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CMS Certified Exam > Viticulture > Flashcards

Viticulture Flashcards

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1
Q

What are some of the factors that influence grape production?

A

Geography (latitude, elevation, etc.)
Climate
Aspect (direction vineyards face)
Soil
Grapes (whether they’re allowed to be planted or if they suit the climate/soil)
Viticultural practices
Harvest
Annual weather patterns (e.g. summer hail)
Terroir
Regional wine laws + regulations
History of region’s grape growing + winemaking

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2
Q

What are some considerations that have to be made when establishing a new vineyard?

A

Environmental and climate considerations:
​​location and aspect of proposed vineyard
soil type/fertility, drainage, average sunlight/rain
Trade and regional considerations
​​how remote is the vineyard and how much does land cost?
how much will it cost to find labor, buy barrels, manage the vineyard, etc.?
what kind of wine does the owner want to make (large or small production)?
what local or regional laws exist that would need to be followed?
What grapes will do well here?
​which varieties suit the climate?

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3
Q

What is the difference between climate and weather?

A

Climate is a region’s expected, daily average level of temperature, sunlight, warmth and rainfall over time (for example, Provence’s climate is warm or Mediterranean);

Weather is what happens day-to-day and what you see outside your window.

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4
Q

The majority of the world’s vineyards are located between which two of the earth’s latitudes?

A

30° - 50° north and south of the Equator in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

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5
Q

What are the differences between:

Macroclimate
Mesoclimate
Microclimate

A

Macroclimate refers to the climate of a region, e.g. Burgundy;
Mesoclimate refers to the climate of a village, a cluster of vineyards on a slope, or a particular vineyard, e.g. the village of Puligny-Montrachet,

Microclimate refers to the climate of a single vineyard or even the climate within the vines and around the canopy, e.g. vines at the top of the hill vs. the bottom of the hill

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6
Q

What are the 4 major climates of winegrowing regions?

A

Continental
Maritime
Mediterranean
High Desert

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7
Q

Define Continental climate and give an example.

A

A Continental climate is one that has climate extremes: hot summers and cold winters.

They tend to be interior regions.

Northern Rhône and Ribera del Duero are examples of Continental climates.

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8
Q

Define maritime climate and give an example.

A

Maritime climates are those that are influenced by large bodies of water and have warm summers and mild winters with rain falling year-round.

Bordeaux and Rías Baixas are examples of Maritime climates.

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9
Q

Define Mediterranean climate and give an example.

A

Mediterranean climates have very warm, dry summers and cool, rainy winters.

They’re usually near or around coastlines.

Southern Rhône and McLaren Vale are examples of Mediterranean climates.

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10
Q

Define High Desert climate and give an example.

A

High Desert climates are hot and arid, particularly during the day, with temperatures plummeting at night.

Leona Valley AVA in California and Cochise County, AZ are examples of High Desert climates.

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11
Q

What temperature descriptions are used to characterize the 4 major climates?

A 
Cool
Moderate
Warm
Hot
Tropical/Humid
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12
Q

What are some factors that influence a region’s climate?

A

Diurnal shifts
How many hours of sunshine the region gets
Weather threats

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13
Q

What is a diurnal shift?

A

The change in daytime high temperatures to nighttime low temperatures.

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14
Q

How does the diurnal shift affect grapes?

A

If the diurnal range is small, the grapes will ripen more quickly;

If the diurnal range is large, the grapes will ripen more slowly.

The ripening speed determines how balanced the accumulated sugar and acidity is within the grapes.

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15
Q

What is the range of minimum sunshine hours a vine needs during the growing season?

A

1200-1500 hours minimum, depending on the climate/region.

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16
Q

What are some weather threats that can affect the health and general survival of a vineyard?

A

Hail
Frost
Deep winter freezes
Strong wind

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17
Q

How can hail affect a vineyard?

A

Hail damages vines by:

perforating the leaves, rendering them unable to photosynthesize;
puncturing or destroying berries, making them useless and decreasing that year’s yield;
damaging the vine with small wounds, into which disease and rot can fester.

