Human Factors in the Vineyard that Influence Wine

Question 1

What are the factors that must be taken into account for a new vineyard?

Answer 1

1. Environmental conditions. Site’s average tempereature, sunlight and rainfall and also fertility and drainage capability of the soil is important.
2. Business considerations. The proximity of vineyard to utility infrastructure, availability of labor workforce, accessability of machinery, cost of the land can affect the decision.
3. Grape variety. The adaptation of the variety to site’s climate and also legal limitations are determining site evaluation.

Question 2

What is the typical economical lifetime of a vineyard?

Answer 2

In 30-50 years it is economical to replant the vineyard.

Question 3

How many years are needed to replant a new vineyard after digging up the old one?

Answer 3

A vineyard should be left fallow (empty) at least for 3 years after the vines are dug up in order to recover.

Question 4

Name the techniques in managing a vineyard.

Answer 4

1. Training
2. Pruning
3. Trellising
4. Density of the planting

Question 5

In which part of the vine does the training method is related to?

Answer 5

Training is directly related to permanent wood of the vine.

Question 6

What is the significant reason for low-training?

Answer 6

Low-training is done to benefit from the heat retained by the soil.

Question 7

what is the reason of high-training?

Answer 7

High-training is done to avoid frost since the air in the lower part is colder.

Question 8

What is the types of vine training?

Answer 8

1. Head training. The vine has a relatively small permanent wood, only a trunk or a few short arms on the trunk. It can be spur-pruned or replacement cane pruned.
2. Cordon training. The vines have one or two horizontal arms on the trunk. These arms are called ‘cordon’. Usually spur pruning is done. It takes more time to establish but it is suitable for mechanisation. In some special condition four or more cordons are possible.

Question 9

What is vine pruning and why and when is it done?

Answer 9

Vine pruning is removal of unwanted leaves, canes and permanent wood. It shapes the vine and limits its size. It is done both in winter and summer.

Question 10

How many styles of vine pruning are there?

Answer 10

1. Spur pruning. Spurs are short one-year-old wood. They are cut to have two or three buds. Spur pruning can be applied both in head-training and cordon-training.
2. Replacement cane pruning. Canes are long one-year-old wood. They can have eight to twenty buds. Mostly done on head-trained vines. Requires skillled labor to determine which to be pruned.

Question 11

What is Guyot training?

Answer 11

Guyot training is the other name Replacement Cane Pruned Head Training. Depending of the number of canes on the head, it is called Single Guyot or Double Guyot.

Question 12

Explain summer pruning.

Answer 12

Summer pruning is trimming the green vegetation of the vine to restrict the shoots grow to much, let the vine direct its energy to ripening of the grapes.

Also, tearing down some of the leaves to let the grape get more sunshine is a part of summer pruning.

Question 13

What is the typical training system of the untrellised vines?

Answer 13

Spur prunned head training.

Question 14

What is Gobelet?

Answer 14

In some places, like Beaujolais, spur-pruned head-trained vines are tied together at the tips, in order to increase air flow and sun shine absorbtion. This training is referred to as Gobelet.

Question 15

Name three benefits of trellised vineyard.

Answer 15

1. Amount of sunlight exposure is controlled. If more sunlight is needed, shoots are tied vertical , if there is sunburn risk then shoots are left free to fall onto grapes to shadow them.
2. Air circulation is improved. Grapes and leaves feel more fresh air so damp and related diseases are prevented.
3. Mechanisation is made possible. Both in harvesting and spraying, machine usage is easier in a vineyard that the vines aligned on the trellis.

Question 16

What does ‘VSP’ stands for?

Answer 16

VSP, is the short form of Vertical Shoot Positioning. It is a trellised training canpoy management system used both in replacement-cane and spur-pruned vines. Shoots are tied vertically to the trellis forming a narrow canopy, open, well-aerated and shade-free.

Question 17

What is the density of a vineyard? What are the two factors mainly deterministic on the density?

Answer 17

Density is the planted vines per hectare. Availability of water and nutrients are the two main factor in determining the density.

Question 18

What should be the density in low level of water?

Answer 18

Density should be low too, so that vine’s roots do not have to compete with neighbor’s roots to reach enough water.

Question 19

What should the density be for enough rainfall but low levels of nutrients.

Answer 19

The density should be high. There must be strict control on the number of buds. Too many buds cause unripened grapes, but low number of buds will cause a lot of green vegetation that is not good for the grapes, also. Most of the European vineyards are of this type.

Question 20

What should be the density in a vineyard having high level of nutrients and sufficient rainfall?

Answer 20

Normally, viticulture is not a good choice for such fertile lands. But especially in New World, low density vineyards with multiple cordons and canes, good quality and high yields are possible.

Question 21

What is ‘green harvest’? What happens if it is done at wrong time?

Answer 21

If there is too much yield, some of the grapes are removed just after veraison, this process is called green harvesting.

The vine will compensate the lack of the yield if it is done at the wrong timing. This will cause to go back to original yield and cause diluted flavors.

Question 22

What are the pests for a vine?

Answer 22

1. Phylloxera
2. Nematodes
3. Insects
4. Birds and mammals

Question 23

What are the nematodes? How are they managed in a vineyard?

Answer 23

Nematodes are microscopic worms that attack the roots to prevent the water and nutrients intake.

Sanitizing the soil before planting and using resistant rootstocks can be a solution.

Question 24

What are the fungal diseases in a vineyard?

Answer 24

1. Powdery mildew
2. Downy mildew
3. Grey rot

Question 25

Which sprays are used to fight with Powdery Mildew and Downy Mildew?

Answer 25

Sulphur based sprays are used to prevent Powdery Mildew.

Copper based Bordo mixture is used to prevent Downy Mildew.

Question 26

What is the method to struggle the viruses and bacterias in the vine?

Answer 26

The vine must be dug up and the soil must be sanitised.

Question 27

Define the rules of sustainable viticultur.

Answer 27

1. Man-made chemicals are not prohibited but their use is restricted. Rather than systematic regular spraying, spraying is done at the most effective time, knowing the life cycle of pests and conditions of weather. So, great impact is done, with rather little amount of chemical.
2. Predators of the pests are given chance by supplying a biodiversity in the vineyard.

Question 28

Define the rules for organic viticulture.

Answer 28

1. Only very little amount and only a few type of traditional chemicals are allowed to be used.
2. Official accreditation is necessary if the producer wants to show ‘organic’ on the label.

Question 29

Define the concept of biodynamic viticultur.

Answer 29

Biodynamic agriculture is based on the works of Rudolf Steiner and Maria Thun. Based organic agriculture and also incldes philosophy and cosmology. The vineyard is accepted a part of Earth, air and other planets and stars. Also homeophatic remedies are applied to fertilise the soil, cure the diseases and ward off the pests.

Question 30

What are the advantages and disadvantages of machine harvesting?

Answer 30

Advantages

1. High harvesting speed.
2. Low labor cost
3. Time independence. Allows harvesting at night.

Disadvantages

1. There are some MOG (Matter Other than Grape) such as insects, leaf particles. other contaminants in the harvested grapes.
2. Machine harvesting can only be done on flat or low level of slopes.
3. It is not possible to produce whole bunch fermentation.

Question 31

What are the advantages and disadvantages of hand harvesting?

Answer 31

Advantages

1. It allows to left rotten or unripe grapes on the vine.
2. It is essential in harvesting grapes affected by Noble rot.
3. It is the only method to harvest very steep vineyards sucah as in Mosel, Northern Rhone or Duoro.

Disadvantages

1. It is slow.
2. It needs a lot of laborers.
3. It is expensive.