Viticulture Flashcards
Which one of these is not a reason for selecting a grape variety to grow:
- Budding times
- Rippening times
- Leaf colour
- Resistance to certain diseases
- Leaf colour
Which vineyard has the aspect to give it the highest amount of sun:
North facing slope in the northern hemisphere
South facing slope in the southern hemisphere
North facing slope in the Southern hemisphere
A flat vineyard at 50° Latitude.
North facing slope in the Southern hemisphere
What factors can affect sunlight?
Latitude - Day length greater further from Equator
Seas, Lakes and Rivers - Near large bodies of water = more cloud cover, but some rivers or lakes can also reflect sunlight. Centre of landmasses tend to be sunnier.
Aspect - A slopes aspect affect the amount of sunlight, steeper slopes = more benefit
What are the 4 Climate (temp) classifications?
Cool - Avg GROWING season (Apr-Oct) 16.5c or below 61F
Moderate - Avg 16.5-18.5c / 61-65F
Warm - Avg 18.5-21c / 65-70F
Hot - Avg above 21c / 70F
How does Phylloxera kill vulnerable vines?
Insect that feeds on the roots of the vine allowing infections to set in, over the course of a few years, the vine dies.
The Picture Below is an example of what type of training? Describe both types of training.
Head Training, rather than Cordon Training. Refers to the shape of the permanent wood of the vine.
At what age are most vines replaced?
What are the pros / cons of “old vines”?
Most replaced between 30-50 years
Old vines produce higher quality fruit (more concentrated flavour) partly due to lower yield per vine.
Lower yield might not be cost efficient, andolder vines more susceptible to disease.
What climate type is this?
Greatest difference between the hottest and coldest months, low rainfall, and a very sunny growing season
Continental Climate
Name 2 diseases that threaten vines and how they are controlled.
Powdery and Downy mildew - Likes warm, humid. If affected grapes lose fruity flavour.
Powdery treated with sulfur based spray. Downy treated with Bordeaux mixture copper based spray. Can also be managed by canopy management to max air flow. More spraying in Maritime climates where there is more rainfall.
Grey rot (Botrytis cinerea) - Likes damp. Taints flavours and colour loss in red grapes. Best managed by canopy management and not picking too late.
Viruses - spread by nematodes of cuttings. No cure, dig up the vines, sanitize the land.
Bacteria - spread by sharpshooter insects. Quarantine and kill insects, or dig up the vines.
New grape varieties can be created through cross pollination. What is ‘cross pollination’?
The pollen from the male part of the flower of one vine is transferred to the female part of the flower on another vine and fertilisation occurs.
Name the 2 most common training techniques for vines.
Head training - Little permanent wood (some only trunk), then shoots are trained
Cordon training - Trunk plus one or more permanent horizontal arms (cordons). Takes longer to establish but makes mechanisation easier
What climate type is this?
Low temp difference between hottest and coldest months (low continentality), low to medium rainfall mainly in Winter, and a sunny and dry growing season.
Mediterranean
The following are all examples of what type of climate?
Mod -> Chianti, Carneros
Warm -> Chateauneuf, Napa Valley
Hot -> Murray-Darling
Mediterranean Climate
Which soil type has the largest warming effect?
Gravel, it re-radiates warmth
Which of the following inputs to a vine will vary least from season to season?
CO2
Heat
Sunlight
Nutrients
CO2
Which is not a method of controlling yield in a typical season?
Green harvesting (removing immature grapes) Winter pruning Irrigation Mechanical Harvesting
Mechanical Harvesting
In which regions has Phylloxera not reached?
Chile, some parts of Argentina and South Australia. It hasn’t reached due to strict quarantine procedures and inhospitable climate
Why is vine bud management important?
The vine stores Carbohydrates over Winter. If too few buds each will have access to too much energy and will grow too vigorously.
If too many buds, each will not have access to enough energy and the vine will struggle to ripen its crop load.
What are the 3 ways to grow grapes to reduce intense chemical usage?
Sustainable agriculture - Chemicals permitted but minimised by growers understanding life cycles of pests and introducing predators of the pests. Wide range of plants in the vineyard. Monitor weather to prevent pest or disease before it occurs.
Organic agriculture - Small doses of traditional treatments permitted only. Accreditation is required, and vineyard must undergo a period of conversion.
Biodynamic agriculture - Organic practices + philosophy and cosmology. Grape growing based on cycles of planets, moon and stars with homeopathic treatments.
Put the growth cycle in order:
Veraison, Budburst, Flowering, Fruit set, Ripening
Budburst, Flowering, Fruit set, Veraison, Ripening
Budburst, Flowering, Veraison, Fruit set, Ripening
Budburst, Veraison, Flowering, Fruit set, Ripening
Budburst, Flowering, Fruit set, Veraison, Ripening
How can VSP (Vertical Shoot Positioning) be used in hot, sunny climates and why would a grower choose to use this system?
The method is adapted so the tops of the shoots are not tied but allowed to flop over creating some shade in the canopy to protect fruit. A grower would choose this system to enable mechanical harvesting.
Frost flows in a similar way to:
Ice
Water
Steam
Water
Describe the annual cycle of the vineyard.
