Viticulture Flashcards
1
Q
What is Viticulture?
A
The study/art of grape growing
2
Q
What decisions do the grower/viticulturist face?
A
Vine training & pruning methods Canopy management Fertilization & irrigation Harvest dates Disease control Monitoring the development of the vineyard
3
Q
What do advances in viticulture aim to do?
A
Reduce the vagaries of weather and disease and promote either the quantity or quality of wine.
4
Q
List the stages of the life cycle of the vine in order
A
Weeping Budbreak Flowering Fruit Set Veraison/Cane Ripening Ripe Harvest/Vendange
5
Q
What is weeping or bleeding?
A
The first stage of the life cycle of the vine. Watery sap will leak from the pruned canes.
6
Q
At what average air temperature does the vine emerge from dormancy?
A
50 degrees F
7
Q
What is budbreak?
A
The second stage of the life cycle of the vine. The first small shoots and leaves will break through buds left intact by winter pruning.
8
Q
What is the vine vulnerable to during budbreak?
A
Frost
9
Q
What are embryo clusters?
A
Small green clusters that form on the shoots by mid-April
10
Q
When does budbreak occur?
A
March or April
11
Q
When does weeping/bleeding occur?
A
February
12
Q
When does flowering occur?
A
6 to 13 weeks after initial budbreak, depending on the climate
13
Q
What is flowering?
A
Third stage of the life cycle of the vine. Embryo bunches bloom into small flowers for about ten days, and the self-pollinating grapevine begins the process of fertilization.
14
Q
What is the vine susceptible to as it flowers?
A
The damaging effects of cold, frost, and wind
15
Q
What is fruit set?
A
Successfully pollinated embryos brunches grow into true grape clusters
16
Q
Each grape is the product of _____________ fertilization.
A
Individual
17
Q
What percent of embryo berries go through fruit set?
A
around 30%
18
Q
What happens to the embryo bunches that don’t successfully progress to fruit set?
A
They “shatter” falling from the cluster
19
Q
As the berries enlarge through July, they _____.
A
remain hard, high in acidity, and low in sugar
20
Q
When does veraison begin?
A
August
21
Q
What is veraison?
A
Fourth stage of the life cycle of the vine. Grapes begin to truly ripen.
22
Q
During veraison, ________ are moved from the _______ to the _______.
A
Sugars
Leaf system – Fruit
23
Q
What visual effect on the grape does veraison have?
A
Grapes soften and change color
24
Q
Acidity ______ during veraison.
A
decreases
25
During veraison, what color shifts happen?
Green to red-black
| Yellow to Green
26
What variety is characterized by uneven ripening?
Zinfandel
27
When does cane ripening occur?
At the same time as veraison
28
What is cane ripening?
When the stems on each shoot begin to lignify, accumulating carbohydrates to sustain the plant through winter.
29
When the grapes have achieved an optimal balance of _____ and _____ they are ready for harvest.
Sugar; Acid
30
What is vendange?
Harvest
31
When does harvest occur?
As early as late August and may last through early November
32
Which grapes are generally harvested first -- red or white?
White
33
What is complete physiological ripeness?
A concept of ripeness comprising not only must weight and pH, but also the ripening of tannin and other phenolics, the condition of the berry and its pulp, and seed lignification
34
When happens to the vines following harvest?
In autumn, grapes lose their leaves and enter a period of winter dormancy. Fertilization may occur. Vines are pruned to prepare for next years growth.
35
For equivalent dates for the Southern hemisphere -- add _______ months
Six
36
What does climate encompass?
Expected temperature, Rainfall, Sunshine, wind, and other atmospheric elements
37
What is weather?
The daily manifestation of climate
38
What is responsible for vintage variation?
Weather
39
What generally remains stable from year to year -- weather or climate?
Climate
40
What mean average temperature do vines prefer?
50 degrees to 68 degrees F, with an ideal temperature of 57 degrees
41
To ripen, red grapes require an average summer temperature of ____, whereas white grapes prefer an average of _____.
Red --- 70
| White --- 66
42
Where is viticulture generally restricted to?
The temperate bands of latitude between 30 and 50 degrees in the North and South
43
What is the California Heat Summation index?
Method of classifying climates solely by temperature
44
How are climates divided in the California Heat Summation index?
Into 5 regions by the number of degree days
45
How are degree days calculated?
By multiplying the days in each month of the growing season (defined as April 1 through October 31) by the mean number of degrees over 50 for the month.
46
Temperature and _____ are closely related.
Sunshine
47
Sunshine is a necessary provider of _____ and _____
light; heat
48
What is photosynthesis?
Process of plants converting carbon dioxide into organic compounds, including sugars
49
How many hours of sunshine are required to support viticulture?
1300
50
Sunshine during the growing season _____ the farther one moves away from the equator.
Increases
51
Vines in the _____ climates will often enjoy more sunshine than vines in the _____ climates.
Cooler; Warmer
52
Cloud cover will not greatly impact _____, but will impact _____.
Transmission of light; Transmission of heat
53
T/F: The vine evolved as a drought resistant plant.
