Viticulture/Vinification Flashcards
What species of vine is responsible for fine wine production?
Vitis vinifera is the species domesticated around 5,000 BCE, producing nearly all of the world’s fine wines.
Define viticulture.
Viticulture is the study and practice of grape growing, focusing on training, pruning, canopy management, fertilization, harvest timing, disease control, and overall vineyard development.
Name three historic advancements in viticulture.
1) Charlemagne’s directive to plant vineyards on warm slopes, 2) Grafting V. vinifera onto phylloxera-resistant rootstocks, 3) Modern drip irrigation and mechanization to improve yields and quality.
How does modern viticulture address sustainability?
While science and mechanization dominate many vineyards, new movements like organic, biodynamic, and sustainable viticulture have emerged, reducing chemical inputs and encouraging biodiversity.
When does budbreak typically occur in the Northern Hemisphere?
Budbreak usually occurs in March or April, once the average air temperature surpasses 50°F. The vine is vulnerable to frost damage at this stage.
Describe the process of flowering and fruit set in grapevines.
Six to thirteen weeks after budbreak, the vines flower for ~10 days. Pollinated embryo bunches develop into grapes; fruit set is typically ~30%, with the rest dropping off (coulure).
What is veraison?
The stage when grapes soften, change color (green to red/black or yellow-green), and begin to accumulate sugar as acidity decreases. It marks the true onset of ripening.
Explain physiological ripeness.
Beyond sugar and acid, it includes tannin, phenolic, and seed ripeness, plus the condition of the pulp and berry. It often requires longer “hang time,” especially in modern New World winemaking.
What happens to the vine after harvest?
The vine loses leaves in fall, enters dormancy in winter, and is pruned to prepare for the next cycle. Fertilization may be applied in fall; the cycle restarts in spring with budbreak.
How do climate and weather differ in grape growing?
Climate is the expected, long-term pattern of temperature, rainfall, wind, etc., while weather is the daily manifestation of those elements—responsible for vintage variation.
What is the preferred temperature range for Vitis vinifera?
Between 50° and 68°F mean annual temperature is suitable. Red grapes need ~70°F in summer, whites ~66°F. This restricts viticulture generally to latitudes 30°–50° N or S.
What is the Winkler (Heat Summation) Index?
It’s a system that classifies wine regions by degree days (base 50°F) over the growing season (April 1–Oct 31). Regions range from Ia (<2,000° days F) to V (4,000–4,900° days F).
How much rainfall does a vine typically need?
Approximately 10–30 inches (25–76 cm) of annual rainfall are required, though irrigation can supplement rainfall where legal.
Define terroir.
Terroir is the holistic system of factors influencing vine development: grape variety, climate, soil, topography, and human intervention. It shapes a vineyard’s unique sense of place.
Explain macroclimate, mesoclimate, and microclimate.
Macroclimate is the regional climate. Mesoclimate is the climate of a single vineyard. Microclimate is the environment inside and directly surrounding the vine canopy.
What soil characteristics generally benefit vines?
Low fertility, good drainage, and adequate water retention. Heat retention or reflection, soil pH, and mineral composition also play key roles in vine health and fruit quality.
What is massal selection (sélection massale)?
A vineyard propagation method using budwood from many vines to maintain genetic diversity, rather than relying on a single clone. It can reinforce positive traits across the vineyard.
Why are most vines grafted onto American rootstock?
To protect against phylloxera, an aphid that attacks V. vinifera roots. American vines are resistant, so grafting prevents destruction by phylloxera.
When is a newly planted vine ready to harvest fruit?
Typically, usable grapes appear in the third year. Many regions legally forbid grape usage for wine until year three. Vines reach maturity around the sixth year.
What is the main goal of vine training?
To optimize vine performance—balancing yield, fruit exposure, and canopy management—while keeping canes off the ground. This can be done with stakes, trellises, or bush vine systems.
Differentiate head training vs. cordon training.
Head-trained vines have no permanent cordon; the trunk ends in a “head,” from which canes or spurs grow. Cordon-trained vines have at least one permanent arm extending from the trunk, bearing spurs.
What is spur pruning?
It involves cutting a cane back to two buds (“spur”). Each season, new shoots and fruiting canes emerge. Cordon-trained vines are typically spur-pruned; head-trained vines can be spur or cane-pruned.
Name two classic spur-pruned systems.
Cordon de Royat (common in Champagne for Pinot Noir) and Gobelet (bush vines, used in Southern Rhône/Italy/Spain).
Give an example of a cane-pruned system.
The Guyot system, developed by Jules Guyot, typically has one cane (plus a renewal spur) on a vertical trellis. Double Guyot has two canes extending from the trunk.
