Vineyard Management Flashcards by Henry Piaskowski

Site selection criteria

Environmental conditions

Business considerations

Grape variety

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Environmental conditions (site selection)

Temp

Rainfall

Sunlight

Drainage

Soil fertility

Planting density

Training and trellising

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Business considerations (site selection)

Proximity to infrastructure

Workforce availability

Accessibility for machinery

Cost of the land

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Grape variety (site selection)

Must suit climate

Demand for grapes

Possible EU restrictions on varieties that can be used

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New vineyard creation

Clear of existing vegetation

Test soil fertility and apply necessary fertilizers

Plant young vines (maybe pregrafted and in plastic sleeve)

Irrigate (if allowed)

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Average vine replacement age

30 to 50 years

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Effect of age on vines

Decreased yield

Increased disease risk

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Fallow time

3 years after vines are dug up

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Main vine management techniques

Training

Pruning

Trellising

Planting density

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Main vine management goal

Maximize production of fruit at desired quality as economically as possible

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Vine training

Shape of the permanent wood

Head training

Cordon training

Both can be high or low trained

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Head training

Little permanent wood (possibly only trunk)

Either spur or replacement cane pruned

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Cordon training

Trunk with on or more permanent horizontal arms (cordon)

Usually spur pruned

Takes longer to establish but is easier for machine harvesting

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Vine pruning

The removal of unwanted leaves, canes, and permanent wood

Occurs every winter and summer

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Winter pruning

Determines number and location of shoot forming buds in spring

Important that buds are not close together (helps with canopy management)

Spur

Replacement cane

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Replacement cane pruning

One or two canes tied to trellis (Usually on head trained vines)

More complex than spur pruning

Requires large workforce to choose and train suitable canes

Guyot is example

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Summer pruning

Trimming canopy

Restrict vegetative growth

Direct sugar production to grape

Leaf stripping to optimize sunlight exposure

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Trellis

Permanent structure or stakes and wires

Supports replacement canes and vine’s growth

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Beaujolais trellising

Usually untrellised

Head trained and spur pruned

Gobelet

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Gobelet

Head trained and spur pruned

Tips tied together

Reduces shade and increases airflow

Beaujolais

Benefits of trellising

Control sunlight in canopy

Improve air circulation

Aid mechanization

Vertical Shoot Positioning

Shoots trained vertically and tied into place

Forms single narrow canopy

Keeps canopy open, aerated, and shade free

Either replacement cane or spur pruned

VSP in hot climates

Tips flop over to provide extra shade

Hectare

A 100m by 100m square

Key density critera

Water and nutrient availability Low water availability = low density Low nutrient levels = better quality if with sufficient rainfall

High nutrient level and sufficient rainfall

Found most in New world High density not enough Multiple cordons and canes allow for good quality at high yields

Yield measurements

Weight (tonnes per hectare) Volume (hectoliters per hectare)

Green harvesting

Yield control Remove immature grapes after veraison Risky because vine can compensate for loss by increasing remaining grape size

Nematodes

Microscopic worms Attack vine roots Interfere with water and nutrient uptake Can transmit viruses Sanitize soil and use resistant rootstocks

Birds and mammals (pest)

Consume grapes Half eaten grapes can lead to fungal disease Netting for birds Protective fencing for animals

Insects (pest)

Feed on grapes and leaves Insecticides Integrated pest management

Downy and powdery mildew

Affect all green parts Grapes lose fruity flavors Give mouldy bitter taint Love warm and humid

Grey rot

Caused by botrytis cinerea Taint flavors and lead to color loss in black grapes Loves damp conditions

Fungal disease treatment

Fungicides Bordeaux Mixture (powdery mildew)

Fungal disease prevention

Canopy management (open with good airflow)

Viruses

Most reduce yield and quality without killing Spread by cuttings and nematodes No treatments or cures Dig up vine and sanitize land

Bacterial disease

Most reduce yield and quality Some can kill Often spread by sharpshooters No treatments or cures Quarantine Removal

Methods to reduce chemicals in vineyards

Sustainable Organic Biodynamic

Sustainable agriculture

Manmade chemicals ok with restricted use Encouraged to know lifecycles of pests and weather Integrated pest management

Integrated pest management

Increase pest predators through biodiversity

Organic agriculture

More hardcore than sustainable Few traditional treatments allowed in small quantities Accreditation required No universal definition (except conversion period)

Biodynamic agriculture

Rudolf Steiner and Maria Thun Organic with philosophy and cosmology Uses preparations

Machine harvesting

Shaking grapes off of vines Collects both healthy and unhealthy grapes and MOG Only good on flat or gentle slopes No whole cluster (Beaujolais or Champagne)

Benefits of night harvesting

Saves money and energy spent on lowering grape temp Slows oxidation

Whole cluster harvesting technique

Always hand harvested

Cost difference hand harvest vs. machine

Hand harvest is 10x more expensive

Machine harvest benefits

Cheaper Faster Night harvest Can harvest at the optimum time, not over several days

Machine harvest downsides

Rougher on grapes No whole cluster Only works on flat land Only works with well-ordered and trellised vineyards No grape selection Breaks skins on some of grapes (oxidation risk, no carbonic)