Learning Outcome 1: Environmental Influence and Grape Growing Options Flashcards
What are the parts of the a grape and what does each part provide?
Skin, Pulp, Seeds and Stems
Skin - colour, tannins, flavors
Pulp - sugar, acids, water, flavors
Seeds and stems - tannins
What does a vine need to grow and thrive (5 things)? And what do each of those provide?
Warmth, sunlight, carbon dioxide (CO2), water and nutrients
Sun provides heat and sunlight. Without heat, a vine cannot grow. Sunlight allows vine to combine CO2 gas and water to produce sugars. Sugars are needed to power growth and to ripen. Nutrients are needed to grow health shoots, leaves and roots.
What is the process of combining water and carbon dioxide using the energy of the sun?
Photosynthesis
What are the stages of grape formation - state in order and describe.
Flowering, Fruit Set, Veraison, Ripening
Flowering - vines start to grow in spring to produce clusters of flowers. each flower needs to be pllinated to become a grape.
Fruit set - flower starts to grow seeds and begins to swell turning flower into grape. Newly formed grapes are small, hard, dark green
Veraison - by mid-summer. Grapes start to lose dark green color - white becomes golden and black grapes become red and then purple.
Describe the stages of ripeness
Unripe, ripe and extra ripe
Unripe - high levels of acid, low sugar, unattractive herbaceous flavor
Ripe - Grapes swell with water and become soft and fleshy. Acid drops, sugar rises. Signature flavors develop. Also when tannins develop on black grapes.
Extra ripe/ late harvest - when grapes are left on vine past normal point of harvesting. During early stages of extra ripening, increased levels of sugar. After longer periods, grapes turn into raisins and water content evaporates. This concentrates acids and sugars; can be used to make sweet wines.
As grapes ripen, what happens to color, sugar, acid and tannins?
Color - goes from dark green to golden (for white grapes) or red and then purple (for black grapes)
Sugar - increases with ripeness
Acid - decreases with ripeness
Tannins - increases in black grapes with ripeness
What happens to flavors as a grape ripens?
For white - green fruit turns into stone and tropical fruit
For black - from fresh fruit to cooked fruit
Define temperature ranges for cool, moderate and warm climate
Cool - 16.5C / 62F or below
Moderate - 16.5C - 18.5C / 62F - 65F
Warm - 18.5C - 21C / 65F - 70F
What latitude is ideal for vineyards?
30 - 50 degrees north or south of equator
How does altitude impact climate?
Temperatures drop with altitude
How does seas impact climate?
Seas can moderate climate - ex. Cape in S. Africa is cooled by ocean currents. Northern Europe is warmed from ocean currents
How do rivers impact climate?
Rivers take longer to warm up and cool down. Provides warmth in cooler regions to extend growing season. Can reflect sunlight and protect against frost.
How does air impact climate
Cool air can moderate climate.
How do cloud, fog, and mist impact climate
Grapes take longer to ripen - moderates temperature (e.g. Australia, California and Chile). Mist is also essential for noble rot formation
How do mountains impact climate?
Can shelter from clouds, rain and cold winds - resulting in sunny summers, dry autumns and extended growing season
