and well-drained
How is soil texture described?
By size of particles:
Clay < silt < fine sand < sand < gravel
What does proportion of mixture of size particles in soil affect?
Water holding capacity, water availability, soil warmth, nutrient availability
What is loam?
Loam is a mixture of clay, silt and sand and is the ideal soil type for growing vines; however, it can encourage too much vegetative growth
What is limestone and in what wine region is it found?
Sedimentary rock formed from shells and skeletons of marine animals; alkaline; free-draining
Has high pH which can inhibit iron uptake leading to chlorsis
Central and eastern Loire, Piedmont, norther Spain, Burgundy, Limestone Coast Zone in Australia
What is chalk and in what wine region is it found?
Lower density than limestone
Champagne, Jerez
What is dolomite?
Sedimentary rock with high levels of magnesium
What is sandstone?
Sedimentary rock of compressed sand (quartz) particles
What is shale?
Sedimentary rock originally clay
What is slate and in what wine region is it found?
Shale altered by high pressure and temperature, harder and less porous
Mosel
What is granite and in what wine region is it found?
Formed from solidified magma, had and dense, free-draining
Baden, Northern Rhone
What is volcanic rock and in what wine region is it found?
Lava on surface
Santorini, Madeira
What is soil structure and what is it affected by?
Soil structure is way in which soil particles form lumps or crumbs
Affected by organic matter, earth worms, welling/drying, freezing/thawing, presence of plant roots, soil management, texture, drainage, compaction
What is good soil structure?
Stable crumbs 1-5mm in diameter
Requires high to moderate organic matter content (3-10%)
What is poor soil structure?
Capping, crusting, puddling, sieving
What is organic matter composed of?
Sugars, starches, cellulose, nitrogenous compounds, lignin and mineral matter
What is mineralisation?
The breakdown of sugars, starches, cellulose and nitrogenous compounds by soil organisms
What is humus?
Black or brown mixture of partially decomposed organic matter (matter than is not mineralised)
What are the benefits of humus?
Maintains soil structure Retains available nutrients Holds water Easy to manage Slowly mineralised Absorbs heat
What does aeration do?
Provides O2 to aerobic organisms
Suppresses harmful anaerobic organisms
Removes CO2 and other waste gases produced by organic matter breakdown and plant roots
Provides roots with O2
What should be taken into consideration when choosing a rootstock?
Defense against phylloxera, nematodes
Tolerance to lime, acidity, salinity, drought
Affect on vigour
What rootstock is most tolerant to lime?
Vitis berlandieri
What rootstock provides the most defense against nematodes?
Schwarzman and Dog Ridge
What rootstock is tolerant of damp conditions?
Vitis riparia
What rootstock is tolerant of drought
Vitis rupestris
The rootstock variety AXR1 (vinifera x rupestris) being replaced in California because it is prone to which of the following disorder?
Phylloxera
Formerly used widely in CA
