Unit 2 - Champagne Viticulture Flashcards
What does vigne en foule mean
Vines in a crowd
With the old planting method, how far apart would the vines be separated
31.5 - 39 inches / 80-100 cm
What is Provinage
Means layering
- During the old planting style, when they planted a new vine, the vigneron would bury a healthy cane from the parent vine, leaving 3 terminal buds exposed in the air
- The buried cane would root, the exposed buds would sprout and a new vine would be propagated
For a new vine, when did pruning of the roots began
The spring of the 3rd year
How was the pruning done in the old planting method
The vigneron would prune each vine in a circular pattern around its base to the depth of 8 inches / 20 cm
- He would then lay the vine down and bury the old wood, leaving one exposed cane (from the previous season) above ground
- Then he trimmed to just 3 or 4 buds
How did root pruning help the vine
It encouraged more root growth on the existing root network
What is Assiselage
- Vignes en foule
When the vine was buried it “moved” forward or sideways, and all the vines within the vineyard moved in tandem
How often did new vines need to be planted
Every 4 to 5 years
Pre World War I, it was common to have how many vines per hectare / acre
20,000 vines per acre / 50,000 vines per hectare
What were some advantages of the vignes en foule planting
- The large number of support stakes within the vineyard actually served as an effective wind break
- High vine density managed to trap heat within the core of the vineyard at night
In 1888 where did phylloxera arrive
the Aube
In 1889 phylloxera arrived where
The Aisne and the border of Marne
How fast or slow was phylloxera moving through Champagne
5 acres / 2 hectares a year (annum)
In 1901 what area of Champagne was completely riddled with phylloxera
Marne
By 1911 what effect did phylloxera have on Champagne
Half of all the vineyards of Champagne were affected
Pre Phylloxera how many vines per acre / hectare was there
150,000 acres / 50,000 ha
Post Phylloxera how many vines per acre / hectare was there
30,000 acres / 12,000 ha
While phylloxera was destroying the vines of Champagne below the ground, what was destroying the vines above the ground
- Powdery Mildew
- Downy Mildew
Where did powdery mildew, downy mildew and phylloxera come from
North America
When did powdery and downy mildew come to Champagne
The close of the 19th Century
What is significant about Bollinger’s “Vieilles Vignes Francaises - Blanc de Noirs
The vineyards that produce this wine, Clos St. Jacques and Chaude Terres of Ay are both phylloxera free.
- 100% Pinot Noir
- Vines are grown en foule
What type of soil does the root louse phylloxera not like
Sandy soils
What does Sacy, Ecueil and Villedommange all have in common
All have phylloxera free vineyards due to their sandy soils
- All are located on the western edge of Montage de Reims
What major changes happened in regards to the vineyards after World War I
- The issue of Phylloxera was addressed by planting grafted grapevines
- The 3 noble grapes (Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay) were chosen and replanted
- The vineyards were planted vignes en lignes
What does Vignes en lignes mean
Orderly rows
What was the new vine density with the new style of vignes en lignes
3,200 vines per acre / 8,000 vines per hectare
What were some of the new advantages of vignes en lignes
- Much easier to work
- Spacing allowed for the use of farm animals, then later farm equipment
- Was able to accommodate horses and wagons, then later tractors
With the new vineyards being planted after World War I, what were the spacing and pruning practices and how many clusters can each vine produce
- 3.3 - 4.95 ft per vine / 1-1.5 meters per vine
- 12-15 clusters
- the equivalent of one bottle of wine
What is the appropriate spacing between vines
3.3 - 4.95 ft per vine / 1-1.5 meters per vine
What advantages does the new spacing provide for the vines
Gives each vine ample room to capture maximum sunlight for photosynthesis
What are the 4 approved pruning methods for Champagne
Chablis
Cordon Royat
Vallee de la Marne
Guyot (SIngle, Double, and Asymmetrical)
What pruning method leaves four long canes and one spur (for renewing those canes)
Chablis