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18
Q

How does frost affect vines?

At what point in the vine’s annual cycle is frost most dangerous?

A

Frost is most dangerous at budburst (March/April in Northern Hempishere, Sept/Oct in Southern Hemisphere).

How frost affects the vine:

it can delay budding and flowering (which means the grapes are at risk of not fully ripening);
new plant material can freeze and die;
spring frost can decrease the annual yield.

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19
Q

How does a deep freeze (either in the spring or winter) affect the vine?

A

If a freeze is severe, the vines are at risk of being killed.

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20
Q

How do strong winds affect vineyards?

A

Strong winds can:

uproot vines
blow them over
blow off delicate flowers, which means no grapes will form

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21
Q

What are 2 geographical climate moderators?

A

Bodies of water

Mountains

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22
Q

What constitutes a body of water?

A

Bodies of water:

Lakes
Rivers
Seas
Oceans

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23
Q

How do bodies of water influence climate?

A

Bodies of water can help:

cool a region
warm a region

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24
Q

How do mountains influence climate?

A

Mountains can provide:

Rain shadow
Vineyards planted at higher elevation
Wind/drafts that can have cooling or warming effects on vineyards

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25
Q

What is a rain shadow?

Give two mountain ranges that provide rain shadows.

A

A rain shadow is when mountains are at such a high altitude that they block the passage of rain clouds (read: bad weather gets stuck in the mountains) leaving the downwind side with more sunshine and lower cloud clover + precipitation.

The Cascade Mountains in Washington State and the Vosges Mountains in Alsace, France both provide rain shadows.

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26
Q

Temperatures drop by one degree for every ___ meters in elevation rise.

A

100 meters

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27
Q

Where are higher altitude vineyards typically found?

Why would a vineyard be planted at higher altitude?

A

Higher altitude vineyards are typically found in warmer/hotter regions.

Higher alitutudes provide vineyards cooler temperatures which help keep sugars and acidity in balance.

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28
Q

What are some beneficial effects of wind on a vineyard?

A

helps prevent mold + rot by circulating air
can cool a region, especially if the wind is coming from a cool body of water
can warm a region, especially if the wind is coming from an arid area

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29
Q

What 3 topographical features can influence viticulture and climate?

A

Altitude/elevation
is the vineyard on a hillside or on the valley floor?
Aspect
which direction is the vineyard facing? Is it getting gentler morning sun or harsher afternoon sun?
Proximity to body of water
is there a body of water nearby to moderate temperatures or provide wind?

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30
Q

Steep hillsides are usually ___ fertile than valley floors.

Why?

A

less fertile

Hillsides experience more erosion than valley floors.

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31
Q

Why are valley floors more susceptible to frost than hillsides?

A

Because cool air collects and stays stagnant on valley floors.

Hillsides experience more air flow, thereby decreasing frost risk.

32
Q

When describing which way a vineyard faces – E/SE, S/SW, etc. – what term are you using?

A

Aspect

In hot regions like Etna, Sicily, that are closer to the Equator, it makes sense for vineyards to have north or east aspects so that the quality of sun they get is cooler. Conversely, in more northerly latitudes, such as Champagne, it makes sense for vineyards to have south/southwest aspects to take advantage of as much sunshine as possible.

33
Q

The majority of the world’s top vineyards are planted on soils that are:

very rich + fertile
very poor + infertile

A

Very poor + infertile

34
Q

List the soil types in which most vineyards are planted.

A 
Granite
Limestone/chalk
Marl
Schist
Clay
Sand
Silt
Gravel
35
Q

Name a region in France known for its granite soils.

A

Beaujolais

36
Q

Name a region in France known for its chalky/limestone soils.

A

Champagne

37
Q

Name a region in France known for its marl soils.

A

Côte de Nuits, Burgundy

38
Q

Name a region in Portugal known for its schist soils.

A

Douro

39
Q

Name the 3 major parts of the grape.

