The Growing Environment Flashcards
Fruit set
Vine flowers and small grapes form
Occurs late spring to early summer
Five things a vine needs
Heat
Sunlight
Carbon Dioxide
Water
Nutrients
Importance of heat
Too high or low means the vine will not develop
Heat determines which varieties can grow where
Coldest vine temp
10 C
Causes dormancy in winter
Factors affecting heat
Latitude
Altitude
Ocean currents
Fog
Soil
Aspect
Latitude (heat)
Must be between 30 and 50 degrees north and south of the equator
Altitude (heat)
As altitude increases, temp drops
Means grapes can be grown closer to equator in some regions (Cafayate in Argentina)
Ocean currents (heat)
Can create localized warming or cooling in certain regions
Allows for grape growing in otherwise unsustainable regions
Humboldt current in Chile
Benguela current in South Africa
Gulf Stream in NW Europe
Humboldt Current
Ocean current that cools Chile
Benguela Current
Ocean current that cools South Africa
Gulf Stream
Ocean current that cools NW Europe
Fog (heat)
Can cool otherwise warm areas
Top vineyards in California
Casablanca Valley in Chile
Soil (heat)
Dark soils and soils with high stone and rock content absorb and reradiate heat better than lighter soils
Critical in some cooler regions
High water content soils need more energy to heat up and conduct heat away from vines
Can delay budburst
Aspect (heat)
Direction in which a slope faces
Facing equator = most heat
Steep slopes get best effect (Mosel)
Continentality
Temp diff between coldest and hottest months
High continentality = large diff
Areas near large water bodies generally low cont (water heats and cools slowly)
Dirunal range
Diff between day and night temps
Cool nights slow aroma and acidity loss
Warm nights accelerate ripening
Proximity to water bodies reduces diurnal range
Cloud cover reduces diurnality
Winter temp hazards
-20 C = serious vine damage or death
Graft is most at risk/Earthing up can help
If mild or no winter, vine might produce a second crop
Shortens vine life and grape quality and increases pest risk
Spring frost hazards
0C air on ground kills newly burst buds and young shoots
Spring frost protection
Heaters
Wind machines
Sprinklers
Thoughtful vineyard design
Heaters
Generated heat creates air movement
Prevents cold air from settling around vine
Wind machines
Draws warm air from above to keep ground above freezing
Might have heaters built in
Sprinklers
Covers vines in ice
As water freezes, heat released into vine
Thoughtful vineyard design
Planting vines away from bottom of slope (on middle slope)
Also train vines high to avoid worst cold
Sunlight
Creates glucose and oxygen from CO2 and water (photosynthesis)
More light = more glucose