VINEYARD MANAGEMENT

Question 1

What 5 things does a vine need to grow?

Answer 1

Sunlight, heat, water, nutrients, CO2

Question 2

What is a clone?

Answer 2

A clone is a cutting of a variety and planting it in a different area. Over time there will be subtle DNA differences

Question 3

What is a crossing? What are examples?

Answer 3

A crossing is when you fertilize 2 of the same vine species together (e.g. Vitis Vinifera X Vitis Vinifera)

Examples include Müller Thurgau (Riesling x Madeleine Royale) and Pinotage (Pinot Noir x Cinsault)

Question 4

What is a hybrid? What’s an example?

Answer 4

A hybrid is when you fertilize 2 different species of vines together, such as a Vitis Vinifera x American rootstock. An example is Vidal.

Question 5

How is heat, sunlight, water, CO2 and nutrients essential? What do they do for the vine?

Answer 5

Heat promotes growth and survival. Sunlight combines CO2 and water to make Glucose and Oxygen (photosynthesis). Glucose is combined with nutrients from the soil to promote growth.

Question 6

What are the 6 steps in a vines lifecycle?

Answer 6

1. Budburst
2. Early shoot and lead growth
   3.Flowering & Fruit Set
3. Verasion
4. Harvest
5. Winter Dormancy

Question 7

What is coulure? What happens and why does it happen?

Answer 7

Coulure is when more flowers than regular fail to fertilize. This greatly affects the yield and is due to bad weather conditions in the spring such as heavy rain or wind.

Question 8

What is Millerandage? What happens?

Answer 8

Millerandage is when grapes form without seeds and remain small. This reduces the yield and can take energy away from other grapes.

Question 9

When does budburst occur? At what temperature

Answer 9

In the springtime and when the daily temperature is above 10 degrees

Question 10

Explain budburst. What do buds contain?

Answer 10

When the buds grow into new shoots during the springtime. The buds carry the genetic makeup of the grape varietal.

Question 11

Explain early shoot and leaf growth.

Answer 11

Early shoot and leaf growth begins in the Spring. Vines store carbohydrates throughout the winter and use this energy to grow leaves that will support photosynthesis.

Question 12

What are inflorescences?

Answer 12

Inflorescences are tiny round green parts of the vine that grow into flowers.

Question 13

What is Verasion? When does it occur?

Answer 13

Verasion is when the grapes begin to change colour and ripen. This occurs near the end of the summer. During Verasion sugars rise and acids drop.

Question 14

What conditions are ideal for harvest? Why?

Answer 14

Harvest conditions should be dry. Excess rain during harvest can cause grapes to swell and sugars to dilute. Increased risk of rot!

Question 15

What is the number 1 challenge in the spring? In what climates especially?

Answer 15

The number 1 challenge is frost, especially in cool continental climates.

Question 16

What is canopy management?

Answer 16

Canopy management refers to dealing with the green parts of the vine. Cutting leaves to provide the grape more energy, or leaving them to protect the grapes from sun burns or overly ripening.

Question 17

What is humus? What does it do?

Answer 17

Humus is dead animal and plant matter with excellent water retaining qualities.

Question 18

What is a diurnal range?

Answer 18

The difference of temperature between night and day.

Question 19

Classify the temperature in each climate

Answer 19

Cool climate: below 16.5
Moderate climate: 16.5-18.5
Warm climate: 18.5-21
Hot climate: above 21

Question 20

Classify the following:

Continental climate
Maritime climate
Mediterranean climate

Answer 20

Continental - landlocked, greatest differences in hottest and coldest months (high continentality) cool to moderate climates

Maritime - cool to moderate temperatures, low difference between hottest and coldest months. High annual rainfall. (Low continentality)

Mediterranean - low difference between hottest and coldest months, summer tends to be warm and dry. Mod-warm climates.

Question 21

What is winter freeze? When can it occur?

Answer 21

Winter freeze occurs at -20 or below and can kill buds and vines, affecting the yield.

Question 22

How do Vitners battle frost?

Answer 22

Smudge pots/ burners - small fire pits placed throughout vineyards to keep temperatures hotter.

Sprinklers - energy exchange of water changing states of matter on grape creates heat and warms the grape.

Wind machines - pushes warm air down into vineyard

Thoughtful vineyard design - planting in middle of slope, aspect, drainage, etc.

Question 23

What are nematodes?

Answer 23

Small worms that attack roots

Question 24

What is VSP?

Answer 24

Vertical shoot positioning - vines are trained in a wire or trellis to grow and maximize sun exposure and airflow

Question 25

Explain head grafting vs bench grafting

Answer 25

Head grafting is done in the vineyard to respond to changes in demand and save time from growing new rootstock.

Bench grafting is done on a bench and calluses with bandage. e.g. usually done to graft American rootstock with Vitis Vinifera

Question 26

What is phylloxera?

Answer 26

An insect found in America that kills Vitis Vinifera roots

Question 27

How do wine makers prevent powdery mildew?

Answer 27

The use of the Bordeaux mixture (copper based spray)

Question 28

What are the skins of the grape called, containing ambient yeasts

Answer 28

The Bloom