Seminar 5 Flashcards
What are the qualities of a good winegrower?
Strong motivation
technical skills
hard work
perservance
keen sense of observation and reflection
strong distrust of routine
humility
What makes the winegrower’s profession unique?
More a set of trades then a single trade. They need to be a renaissance person – botanist, biologist, chemist, gardener, trader, accountant, etc
What similarities exist between a wine grower and a chess player?
They are both strategist. The winegrower’s battlefield is their estate.
What factor is likely to trigger a change of the wine map?
Economic conditions (production and market).
What characterizes the distrubtion of cultivars in the world?
13 cultivars acccount for 33% of vineyards in the world.
33 culitvars account for 50% of vineyards in the world.
What changes has the wine maps of the world undergone recently?
Fewer vineyards in the world. Between 2000 and 2020 vineyards areas fell by 8%.
While the new world has planted masses of vineyards in that period, they haven’t planted enough to make up the difference.
Do growers really worry about climate change? Why?
Yes and no. Optimists don’t think it’s an apocalypse for now, but if things don’t change there will be problems by 2050.
The bigger problem with climate change isn’t the warming of temperatures but rather the sudden variations (spring frost and hailstorms) as well as uncertain rainfalls.
What is the effect of a 1 degree Celsius temperature increase on vineyards?
A 1 degree celsius increase corresponds to a 180 km northward move of the vineyards. Now a 1 degree celsius increase is forecasted between 2035 and 2050.
Is wine likely to be the same in the future as it is today? What changes can be foreseen?
Yes. In many regions it will be difficult to make wines whose alcohol content is below 15%. Also, we can expect to see irregular ripening of grapes. The sugar content rises faster than the ripening of tannins which leads to the risk of astringency.
What major problem due to climate change will Southern vineyards face?
It will entail lower yields. Also, with the extreme droughts leads to an increase risk of wild and brush fires.
What gas is more harmful to the atmosphere than CO2?
Nitrogen protoxide (NO2)
Has climate change been detrimental to Northern vineyards so far?
So far it’s benefited Northern vineyards. For example, before the warming temperatures England was considered too cold to produce wine. It will eventually have a bigger impact on white wines then red wines.
What would happen by 2050 if growers took no action?
Vines will suffer from lack of water.
Vine diseases and illnesses will multiply.
Dramatic decrease in yields.
Strong decline in quality.
Alarmist vision: vineyards could diminish by 25-75%.
What has always characterized winegrowers attitude to crises in history?
Their ability to adapt.
What solutions can Bordeaux find to solve the problems entailed by climate change?
They could plant more Petit Verdot as it’s a late ripening cultivar and it combines the qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Similarly, Colombard could provide as an alternative to Sauvignon Blanc.
In what way could genetics help solve the problems entailed by global warming?
Growers could plant late ripening clones, so far growers have rejected clones with higher acidity rates but they could be useful in times of climate change.
Should Burgundy adpot Syrah? What should Burgundians do instead?
Syrah would be in interesting choice, additionally Sauvignon blanc could work too. Also, there are 1000 clones of pinot noir. Why not explore the diversity of this existing cultivar as well.
What is the advantage of resorting to the Guyot-Poussard pruning technique?
When you prune late, you likely postpone the grape harvest by a few days.
What was Henri Jayer’s vision concerning Cros Parentoux?
Selected the plot that nobody wanted due to it’s NE aspect and stony soils. Jayer selected it because of it’s geology and promixity to other famous Grand Crus. Had to use dynamite to plant the vines.
What are ancestral cultivars?
They are ancient vine types that fell into disuse especially after the phylloxera crisis. Examples are: Pinot Beurot, Molette, and Romorantin
What style of wine are today’s consumers looking for?
Lighter, fresher styles.
What right prospects are there for English viticulture?
They are have the same soil as Champagne, Kimmeridgian soil.
Why is there a general distrust of nurseries?
Poor quality of plants winegrowers buy from nurseries. Too many nurseries don’t care for the quality of plants they sell. Nurseries mass produce these plants and a lot of them turn out to be diseased.
What are hybrids?
Hybrids are when you graft one plant on two a different plant’s rootstock. Can do it with Vitis vinifera X vitis americana or vitis vinifera x vitis vinifera.
When cross vinifera x americana these plants tend to be more disease and phylloxera resistance.