Spring
Late Spring / Early Summer
As Summer progresses
Late Summer / Early Autumn
Later in Autumn
Spring - Budburst, new shoots begin to grow
Late Spring - The vine flowers and small grapes form
Summer - Grapes grow but still hard in texture, high acid/low sugar
Late Summer/Early Autumn - Grapes ripen, sugar rises, acidity drops and flavours develop. Marked by grape colour change; véraison
Later in Autumn - Grapes harvested
What is the difference between Climate and Weather?
Climate - Annual weather pattern over several years
Weather - Variation in a specific year
What are the 5 things a vine needs?
Heat, Sunlight, Water, Soil nutrients, CO2
Pinot Noir, as a grape variety, is known to randomly change. For example, in the past it has suddenly produced a grey version and was renamed Pinit Gris, a white grape version has appeared and is called Pinot Blanc. All 3 grapes are related to each other and can be considered what?
Mutations
What is a Cordon?
A more permanent arm of a vine made up of 2+ year old wood.
What are the 4 main techniques to manage a vine?
Training (head vs cordon)
Pruning (Spur vs Replacement Cane)
Trellising/canopy management (VSP vs untrellised bush vines)
Planting density (Limited water, Low Nutrient + High water, High Nutrient + High Water)
What are day / night temperature differences known as?
Diurnal range
An aspiring wine maker in Bordeaux decides to create his own version of Cabernet Sauvignon. He polinates a Cabernet Franc with Sauvignon Blanc. The resulting seed is what?
A new variety of grape
What 3 things should a grower consider when selecting a site for a new vineyard?
Environmental - Temp, rainfall, sunlight, soil fertility and drainage.Factors effect grape selection, planting density and trellising etc.
Business - Proximity to power and water, avail of labour, accessibility for machinery and cost of land.
Grape variety - Must suit climate and meet demand. In EU might be legal restrictions on types used.
What are the 3 main techniques for irrigation?
Drip - Computer controlled dripper for each vine - Expensive
Sprinklers - Also used for frost protection. Waste water and can create damp conditions promoting disease - Cheaper than Drip
Flood Irrigation - Cheapest where water is freely available. Only used on flat or gently sloping vineyards
Briefly explain the effect of:
Latitude, Altitude, Ocean Currents, Fog, Soil, and Aspect on vine development and grape growing.
Latitude -Usually between 30-50 degrees N and S of the Equator, but day length increases farther from the equator helping Riesling ripen.
Altitude - As altitude increases temp drops allowing growth closer to Equator
Ocean Currents - Deliver localised warming/cooling in certain regions
Fog - Can cool an otherwise unsuitable growing area e.g. California, Casablanca Valley, Chile
Soil - Provides nutrients. Stones on surface heat up a vineyard. Dark soils reradiate more heat than lighter. High water retaining soils (clay) take longer to warm up, sand/stone do not retain water, HUMUS retains water.
Aspect - Direction slope faces, facing Equator get most heat. Steeper slopes accentuate effect.
What 5 things does a vine need to survive
Heat, Sunlight, Water, Nutrients, Carbon Dioxide
Name 4 vineyards pests and how to control them
Phylloxera- Use resistant rootstock
Nematodes (worms) - Use resistant rootstock and sanitise soil before re-planting.
Birds and mammals - Birds - Netting / Mammals - Fencing
Insects - Insecticides or Integrated pest management
What is Inflorescence?
The complete flower head of a plant including stems, stalks, bracts, and flowers
Planting seeds doesn’t work in viticulture, what are the two ways to grow more vines?
a. A cutting (a section of vine shoot is planted and grows), usually in a nursery.
b. Layering (a section of vine is buried and, in time, takes root). No longer used in the vineyard since the rootstock will not resist phylloxera.
Which statement about soils is FALSE
- Light coloured soils reflect the suns energy and don’t radiate heat into the vineyard.
- Wet soils take longer to warm up and tend to cool the vine
- Rocky soils tend to absorb and radiate heat warming the vineyard.
- Rocky soils on slops near rivers tend to pull the water up a hill making vineyards wet and susceptible to frost
Rocky soils on slops near rivers tend to pull the water up a hill making vineyards wet and susceptible to frost
A Spur is what?
1 year old wood pruned often with 2-3 buds and is quite short.
How is American rootstock resistant to Phylloxera?
They clog the insects mouth with sticky sap and form a protective layer behind the feeding wound to prevent secondary infections.
What are 3 water/nutrient conditions and their effect on planting density?
Very Limited Water - Low density allows vines to take water from a large volume of soil without competing against the roots of neighbouring vines.
Low levels of nutrients and sufficient rainfall - Risk is vigorous vegetative growth rather than fruit. High density planting provides competition for resources to limit vegetative growth. Bud management is also important. High density and strict bud control common in Europe (e.g. Bordeaux)
High nutrients and sufficient rainfall - High density planting not enough so, instead, low density with vines with multiple cordons or canes. New World.
What is ‘Coulure’?
When more flowers than normal fail to fertilise.
Usually from cold/cloudy/rainy weather.
When plants are photosynthesising which of the following equations is correct?
02 + Sunlight + Chlorophyll => Sugars + CO2
C02 + Sunlight + Chlorophyll => Sugars + O2
02 + Heat + Chlorophyll => Sugars + O2
C02 + Sunlight + Veraison => Sugars + O2
C02 + Sunlight + Chlorophyll => Sugars + O2
Which part of the grapes does not contain tannins:
Stems
Bloom
Seeds
Skin
Bloom
What is this picture is an example of?
Cordon & Spur
