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
Factors affecting sunlight
Latitude
Seas and lakes
Aspect
Latitude (sunlight)
Day length lenghtens with distance from equator (helps Riesling ripen in Germany)
Seas and lakes (sunlight)
Large water bodies = more cloud cover = less sunlight
Some vineyards get reflected sunlight from rivers and lakes
Aspect (sunlight)
Steeper slopes get more sunlight
Distance from equator = weaker sun energy = best to have high aspect
Sunlight hazards
Lack of sunlight during flowering and fruit set can make smaller crops
Lack of sunlight can stop photosynthesis and leading to underripening
Direct light = sunburn = bitter flavors
Water
Photosynthesis
Swelling during ripening
Transpiration
Water drawing from roots up to leaves
Leaf canopy
Helps control sunlight exposure
Once established water supply can be limited to focus vine on grape ripening over shoot growth
Main irrigation techniques
Drip
Sprinklers
Flood
Drip irrigation
Most advanced and expensive
Each vine has computer controlled dripper to optimize water distribution
Sprinklers (irrigation)
Widely used
Cheaper than drip
Waste a lot of water and can create damp conditions (increase disease risk)
Flood irrigation
Very cheap
Only possible in flat or gently sloping vineyards with easy access to large quantities of water
Water hazards
Drought
Too much water
Hail
Drought (water)
Short water shortage = stopped transpiration
Prolonged shortage or drought = water stress
Too much water
Vine continues to grow shoots and leaves = less sugar for grapes
Extra leaves = more shading = restricted grape ripening
Waterlogging avoided by planting on slope or flat sites or installing drainage
Hail (water)
Can damage grapes, vines, and entire crops
Mendoza (Argentina) at risk
Netting can protect against
Multiple vineyards in several locations can help mitigate damage
Climate
Annual pattern of temperature, ,sunlight, and rainfall averaged over several years
Weather
Annual variation relative to climatic average
Northern hemisphere growing season
April to October
Southern hemisphere growing season
October to April
Cool climate
Average growing season temp of 16.5 C or less
Moderate climate
average 16.5 to 18.5 C
Warm climate
average 18.5 to 21 C
Hot climate
average above 20 C
Continental climate
High continentality
Short summers with sharp temp drop in autumn
Cool continental climate
Chablis and Champagne
Risk of spring frost and low growing season temp
Best for late budding and early ripening varieties
Maritime climate
Low continentality
Cool to moderate temperature
Even rainfall
Good for late ripening grapes
Risk of early rainfall
Mediterranean climate
Low continentality
Warm and dry summers
Med, Coastal California, Chile, South Africa, SE Australia
More warmth and sunlight than Maritime
Mediterranean climate wine
Fuller-bodied
Riper tannin
Higher alcohol
Lower acidity
Soil location
Above bedrock
Few centimeters to several meters deep
Comprised of small particles, larger stones, humus
Humus
Decomposing plant and animal materials
Rich in plant nutrients
Excellent water retention
Stones: sand: and clay
Size is crucial
Stones are largest, sand, clay
Water storage in soil
Binds to clay particle or humus
Sand particles and stones facilitate drainage
If too much sand or stone, irrigation might be needed
Vine water needs
Good supply in early season
Mild water stress at veraison
Loam
Mix of sand and clay particles
Found in many of the best vineyards
Important vine nutrients
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Chlorosis
Symptom of nutrient lack
Yellow leaves and restricted photosynthesis
Can be solved with fertilizer