A

Skins​​
Seeds/Pips
Pulp

40
Q

What characteristics do skins add to a wine?

A

Tannins give astringency
Color from anthocyanins
Flavor aromas are unique to each grape varietal

41
Q

What do the seeds/pips add to a wine?

A

bitterness

astringency (how much your mouth dries out)

42
Q

What does the pulp of a grape add to a wine?

A

Water
Sugars: sugar increase as a grape ripens
Acids: acids decrease as a grape ripens

43
Q

Most wines in the world are made with the European vine genus/species ___ ___ for quality grape production.

A

Vitis vinifera

44
Q

Name two other grape genus/species used in wine production.

A

Vitis labrusca

Vitis riparia

45
Q

Approximately how many grape varieties are known within Vitis vinifera?

1 - 1000
1000 - 5000
Upwards of 10,000

A

Upwards of 10,000

Examples include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Merlot

46
Q

What is the first thing that needs to be considered when planting a grape varietal for a specific vineyard?

A

Local wine law

Do local regulations specifically say what can or cannot be planted?

47
Q

What other considerations must be made when determining what grape varietal to plant?

A

Climate compatibility
will the grape you want to plant ripen where you want to plant it? Or is the cilmate too warm for the grape you want to plant?
Soil compatibility
does the grape you want to plant perform well in the soil type where you want to plant it?

48
Q

What are 3 terms used for grape breeding?

A

Hybrids
Crosses
Clones

49
Q

What is a hybrid?

A

When 2 or more different species are used to create a new variety.

For example, Baco Noir is a crossing of Folle Blanche (V. vinifera) by an unknown species of V. riparia.

50
Q

Why are grape hybrids created?

A

Usually with a specific intention, such as:

pest or disease resistance
increased frost resistance
improved flavor, color, or yield

51
Q

What are grape crosses?

A

When vines of the same species are combined to create a new variety.

Example: Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc were crossed to create Cabernet Sauvignon.

52
Q

What are grape clones?

A

Identical reproductions of a vine, usually made by taking cuttings from an existing vine to propagate specific traits.

53
Q

When grapes grow in a cool climate, what are some of the general characteristics they express?

A 
Lower alcohol
Slow/low sugar accumulation
Slower ripening
Higher acidity
Flavors tend to be tarter, higher toned, under- to just-ripe
54
Q

When grapes grow in a warm climate, what are some of the general characteristics they express?

A 
Higher alcohol
Higher sugar levels
Grapes fully ripen
Lower acidity
Flavors tend to be juicy, opulent, fully ripe but can lean over-ripe
55
Q

What is meant by ‘vineyard architecture’?

A

How vines are arranged within a vineyard.

56
Q

What is meant by ‘vine spacing’?

A

How far apart one row of vines is from the next row of vines.

Depending on the soil, aspect, elevation and grape varietal, some vine spacing is closer together, to create competition, and some vine spacing is further apart, to give the vines space to root down.

57
Q

What is vine training?

A

Training a vine is a way to control production of leaves, shoots, and grapes.

Vines need to be trained on a trellis otherwise they’ll grow willy-nilly.

58
Q

Define vineyard yield.

A

Yield is the amount of grapes produced in an acre (or hectare).

Yield is measured in:

tons/tonnes per acre/hectare
hectoliters per hectare
pound per kilo per vine

59
Q

What’s the average vineyard yield?

A

An average yield is 40-60 hectoliters per hectare.

60
Q

What is green harvesting and why is it done?

A

When extra grape clusters are removed from the vine.

Green harvesting is done to balance leaf area and fruit for a crop that’s higher in ripeness. After the fruit is dropped, the vine can then concentrate its energy on the clusters that remain, with the aim of making those remaining clusters higher in quality.

61
Q

What are 5 key components of vineyard management?

A 
Canopy management
Irrigation
Pests and Disease
Fertilizers
Anti-fungal and -bacterial treatments
62
Q

What is canopy management?

A

Canopy management is essentially managing the growth of the green parts of the vine – leaves, shoots, and fruit – to optimize yield and air flow, improve fruit quality, reduce risk of disease, and facilitate future harvest.

