Maderia 4.1 Growing Enviro

Question 1

Madeira is where?

Answer 1

Portuguese island in the Atlantic Ocean
600 KM from coast of Morocco
discovered in 1419 by Portuguese merchants and labors

Question 2

Initial agriculture venue for Madeira- what crops and how prepare the land?

Answer 2

Forests were burnt to provide room for agriculture & increase the fertility of the soil
terraces and irrigation channels built
grew sugar, wheat, vines - crops for exports

Question 3

16th century in Madeira?

Answer 3

• *sugar industry** declined from competition from other countries
• *wine** became main export

Question 4

17th and 18th century in Maderia?

Answer 4

British merchants arrived in Madeira
sent their wine to their colonies in North America and West Indies
-found that long periods of pitching and rolling in holds improved the quality of the wines

Question 5

19th and 20th centuries in Madiera’s wine trade?

Answer 5

Powdery mildew and then phyllloxera hit the island destroying vines
Prohibition in the USA, two World Wars, and the Russian Revolution negatively impacted major trade markets
world stability came at the end of the 20th century but tastes had changed

Question 6

Madeira’s original wine governing body ?

Answer 6

• *1979** - Instituto do Vinho da Madeira was founded
• *1986** - Portugal became apart of the EU when further regs were introduced
• *EU subsidies** led to improvements in quality which continued into the 21st century

Question 7

Madeira’s current wine governing body?

Answer 7

2006- Instituto do Vinho do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira (IP-RAM) or IVBAM.

Question 8

Madeira’s climate

Answer 8

expreiences warm summers 20–22°C / 68–72°F and mild winters 16–17°C / 61–63°F
range of microclimates being a mountainous island 1,800m with temps cooler at higher altitudes
moist air and humid winds arrive rom the north to cool, condense into rainclouds
north and center are considerably cooler and wetter than south
majority of rain falls in fall and winter

Question 9

Madeira’s topography and growing conditions?

Answer 9

range of microclimates being a mountainous island 1,800m with temps cooler at higher altitudes
vineyards are at 800 m in altitude
only 450 ha of Madeira’s 74,000 ha are under vine
forests covering the mountainous center of the island
soil is volcanic origin and high in nutrients
plentiful rain, provides fertile condition = vigorous vines

Question 10

Most esteemed grapes prior to 19th century Phylloxera in Madeira?

Answer 10

IN 19th century: varieties such as Malvasia and Terrantez- highly esteemed, Verdelho most grape planted (later was eclipsed by Tinta Negra after Phylloxera as most planted)

Question 11

19th century’s phylloxera issues change the makeup of grapes on the island how?

Answer 11

Vinifera varieties decimated, and replaced by the more resistant American hybrids
could produce large reliable crops
but could not produce the same quality as the vinifera

Question 12

Given the low quality of American Hybrids in the production of Madeira, what was the resulting thing to do next?

Answer 12

EU schemes helped a significant proportion of these vineyards to be replanted back to Vinifera
still have American Vines and hybirds but these grapes are not used to make Madeira

Question 13

Vinifera varieties that are permitted for the production of Madeira are categorized into what groups?

Answer 13

• *Traditionally** the categories were: Noble, Good, and Authorized
• *New categories**: recommended and authorized (varieties that came about after Phylloxera that have not shown the same potential qualities as recommend)

Question 14

Name the Madeira’s noble grapes?

Answer 14

• *Sercial**
• *Verdelho**
• *Boal**
• *Malvasia**

Question 15

Tinta Negra -and sweetness level?

Answer 15

• *2015** producers allowed to state variety on label
• used to produce wines at all levels of sweetness

before ___is used to make wines where a level of sweetness rather than a grape variety appears on the label

Question 16

Tinta Negra describe (plantings and categorized)

Answer 16

variety that has been planted since the arrival of Phylloxera,
able to produce high yields, easy to grow
once categorized as good but now is the recommended
most planted variety on the island

Question 17

Sercial’s wine is know for and is used for?

Answer 17

grape know for high acidity
used in driest styles

Question 18

Sercial characteristics in the vineyards

Answer 18

late ripening - especially in cool sites
last variety to be picked, barely above minimum levels of potential alcohol
resistant to powdery mildew,
susceptible to botrytis bunch rot
can experience poor fruit set
plantings are small

Question 19

Verdelho is know for?

Answer 19

2nd most planted vinifera variety

high acidity but slightly lower than Sercial

Question 20

Verdelho hazards in the vineyard?

Answer 20

botrytis bunch rot,

coulure

downy and powdery mildews.

Question 21

Boal (Cachudo) is also called? used for what level sweetness?

Answer 21

umbrella term for many grape varieties
also named Malvasia Fina - as in found in white port
typically used to produce semi sweet wines

Question 22

Boal (Cachudo) describe in the vineyards?

Answer 22

grows best on the warm lower altitudes in the south of the island
susceptible to drought and therefore needs adequate irrigation to thrive

Question 23

Malvasia describe names?

Answer 23

umbrella term for a number of grape varieties

• *Malvasia Cândida** was historically the most important Malvasia- highly prized for its quality
• *Malvasia de São Jorge** is the most common

Question 24

Malvasia describe hazards in the vineyard,

Answer 24

Malvasia Cândida - susceptible to powdery mildew, limit yields, small plantings
Malvasia de São Jorge - -can produce high yields but susceptible to botrytis bunch rot

Question 25

Terrantez hazards in the vineyard ?

Answer 25

Planting is limited
susceptible to powdery mildew and botrytis
therefore picked as soon as it reaches 9% abv potential

Question 26

vines are generally trained and trellised into a pergola system on Madeira, called what? and what is the benefit?

Answer 26

• *Latadas**
• which allows air circulation above and beneath the vine which helps reduce incidence of fungal disease in the humid climate
• *other crops** can grow beneath
• *effective use of a small land holdings**

Question 27

vine training in a cordon trained, VSP trellised is called what on Madeira?

Answer 27

Espaldeira

Question 28

Humid climate of Madeira causes what disease pressures? and managed how?

Answer 28

• *downy mildew**
• *botrytis** bunch rot
• *Phomopsis**
• all can be reduced through canopy mgt techniques such as shoot positioning and leaf removal, fungal sprays still needed

Question 29

irrigation is widely practiced, rainwater is carried from the center of the island to the vineyard areas by what?

Answer 29

Levadas small irrigation channels
irrigation is more required in the south of the island

Question 30

when is harvest in Madeira?

Answer 30

harvest date is set by Instituto do Vinho, do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira, IVBAM in consultation with producers and growers
Usually at the end of August or beginning of September
done by hand
minimum potential ABV is 9%, generally picked with potential of no more than 11 ABV

Question 31

how is price for the grapes determined in Madeira?

Answer 31

based on grape health and variety
Traditional varieties of Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia, and Terrantez fetch more than Tinta Negra

Question 32

High yields of ____ hL/Ha are not unusual due to what?

Answer 32

150 hL/Ha
plentiful water and fertile soils
max permitted yield varies according to the vintage