Viticulture Flashcards
Define “Viticulture”
the term used for the branch of agriculture that specifically deals with the international cultivation of grapevines.
Define “wine growing”
when grapes are grown specifically to make wine, as opposed to juice or for the use of table grapes.
what connects the vine to the underground system to the aboveground structure of branches, shoots, and leaves?
The trunk
What are the branches sometimes called?
Arms
What are cordons
cans that are retained from season to season eventually forming thicker arms
The arms that support the leaves and grapes that grown are referred to as:
the canopy
Describe the process and benefits of cloning
the grower can choose a healthy grapevine that is known to have desirable characteristics, cut off a short length of a young cane, place it in water where it will start to grow roots, and then plant it in the vineyard.
Describe the process of field grafting
this is a method that may be used if there is an existing vineyard that is currently growing an undesired variety of grapes. As long as the vine’s rootstock is healthy, the grower can remove its existing branches, make a small incision in the trucnk, and insert an unrooted cutting from a desirable vine.
what are the ideal latitude regions for ideal temperate climate grape growing.
between 30-50 degrees latitude in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres
What is the correct annual cycle for vinifera?
- Weeping
- Bud break
- Flowering
- berry/fruit set
- Veraison
Describe “Weeping”
weeping occurs as the sap begins to flow upward from the trunk and out to the tips of the canes.
Describe “Bud Break”
Tiny shoots called buds emerge from the nodes in the vine’s branches.
Describe “Flowering”
Flowering takes place 40-80 days after bud break. Clusters of tiny flowers appear at intervals along the shoots. Each flower that is fertilized will become the foundation for the grape
What is Berry/Fruit set
the transition from flower to berry
Describe Coulure/Shatter
A malady that can cause poor fruit set, with many flowers failing to become fully developed berries.
What is Millerandage
sometimes caused by bad weather during flowering, results in grape bunches that have a high proportion of small seedless berries mixed in with the normal, larger, seed-bearing grapes.
Describe Veraison
Signals a sudden acceleration toward maturation. Most noticeable in red grapes, which begin to take on color at this time.
What is the typical time period from bud break to harvest?
140-160 days
Describe “Respiration”
occurs as the plant breaks down sugar and related carbohydrates, releasing their energy for use by the plant for acticities
Describe “Transpiration”
the process by which water evaporates through openings on the underside of the leaves known as stomata.
Describe “Translocation”
a final metabolic process, by which materials are moved from one area of the plant to another.
Describe the difference between weather & climate.
Weather is the actual meteorological conditions experienced, whereas climate is the historical average weather of a place.
Macroclimate refers to:
the conditions of the overall region (roughly synonymous with climate)