VITICULTURE & VINIFICATION

Question 1

How can climate influence viticulture?

Answer 1

Climate change
Dormant period
Sun hours min 1500/year
Rainfall min 500 mm, best 700 mm
Light conditions

Question 2

What are the basic principals on viticulture?

Answer 2

Macro= climate of the region (maritime, continental, etc)
Meso = Vineyard (aspect, location, drainage, etc)
Micro = Vine plant (foliage, pruning, ect)

Winkler Growing Degree Days (GDD) express heat accumulation in wine world:

Ia = coolest, mostly hybrids. PNN, PNG, GEW, RIE, CHA

Ib = early ripening, mostly v. vinifera.RIE, CHA, PNN, SVB, SÈM, CBF, TEM, MER, SYR

II= good-quality wine, CBF, TEM, MER, MAL, VIO, SYR, CBS, SAN, GRE, CAR, ZIN, NEB

III favourable

IV favourable for high production

V Warmest, extremely high production, PAL, Nero d´Avola, Muscat

Question 3

Explain what terroir is

Answer 3

The environment in which vine is grown

soil =
topsoil + aggregate + bedrock

climatic conditions

location and aspect
fx Rheingau, Mosel with wind-shadow, sun rays reflection from river

Question 4

Name some vine types

Answer 4

Vitis vinifera
Vitis Labrusca
Vitis berlandieri
Vitis rupestris
Vitis riparia

Question 5

What is a crossing, clone and hybrid?

Answer 5

clone = same varieties, genetic alike (massal selction, clonal selection)

crossing = different varieties fx CBF+SVB -> CBS

hybrid = diferent species fx Ugni blanc + rayon d´or -> vidal

Question 6

What are the grafting principles?

Answer 6

To combine plantgenetics

Omega = machinery
Copulation = cutting of vine
Tilegrafting

Question 7

Name the most common training styles and their effect

Answer 7

Single cordon
double cordon
Warmer regions, great for older vines

Single guyot
double guyot
Colder regions, minimize potential frost damage. Many quality regions use this

geneva double curtain

Scott Henry

Pergola
Air, sunshadow, other vegetables

Lyre

Goblet or head

Basket or kouloura
Windresistance

Scott Henry trained

Lyre trained

Double Geneva Curtain trained

Gobelet trained - retain heat from earth surface

Kouloura trained -> prevent windy influence

Mosel arch

Question 8

Mention the life cycle of a vineyard

Answer 8

April-October (Northern Hemisphere), October-April (Southern Hemisphere)

Dormancy - awakening from winter rest
Budbreak - critical period, sensitive to frost, temperature sensitive, no rain best
Flowering
Growth
Green harvest
Veraison or change of colour, acidity down, sweetness up
Harvesting - early, middle, late depending on wished outcome, no rain best
Dormancy - resting period
Repeat

Question 9

How can a winemaker prevent frost damage in vineyard?

Answer 9

Spinklersystem (frozen water protects the fragile buds)
aeration
heaters

Question 10

Name some common vine diseases and pests

Answer 10

botrytis cinera

leaf roll virus

Coulure - non-polliation, reducing yield

Esca - fungus on trunk

Eutypa or dead arm

fan leaf degeneration

flavescene dorée - leaf curl

millerandage - uneven sized grapes ga cold wet flowering

nematodes worms

iodium or powdery mildew (powdery appearance on leaf)

peronospera or downy mildew (leaf fall off

phylloxera

Question 11

What is botrytis?

Answer 11

rot that develops with morning mists and afternoon sunshine

grapes become like raisins with highly concentrated sugar levels

pourriture noble, Edelfaule, noble rot

It may become black rot or grey rot which is disatstrous for grapes

Question 12

What is passerillage?

Answer 12

Drying of the grapes on the vine before harvesting to increase sugar content fx South France

Question 13

What are the principles behind alcoholic fermentation?

Answer 13

to convert sugar into alcohol by use of yeast

Question 14

What is chaptalisation and where is it permitted/illegal?

Answer 14

The adding of sugar before fermentation to gain higher alcohol in end wine

Permitted in:
France, Germany, Oregon, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, New York

Not permitted in:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, California, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, South Africa

Question 15

Explain the terms used in pressing practice: vin de presse, rebéche, vin de goutte, maceration carbonique, malolactic fermentation

Answer 15

vin de presse = marc is pressed to produce vin de presse or press wine

rebéche = must that can only be used for distillation (Champagne production)

vin de goutte = free-run juice, the first wine that comes out

maceration carbonique = whole bunch fermentation of uncrushed grapes (-> bubble gum flavours)

malolactic fermentation = secondary bacterial fermentation, often occurs
naturally. Malic acid is converted to softer, rounder lactic acid

Question 16

What is sur lie aging?

Answer 16

When wine is kept in contact with its lees during the aging process
Nantes, Champagne fx

Question 17

What are the effects of oak?

Answer 17

adds flavors
vanilla, clove, smoke, coconut

Slow intake of oxygen making wine smoother and less astringent

removes harsh taste of distilled alcohol

Barrel-derived tannins impart sensation of “fine grainess” on the tongue

Question 18

Explain what tartrates are

Answer 18

“wine diamonds”

a tiny, crystalline deposit, harmless and natural

occurs when potassium and tartaric acid bind together

Question 19

Explain the terms of buttage, passerillage, veraison, mutage, pigeage, remontage

Answer 19

buttage = to remove protecting earth around base of vine

passerillage = to air-dry grapes to increase sugar concentration

veraison = maturation stage with change of colour, higher sugar content

mutage = to stop fermentation by adding alcohol to the fermenting must

pigeage = punch down to break up layers of skin, stems and seed -> to ectract color, tannins, flavor and aromas

remontage = pump-over to submerge the skins so carbondioxide is pushed to the surface. To increase extraction