Viticulture Flashcards
In modern viticulture the most importen vine species are:
Vitis Vinifera and American Vines
Vitis Vinifera is a single European species (strictly Eurasian). It produces most of all the wines we drink today but is has been used for thousands of years.
How many species do there exists of the Vitis genus?
There exist about 60 species of the Vitis genus. The majority exists in North American and Asia. Out of the 60 species, there are only a few which can be produced for the production of wine.
What characteristics of the American vine species differ from the European vine species?
The American vines are resistant to a lot of wine diseases and pests, including Phylloxera a wine pest there, attract the root system.
It has a better draining ability.
They are suited better for climate extreme
Where did the American vines species originate from?
North and South American, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Where in America do you find most of the American vine species?
North American.
What is the difference between American vine species and American hybrids?
American hybrids are hybrids between native American vine species of the genus Vitis and a variety of the European vine species Vinefera.
The hybrids’ most common parents are the Amerian species V. labrusca, V. Aestivalis along with the V. vinifera.
In the genus Vitis there are around 60 different species. Which one is the most important species when it comes to making wine?
The most important species by far is the single European grapevine, V. vinifera.
The American vine species is V. labrusca, The North American Concord grape. V. riparia, the Riverbank grape. V. aestivalis the Summer grape. V. rotudifolia, the Fox grape.
What is the main difference between cutting and layering?
Cutting happens at nurseries and layering happens in the vineyard
What is 2 different way a vine can be propagated?
Cutting - when a section of a shoot is cut off from an existing vine and is planted in order to grow a brand new plant. It’s done mostly in nurseries;
Layering: A vine’s 1 year-old cane is bent into the ground and buried with the tip of the cane poking out above ground; the buried part grows roots and establishes itself as a new plant. It takes place in the vineyard.
When layering a vine what can be some of the risks?
This way of propagating a vine, the vine grows its own roots and establishes itself as a new plant. The newly establish rootstock is at risk of Phylloxera or other pest and diseases. Therefore is cutting the most common way of propagating a vine.
What are some of the benefits of grafting onto American rootstocks?
American rootstock protects against phylloxera while giving the ability to produce V. vinifera grapes;
North American rootstocks are found to be resistant to nematodes, drought, and alkaline soils, unlike V. vinifera
Explain clone selection:
Improving a vine variety (and the elimination of vine diseases).
In practice, the farmers have selected a single superior plant in the vineyard, and then they either take cuttings or laying the vine for propagation. It happens as a result of mutations that sometimes occur when the vines grow. These mutations can sometimes be positive and result in plants with better fruit or disease resistance.
Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are both mutations of which grape?
Pinot Noir
Explain cross-fertilisation:
New grape varieties can be created in controlled conditions by using cross-fertilisation. This is where pollen from a male part of flowers of one vine is transferred to the female part of the flower of another vine, and fertilisation occurs.
The pollinated flower develops into a grape with seeds. If a seed is planted and grows, it will be a new variety because its genetic material will be different from its parents.
What is crossing?
When a new variety is produced from two parents of the same species is called crossing.
Name 3 varieties there has been crossing:
Müller Thurgau (Riesling x Madeleine Royale) Pinotage (Pinot Noir x Cinsault) Cabernet Sauvignon (Cabernet Franc x Sauvignon Blanc)
What are hybrids?
Hybrids parents come from two different vine species
Typically hybrids will have a least one parent from American vine species.
What kind of variety is Vidal?
A hybrid there grows in Canada.
how many clones of Pinot Nor, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier may be grown in Champagne?
CIVC (Comté Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne) list:
- Eighteen clones of Pinot Noir
- Eleven of Chardonnay
- Eleven of Meunier
Which may be grown
What is the character of the Mendoza Chardonnay clone?
It produces small and large grapes and has a more fruiter character, which growers in the New World sometimes prefer.
How does the Mass Selection of clones work in a vineyard?
Growers will self-select wood from favoured vines for the production of vines. Growers can source wood from their own or neighbours’ vineyard and send it to a nursery for grafting. Then the newly planted vineyard will then consist of mixed clones of the parent vineyard which will continue the diversity of style and flavour found in that vineyard.
in all cases, wood sourced like this will require testing for viruses.
This way of establishing a vineyard it’s not found in the old world, but in areas of the new world with well-established vineyard, especially those where grafting is not necessary - Chile, and parts of Argentina - and where anti-Phylloxera controls forbid the importation of plants or plant material, growers will self-select wood from favoured vines for the production of new vines.
Why do you not find that much of Mass-selection in the old world when it comes to establishing a new vineyard?
This way of establishing a vineyard it’s not found in the old world, but in areas of the new world with well-established vineyard, especially those where grafting is not necessary - Chile, and parts of Argentina - and where anti-Phylloxera controls forbid the importation of plants or plant material, growers will self-select wood from favoured vines for the production of new vines
Name some grapes varieties there have both white and red versions:
Gamay, Grenache, Muscat, and Pinot
What does the term hermaphrodites mean when speaking about grapes?
Since all commercial grape varieties are hermaphrodites - that is they have both male and female parts on the same flowers.
