Understanding Grape Growing Options Flashcards
What is the aim of Conventional viticulture?
Raising production levels and reducing labour requirements.
How is Conventional viticulture achieved?
Mechanisation, agro-chemicals, irrigation, clonal selection, chemical inputs, mineral fertilisers, monoculture.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Conventional viticulture?
Adv = quicker, low reliance on labour, high yield, consistency, uniform fruit, mechanisation, low competition in monoculture.
Dis = cost of agro-chemicals, eco-unfriendly, low consumer acceptance, hazardous, more prone to disease because fungal diseases spread quickly in monoculture.
What is the aim of Sustainable viticulture?
Promote the natural ecosystems in the vineyard, maintain biodiversity, manage waste, minimise applications of chemicals and energy use, and reduce the impact of viticulture on the wider environment.
How is Sustainable viticulture achieved?
Still permits conventional treatment but makes growers limit it through careful regulation. Agro-chemicals are the last resort.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Sustainable viticulture?
Adv = reduce cost, consumer acceptance, eco-friendly.
Dis = agro-chemicals still used, additional requirements in cost of expertise for monitoring, no certification.
What is the aim of Organic viticulture?
Improve the soil and the range of microbes and animals. Rejects manufactured fertilisers, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides.
How is Organic viticulture achieved?
compost, cover crops, natural fertilisers, reduction of monoculture, traditional remedies such as copper sulfate.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Organic viticulture?
Adv = health & disease resistance of vine, health of soil, elimination of synthetic chemicals (save cost), eco-friendly, high consumer acceptance, fashionable, can charge premium.
Dis = reduction in yield, cost of certification, lower consistency, build up of metal in soil (copper sulfate), much higher risk.
What is the aim of Biodynamic viticulture?
Seeks to achieve a balance between the physical and higher, non-physical realms.
How is Biodynamic viticulture achieved?
Coincide with cycle of planets, moons and stars, homeopathic remedies (preparations) used to fertilise soil, treat diseases, and ward off pests. Traditional chemicals allowed like organic.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Biodynamic viticulture?
Adv = fashionable, high consumer acceptance, can charge premium, eco-friendly.
Dis = much more difficult to scale up - reliant on labour and skill set, metal build-up in soil, cost of certification.
What is the aim of Precision viticulture?
Producing the best quality and yield, reducing environmental impact, reducing costs on treatments.
How is Precision viticulture achieved?
Measure certain factors along a vineyard area (soil, vine vigour, topography), GPS to tailor changes in vineyard, bespoke treatment.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Precision viticulture?
Adv = Quality and yield can be improved, consistency.
Dis = cost, skill needed, suitable for premium/super-premium or very large-scale production.
What site is idea for high-volume inexpensive wines, and give a regional example (2)
Flat, fertile site with warm, dry climate.
E.g. Central Valley (Chile)
What are things to consider when selecting a vineyard site? (6)
- Adequate labour force
- Access to water
- Topography
- Climate - is it suitable for grape variety?
- Laws and regulations
- Where is the market?
What does the structure of the soil influence? (4)
root penetration, water-drainage, nutrient-holding capacity, workability.
What is a plough pan?
An impervious layer of soil.
Define subsoiling.
Breaking down an impervious layer of soil (aka. plough pan)
How can you rectify an acidic soil (and where is a regional example)?
Lime can be spread on the soil and ploughed in.
Beaujolais (France).
What are 6 (natural) things to consider when choosing a grape variety?
- Time of budding
- Duration of annual life-cycle
- Tolerance of drought
- Resistance to disease
- Winter hardiness
- Vigour
What are 6 (stylistic and sales) things to consider when choosing a grape variety?
- Style of wine
- Yield
- Cost
- Law
- Availability
- Market demand
What is head grafting?
Cut the original variety at the trunk and graft a bud from a new variety on top.