Viticulture

Question 1

Viticulture definition

Answer 1

The art and science of vine growing

Question 2

Factors of production

Answer 2

Location/geography
climate
topography/aspect
soil
grape varieties planted
viticultural practices
vinification practices
harvest
yearly weather/vintage variation
terroir
Regional wine laws
Historical background

Question 3

between which parallels do most grape varieties thrive?

Answer 3

30-50 degree latitude is where most grapes thrive

these areas have long frost free periods that allow them to develop

Question 4

Climate from large to small

Answer 4

Macroclimate- entire wine region

Mesoclimate- particular vineyard

Microclimate- specific row or vine

Question 5

Describe Continental climate

Answer 5

Strong annual variation in temperature due to the lack of proximity to significant bodies of water

Hotter summers than in maritime, often with cold winter temperatures that can be extreme

Question 6

Describe Maritime climate

Answer 6

climate influenced by large body of water such as sea or ocean

marked by mild temperatures but also involving fluctuations from year to year causing vintage variation

Question 7

Describe Mediterranean climate

Answer 7

Summers are hot and dry, aside from the immediate coastal areas. Along the coasts summers are mild due to proximity to cold water currents.

Storms can also be a consequence

Question 8

Describe High desert climate

Answer 8

Summers are generally hot and dry. Day time temperatures are high, but dramatic drops are often experienced overnight

Question 9

4 different ways you can further describe or define the different climate definitions…

Answer 9

cool
moderate
warm
hot

Question 10

Important factors that affect climate

Answer 10

diurnal shifts

sunshine hours

threats (Frost/freeze, hail, strong winds)

Question 11

What are Diurnal Shifts, and why these are important?

Answer 11

Difference between daytime high and night time low

(this is important for the ripening of grapes and balancing sugar/acidity)

Question 12

Example of Climate moderators and how they influence

Answer 12

Bodies of water (can cool or warm a region)

mountains (can protect from surrounding weather or climate influences)

Altitude/elevation (every meter you go up, temperature drops by about a degree. In hot wine growing regions, higher elevation can be better)

Wind (can cool or lend drier air helping prevent mold or rot)

Question 13

What is the Rain shadow effect?

Answer 13

Dry area on one side of a mountain opposite the wind, rain and generally poor weather

Question 14

steeper hillsides vs valley floor

Answer 14

Steep hillsides- better drainage of soil, less fertile due to erosion, lower chance of frost, harder to maintain and harvest

Valley floor- pooling of air, susceptible to frost, can be overly fertile

Question 15

What is aspect?

Answer 15

Which way the vineyards face, if you face to the sun it is warmer, away is cooler. Both can be desirable depending of region

Question 16

Important properties of various soil types

Answer 16

Drainage of water

water retention

sun reflection

Question 17

What do grape skins contribute to wine

Answer 17

Tannins

Color

Flavor (most important aromas and flavors are located in the skins)

Question 18

What does the pulp of a grape contribute to a wine

Answer 18

Water

Sugar (increases as grape ripens)

Acid (decreases as grape ripens)

Seeds/pips (can give bitter flavor if pressed)

Question 19

Species of plants for wine production

Answer 19

Vitis labrusca

Vitis riparia

Vitis vinifera (main focus, most common, native to the mediterranean, Europe and SW Asia. upwards of 10,000 varieties)

Question 20

hybrids, crosses, clones

Answer 20

hybrids: two different species combined to produce a new variety. (Vitis vinifera x vitas labrusca)

Crosses: vines of the same species combined to create a new variety (vitas vinifera x vitas vinifera….. cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage)

Clones: identical genetic reproductions of a single vine

Question 21

Climate, ripeness and the connection to wine style

Cool climate vs Warm climate

Answer 21

Cool climate:
Grapes ripen slowly and moderately
less sugar produced
acidity remains high
less alcohol potential
flavors more tart and lean; less ripe and juicy

Warm climate:
Grapes ripen fully
more sugar produced
acidity is lower
higher alcohol potential
flavors are more ripe, lush, juicy

Question 22

What is Green Harvest?

Answer 22

dropping or cutting grape bunches off at vine before harvest to focus the vine’s energy on fewer, higher quality bunches

Question 23

Vineyard Architecture

Answer 23

How the vines in the vineyard are specifically laid out

Question 24

Vine spacing

Answer 24

how vines are spaced out in rows. Some are planted far apart and some are planted close together (high density/Low density)

Question 25

Vine training

Answer 25

vines can be trained to grow in specific ways to control the production of grapes, leaves and wood

Question 26

Canopy management

Answer 26

managing the growth of vine’s leaves

often to shade or expose the grape bunches, or to determine the flow of air through vine rows

Question 27

Irrigation

Answer 27

providing the vine with water through an array of methods

this practice may or may not be allowed by law in many European wine regions

Question 28

Phylloxera

Answer 28

Vine louse that destroyed a third of the worlds vines beginning in the late 1800s, one of the greatest threats to wine production in history

combat this by using American root stock

Question 29

Grape Maturity ripeness factors when deciding to harvest

Answer 29

Sugar ripeness (amount of sugar in grapes)

Physiological ripeness (ripeness of grape bunches in their totality, including stems and seeds)

Tannin Ripeness

Question 30

Vineyard passes when harvesting

Answer 30

winemakers make multiple passes through a vineyard, picking only the ripe bunches or grapes and leaving behind the underripe gapes until they are ready

Question 31

Hand harvesting vs Mechanical harvesting

Answer 31

Hand harvesting: labor intensive, slower, greater selectivity regarding choice of grape bunches

Mechanical harvesting: economical, rapid (good if crop is threatened by storm), more indiscriminate technique- grapes can arrive at winery with leaves, pests and animals

Question 32

Small vs Large bin size when harvesting

Answer 32

Small bin: enables careful selection, limits number of clusters and weight of fruit

Large bin: can result in bursting grapes at the bottom which compromises quality and beginning the fermentation process prematurely

Question 33

Terrior

Answer 33

sum of every environmental force affecting a given vineyard site

soil, slope, orientation to the sun, elevation, climate, rainfall, wind, high and low temperatures… ect

Question 34

What temperatures do vines begin to grow, flower, and flourish

Answer 34

50 degrees, vines begin to grow. under this they are dormant

63-68 degree daily temperature, vines bud then flower

Mid 80s vines hit their growth stride and flouish

Question 35

Veraison

Answer 35

Onset of ripening

when the berries on a vine begin to soften, well and change color

Question 36

Biggest current concern regarding impact of climate on viticulture

Answer 36

Climate Change

Question 37

Why moderate stress is good on vines

Answer 37

Stress from lack of sun, water, and or nutrients can be beneficial to vines… Adversity forces grapevines to struggle, adapt, and put their energy into their reporductve system to ensure survival

Question 38

Worlds first wine appellation

Answer 38

Anatolia, in southern Turkey. As long ago as 8000 B.C.

Question 39

Vigor

Answer 39

Growth of leaves and shoots

Question 40

fruitfulness

Answer 40

number of grape clusters and size of grapes

Question 41

pruning

Answer 41

cutting back vines while they are dormant in the winter

too much: fruitfulness and strength of the vine may be comprimised

too little: vines will have an overabundance of fruit

Question 42

benefits of trellising

Answer 42

leaves get the sun they need for photosynthesis

good air circulation to mitigate against rot