True
54
Approximately, how many inches of rainfall are required to produce an adequate crop?
20-30 inches
55
What is water stress?
When a vine receives too little rain. It is a condition that promotes smaller berry size and yields but will lead to interrupted ripening and complete shutdown of the vine if too severe
56
What happens if a vine receives too much rain?
Fruit quality is diluted and a friendly environment for fungal diseases is created
57
How can wind negatively affect the vine?
At violent extremes -- it can undermine flowering and denude vines.
58
How can wind positively affect the vine?
Can be detrimental to mold/mildew; also the use of wind machines to battle frost by mixing warmer upper air with cooler air near the ground
59
What is terroir?
French term defining the complete system of the living vine; The taste of a place
60
What does terroir comprise?
The choice of grapevine as it relates to its location, topography, soil, climate, and the hand of man upon it
61
Put the following in order from largest to smallest: Microclimate, Macroclimate, Mesoclimate
Macroclimate
Mesoclimate
Microclimate
62
What is Macroclimate?
Regional Climate
63
What is Mesoclimate?
Climate of a particular vineyard
64
What is Microclimate?
Climate in and around a vine canopy
65
What is aspect?
Degree and direction of slope
66
What is essential to distinctions in mesoclimate?
Aspect and Shelter of a vineyard
67
How do slopes affect the vines?
They provided good drainage and may benefit from increased sunshine, but temperature falls steadily with added altitude.
68
Canopy management was developed to affect the _____ of a vine
Microclimate
69
How does canopy management affect the vine?
Exposure to sunshine and the eventual yield
70
What does canopy management include?
Winter pruning, leaf removal, shoot positioning, and the use of sophisticated trellising systems
71
In general, _______ soils produce better wines than ________ soils.
low fertility; rich
72
What type of soils are desireable?
Well-drained, easily penetrable, with good water retention. They permit the vine to dig deeply for water and minerals.
73
What kind of soil contributes to higher acidity in grapes?
Limestone-rich soils with high soil pH
74
Wines with a higher acidity have a ______ pH.
lower
75
What counteracts soil acidity (low pH)?
application of lime
76
What are clones?
Identical genetic reproductions of a single vine
77
Why are most of the world's vines grafted onto American rootstock?
Because they are resistant to Phylloxera
78
What other reasons are behind a growers selection of a particular rootstock?
Ability to withstand other diseases and drought, its tolerance to salt and lime, and/or its effect on vine vigor
79
How many years from the grafting/planting before the grapes are suitable for harvest?
Three years
80
At what year are grapevines considered mature?
Six Years
81
What defines maturity in a grapevine?
Stabilization of shoot growth and vine annual yield
82
When is the rootstock considered mature?
Ten Years
83
When does the yield of grapevines begin to decline?
20 years
84
At what age are vines often uneconomical to maintain?
After 50 years
85
What is the advantage of old vines?
Small yields which lead to highly concentrated fruit
86
Name two examples of valued old vines.
Rhone varieties in Australia
| Zinfandel in California
87
What is vine training?
the processes of pruning, shaping, and trellising the vine
88
What is the objective of vine training?
to maximize the vine's performance in local conditions and to keep the canes from touching the ground and establishing new roots
89
Why are vines tethered to another apparatus?
They have no self-supporting structure
90
What are the two classifications of the ways vines are trained?
Cordon or Head
91
What is cordon training?
When the vine has at least one permanent cane that extends from the trunk, called an arm or a cordon. It grows thick and gnarled over time, and fruit-bearing shoots will emerge from it each season.
92
What is head training?
When the vine has no permanent cordon, and the trunk ends in a knob or head.
93
Which type of training generally requires a trellising system?
Cordon Trained
94
Which type of training doesn't require a trellising system because the vines can be supported by a single stake or not at all?
Head Trained
95
Where is most winemaking done?
Between the 30th and 50th parallel North and South
96
What is climate based on?