63
Q

What is irrigation?

Give 1 example of how a vineyard can be irrigated.

A

Providing a vineyard extra water in order to cultivate vines.

Ways to irrigate a vineyard:

Drip irrigation
Flood irrigation
Sprinklers

64
Q

Name some pests that can affect vines and vineyards.

A

Birds
Phylloxera (root louse)
Nematodes (microscopic worms)

65
Q

What is phylloxera?

A

A louse that is native to North America that attacks vines’ roots and ultimately kills vines.

It first appeared in Europe in the 1860s and nearly decimated European vineyards in the late 19th century. It continues to be a scourge today.

North American vine species are more resistant to phylloxera. It is for this reason American rootstocks are widely used across the world.

66
Q

What do fertilizers do?

A

Fertilizers are meant to boost soil fertility and infuse nutrients into the soil.

However, commercial fertilizers are known to be filled with salts and other chemicals which affect a vine’s health in myriad ways.

Fertilizers can be organic or commercial.

67
Q

How do anti-fungal and anti-bacterial treatments work?

A

They are applied to vines either via sprays or soil injections to prevent or diminish molds, mildew, and rot and to preserve fruit quality.

68
Q

What is ‘harvest’?

A

When the grapes are picked.

69
Q

What are the 2 methods used for harvesting grapes?

What are their differences?

A 
By hand (aka hand harvesting)
​​more expensive
labor intensive
slower than machine harvesting
With machines (aka mechanical harvesting)
​​cheaper
faster
machines don't discern between clusters, so there could be more sorting involved and increased possiblity of under-ripe or diseased/sunburned clusters getting into your crop load
70
Q

How does a winegrower determine when to pick their grapes?

A

They look at the the overall grape maturity:

Sugar ripeness
how much sugar has accumulated in the grapes
Physiological ripeness
how ripe the cluster as a whole has matured
Phenolic/tannin ripeness
maturity of the tannins in the skins and seeds

71
Q

What are ‘vineyard passes’?

A

How many times a winegrower has to go through the vineyard picking only the ripest clusters at each pass, leaving the under-ripe grapes on the vine until they’re ready to be harvested.

In France, vineyard passes are called ‘tries.’

72
Q

Give two examples of when it’s really beneficial to machine harvest.

A

When you’re a day or two out from harvest and a huge rainstorm is coming, which is bad because all that extra rain can dilute the flavors of the grapes;
When you have a huge amount of vineyards to harvest and labor is either scarce or too expensive.

73
Q

Why does the size of the harvesting bin matter?

A

Small bins allow for more careful selection of grapes so diseased/under-ripe/damaged clusters don’t make it into your crop load;

Small bins mean there is less of a chance of puncturing berries, which leak juice and can lead to premature oxidation;

Large bins are better for big volumes of commercial wine that don’t necessarily require the detailed selection process;

Large bins can cause berries to split, losing juice and compromising quality.

74
Q

Why are vintages important?

A

They give insight into the consistency or variation(s) of that particular vintage.

When a year’s weather is consistently good througout the growing season, the style of wine produced is classic for that region. However, if the region sees variation(s) from the typical weather, the resulting quality and/or style of wine can be different from what is ‘normal’ or expected of that region.

Some vintage variation threats include wildfires, drought, and excessive rain.

75
Q

What does the term ‘terroir’ mean?

A

It loosely means a sense of place.

It encapsulates everything that happens in and around a particular region or appellation, from the climate, to topography, to what other crops grow around the vines, to the winegrower’s vineyard and winemaking practices.

76
Q

What can regional wine laws dictate?

A

Which grapes are allowed to be grown and where
How grapes are grown/trellised
When they’re picked
How they are aged

77
Q

What is meant by ‘historical background’ when discussing region/vineyard/wine?

A

What has happened viticulturally in that place for generations;
What has been established as best vineyard practices;
What grapes grow best in that place;
What styles of wine that place is known for.

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