Viticulture Flashcards
Viticulture definition
The art and science of vine growing
Factors of production
Location/geography
climate
topography/aspect
soil
grape varieties planted
viticultural practices
vinification practices
harvest
yearly weather/vintage variation
terroir
Regional wine laws
Historical background
between which parallels do most grape varieties thrive?
30-50 degree latitude is where most grapes thrive
these areas have long frost free periods that allow them to develop
Climate from large to small
Macroclimate- entire wine region
Mesoclimate- particular vineyard
Microclimate- specific row or vine
Describe Continental climate
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
Describe Maritime climate
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
Describe Mediterranean climate
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
Describe High desert climate
Summers are generally hot and dry. Day time temperatures are high, but dramatic drops are often experienced overnight
4 different ways you can further describe or define the different climate definitions…
cool
moderate
warm
hot
Important factors that affect climate
diurnal shifts
sunshine hours
threats (Frost/freeze, hail, strong winds)
What are Diurnal Shifts, and why these are important?
Difference between daytime high and night time low
(this is important for the ripening of grapes and balancing sugar/acidity)
Example of Climate moderators and how they influence
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)
What is the Rain shadow effect?
Dry area on one side of a mountain opposite the wind, rain and generally poor weather
steeper hillsides vs valley floor
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
What is aspect?
Which way the vineyards face, if you face to the sun it is warmer, away is cooler. Both can be desirable depending of region
Important properties of various soil types
Drainage of water
water retention
sun reflection
What do grape skins contribute to wine
Tannins
Color
Flavor (most important aromas and flavors are located in the skins)
What does the pulp of a grape contribute to a wine
Water
Sugar (increases as grape ripens)
Acid (decreases as grape ripens)
Seeds/pips (can give bitter flavor if pressed)
Species of plants for wine production
Vitis labrusca
Vitis riparia
Vitis vinifera (main focus, most common, native to the mediterranean, Europe and SW Asia. upwards of 10,000 varieties)
hybrids, crosses, clones
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
Climate, ripeness and the connection to wine style
Cool climate vs Warm climate
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
What is Green Harvest?
dropping or cutting grape bunches off at vine before harvest to focus the vine’s energy on fewer, higher quality bunches
Vineyard Architecture
How the vines in the vineyard are specifically laid out
Vine spacing
how vines are spaced out in rows. Some are planted far apart and some are planted close together (high density/Low density)
Vine training
vines can be trained to grow in specific ways to control the production of grapes, leaves and wood
Canopy management
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
Irrigation
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
Phylloxera
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
Grape Maturity ripeness factors when deciding to harvest
Sugar ripeness (amount of sugar in grapes)
Physiological ripeness (ripeness of grape bunches in their totality, including stems and seeds)
Tannin Ripeness
Vineyard passes when harvesting
winemakers make multiple passes through a vineyard, picking only the ripe bunches or grapes and leaving behind the underripe gapes until they are ready
Hand harvesting vs Mechanical harvesting
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
Small vs Large bin size when harvesting
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
Terrior
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
What temperatures do vines begin to grow, flower, and flourish
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
Veraison
Onset of ripening
when the berries on a vine begin to soften, well and change color
Biggest current concern regarding impact of climate on viticulture
Climate Change
Why moderate stress is good on vines
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
Worlds first wine appellation
Anatolia, in southern Turkey. As long ago as 8000 B.C.
Vigor
Growth of leaves and shoots
fruitfulness
number of grape clusters and size of grapes
pruning
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
benefits of trellising
leaves get the sun they need for photosynthesis
good air circulation to mitigate against rot