Weather history
97
What is weather history
Wind patterns, hours of sunlight, cloud cover, precipitation, temperature
98
3 levels of climate
Macroclimate
Mesoclimate
Microclimate
99
Factors that affect climate
Slope, Aspect, Altitude, Trees/Forest, Bodies of water, Geographical features
100
Climate Hazards
Humidity (mold)
Rain at harvest (diluted grapes)
Frost (especially in spring)
Winds (helps aeration but may damage vines)
101
Characteristics of cool climate
```
Grapes are less ripe
lower sugar
higher acidity
less alcohol potential
tart and lean flavors
```
102
Characteristics of warm climate
```
Grapes can fully ripen
more sugar in the grape must
lower acidity
high alcohol potential
ripe, lush, juicy flavors
```
103
Characteristics of a maritime climate
Long, mild growing seasons followed by cool, moist winters
| Very humid/lots of precipitation
104
Examples of maritime climates
Bordeaux, Willamette Valley, Rias Baixas
105
Characteristics of a Continental climate
4 seasons
extreme variation
short, warm-to-hot growing season
106
Examples of continental climates
Burgundy, Rioja, Champagne, Rheingau, Niagara Peninsula
107
Characteristics of a mediterranean climate
Long, warm, and dry growing season with very mild winters
| Desirable for winegrowing but danger of drought
108
Examples of mediterranean climate
Southern Rhone Valley, South Africa's Coastal region, Sonoma and Napa Counties
109
Limestone, Chalk, and Tuffeau (Tufa, Tufo)
```
Areas once covered by water
Rich in calcium from deposited seashells
Excellent drainage as well as deep-rooting opportunities for vines
Marl - calcareous
Clay Loam - crumbly clay/sand/silt
```
110
Gravel
Loose textured
small stones
excellent drainage and allowing deep vine-rooting
111
Clay
Finely textured and filled with minerals
Gives nutrients
Water retentive
112
Sand
Good drainage
Limited nutrient
Protects against phylloxera
Sandstone - compressed sand and mica
113
Granite
Hard, crystalline rock of extraordinary density
Limits fertility
Volcanic = basalt, Tufa, and Jory soils
Alluvial = fertile, clay, silt, and sand
114
Schist and Slate
Mineral rich layers
Allows vine roots to penetrate
Flint = Siliceous hard soils, strong mineral flavors (gun flint)
115
Well known Chardonnay soil
Kimmeridgian clay
116
Well known Merlot soil
Clay
117
Well known Sauvignon Blanc soil
Flint
118
Well known Cabernet Sauvignon soil
Gravel
119
Well known Pinot Noir soil
Marl
120
Well known Syrah soil
Granite
121
Well known Gamay soil
Sand
122
Well known Riesling soil
Slate
123
Grape species
```
Vitis vinifera
Vitis Labrusca
Vitis Riparia
Vitis Rupestris
Vitis Berlandieri
Vitis Amurensis (China)
```
124
Cross
produced by fertilizing the flower of one variety with the pollen of another variety, thus creating a new variety
125
Famous Crosses
Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Muller Thurgau, Madeleine Royale, Ruby Cabernet
126
Cabernet Sauvignon cross
Cabernet Franc x Sauvignon Blanc
127
Pinotage cross
Pinot Noir x Cinsault
128
Muller-Thurgau cross
Riesling x Madeleine Royale
129
Madeleine Royale cross
Pinot x Trollinger
130
Ruby Cabernet cross
Carignan x Cabernet Sauvignon
131
Hybrid
Vitis Vinifera x other species
132
Famous hybrids
Vidal, Geisenheim
133
Vidal hybrid
Ugni Blanc x Rayon d'Or
134
Geisenheim hybrid
Riesling x Chancellor
135
Nematodes
Small roundwords that feed on vine roots
| May be responsible for spreading viral diseases
136
Treatment for Nematodes
Pesticides
Mulching
Virus-free rootstock
137
Grape Moths
Larvae attack young leaves
138
Treatment for Grape Moths
Pesticides/Cultural practices
139
Phylloxera
Root feeding lice that kill vines
140
Treatment for Phylloxera
grafting onto resistant rootstock
141
Powdery mildew (Oidium)
Fungal, cobweb like growth that stops photosynthesis/ripening
142
Treatment for Oidium (Powdery Mildew)
Sulphur
143
Downy Mildew
Fungal, caused by humidity, cottony growth
144
Treatment for Downy Mildew
Bordeaux mixture
145
Pierce's Disease
Bacterial infection, fatal, spread by sharpshooters
146
Treatment for Pierce's Disease
No cure, get rid of sharpshooters
147
Grey Rot/Noble Rot
Fungal, may be positive for fully ripe grapes or negative for unripe grapes
148
Treatment for Grey Rot/Noble Rot
Fungicide
| Canopy management to control air flow
149
Coulure
Difficulty at flowering because of cool/wet weather -- drops berries
150
Treatment for Coulure
Adequate varietal for climate
| Adequate leaf coverage
151
Milledrange
Abnormal fruit set
Uneven sized berries
Caused by poor weather
152
Life cycle of the vine
```
Dormancy - winter
Bud Break - Early Spring
Shoot Growth - Mid Spring
Flowering + Fruit Set - Late Spring
Growth - Summer
Veraison - Late Summer
Harvest - Fall
```
153
Parts of a Grape
Stem, Bloom, Skin, Pulp, Seeds
154
Stem
provide Tannins
155
Bloom
provide Yeasts & Bacteria
156
Skin
provide Flavor compounds, tannins, colors
157
Pulp
provide sugar, water, acids (tartaric & malic)
158
Seeds
provide bitter oils
159
Oxidation
Smells stale or like bad fruits
| Exposed to oxygen, change in color
160
Volatile Acidity (VA)
Acetic Acid or Vinegar
161
Excess Sulfur
Burnt Matches
162
Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
Rotten egg smell caused by sulphur reacting with lees
| May dissipate with aeration
163
Trichloranisole (TCA or Corked)
Mold, Wet Cardboard
164
Brettanomyces
Not necessarily a fault depending on personal taste
| Wild yeast which can produce various animal - like aromas
165
Reduction
Boiled cabbage, onions smell
| Lack of air contact during vinification
166
Varieties prone to reduction
Syrah
| Sauvignon Blanc
