Viticulture & Vinification Flashcards
What are the allowable ppm of SO2 in EU wines?
160 mg/L (aka ppm) for dry red wines; 300 mg/L for sweet whites; 400 mg/L for botrytized wines.
What two countries are the largest supporters of micro-oxygenation?
Chile and USA
True or False: larger fermentation vessels (providing no temperature control) promote slow, cool fermentations
False; larger fermentation vessels promote fast, hot fermentations
What is Eutypa Dieback? What is it also known as?
Eutypa dieback is a disease caused by a fungus (Eutypa lata) which grows slowly through the wood of infected grapevines and other woody host plants. It is unlikely that the disease can be spread through cuttings as it appears the fungus itself is isolated to woody parts of the vine. DEAD ARM!
What is another name for a pneumatic press?
Bladder press.
Where is it common to see singly staked vines?
On very steep slopes, where any sort of trellising is impractical (Mosel, N. Rhone)
What are the common claims for not using SO2 in winemaking, and name 5 producers who experiment with “sans soufre” wines.
A common claim is that wines have a greater purity of fruit and are more aromatically interesting; Overnoy (Jura), Lapierre (Beaujolais), Catherine and Pierre Breton (Loire), Thierry Allemand (Rhone), Foillard (Beaujolais), Pierre Frick (Alsace), Cornelissen (Sicily), Radikon (Friuli), Coturri (US), Frey (US)
Name three trellising systems typically used to control vigorous vines?
VSP, Smart-Dyson, Scott-Henry
What kinds of vineyards is the Guyot system particularly suited to?
Old World, low-vigour vineyards
What are the two main types of pruning that head-trained vines usually encounter?
Spur-pruning and cane-pruning
What are some of the aims of micro-oxygenation?
Build optimum structure, reduce herbaceous or vegetal character, provide color stability, stabilize reductive qualities, and increase the suppleness/roundness of the wine – basically mimic the slow, controlled oxidation of barrel ageing in wines that are kept in stainless steel.
How exactly does phylloxera do damage?
Three potential mechanisms: removal of photosynthesis, physical disruption of the roots, and secondary fungal infections from damaged roots. The last is the most likely to occur.
Who is Jacques Néauport?
A consultant for non-sulphited winemaking, inspired by Jules Chauvet. Consulted for Pierre Overnoy and Marcel Lapierre.
Where are split canopy systems primarily used?
Sites with high vigour.
What is vin de goutte?
Free run juice
Name two methods of must concentration. What is the difference in result.
Reverse osmosis and chaptalization. Chaptalization only corrects for diminished alcohol, not dilution of flavor. Vacuum distillation is another method, but disfavored because the must has to be heated.
Approximately how many berries on a vine actually set during fruit set?
30%
Are you more likely to have a slower, cooler ferment with spontaneous fermentation or inoculation for S. Cerevisiae?
Spontaneous ferment
What is the Spanish word for terroir?
Terruño
The Gobelet System is a system of _____-pruning/_____- training
spur; head
What is the parentage of Merlot?
Cabernet Franc x Magdeleine Noire des Charentes
What is the EU minimum TA in a wine?
4.5 g/L
Name two Italian grapes known for having a rotundone character.
Schioppetino and Vespolina
Why might cold soaking be employed? Where did it originate?
To extract tannin and color from skins prior to fermentation; in Burgundy in the 1970s
What are the most common fixed (non-volatile) acids in grapes. Which account for 90% of a grape’s acidity? Which is the most important?
Tartaric, Malic, & Citric; Tartaric & Malic account for 90%; Tartaric is the most important
What affect do potassium rich soils have on acidity in finished wine?
Potassium rich soils tend to reduce acidity
What is a merrandier? What is a dovelle/douve?
A merrandier is a stave-maker. A finished stave is a dovelle or douve, and is made after the merrains (staves) have aged.
What is another name for Peronospora, and what has famously been used to prevent outbreaks?
Downey mildew; Bordeaux mixture
What kind of oak is primarily found in the Vosges forest?
Quercus petraea (sessiliflora)
Name three techniques for making high-quality non-sulphited wines:
- good quality fruit
- spotless hygiene
- employing an oxidative style of winemaking
- cool temp at every point in the supply chain
- carbonic maceration under very cold conditions
What are the rules regarding must concentration by reverse osmosis or vacuum distillation in the EU?
It is allowed, but is limited to a 20% maximum volume decrease and a two degree potential alcohol increase. It is illegal to chaptalize and concentrate the same batch.
Name three practices that can increase redox potential.
Racking, topping up, filtering, battonage.
What are the two main types of training that vines are split up into?
Cordon-trained and head-trained
At what point do US wines have to be labeled “contains sulfites”?
With 10ppm (which can be achieved without any additional SO2).
How does SO2 combat oxidation?
It binds aldehydes, which present as oxidation in finished wine.
How does toasting of a barrel affect vanillin levels in wine?
Vanillin levels are INCREASED by toasting, but can decrease at the very highest levels of toasting.
Name three synonyms for the pergola system.
Tendone, arbour, and enforcado
How does acidity and pH correlate?
The lower the pH, the more acidic the wine.
The Cordon de Royat system is a system of ______ -pruning/________-training. Name two other such systems.
spur; cordon; Geneva & Lyre (Lyre can be cane-pruned, but this is more rare)
What was the last region of France to be affected by phylloxera and when?
Champagne; 1890
What is the training/pruning on basket vines?
Head-trained, cane-pruned
What are perennial plants?
Plants whose structures last more than one season – grapevines!
Approximately when (in both hemispheres) does bud break occur?
March/April in Northern Hemisphere; September/October in Southern
Where is Brettanomyces Bruxellensis native to?
The Senne Valley of Belgium
What is Chenin Blanc’s one known parent grape?
Savagnin
Describe the relationship of oak tannins and color?
Oak tannins – plentiful in new barrels, but not in neutral – stabilize and augment color.
What is brettanomyces?
Brettanomyces is a yeast (unicellular type of fungus) that can be a spoilage organism in wine.
What is the parentage of Chardonnay?
Gouais Blanc x Pinot Noir
What are some of the benefits of seasoning oak?
It allows the humidity levels of the oak to be brought in line with the environment it will be used in; aromatic compounds are increased; bitter compounds are reduced.
Do red or white wines require more SO2?
White wines; red wines are richer in polyphenolic compounds, which protect them against oxidation. White wines are also typically treated more reductively, which makes them more susceptible to oxidation.
What is the name of the main yeast used to produce wine?
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
How does SO2 relate to Brettanomyces?
The most effective way of preventing Brett is to maintain an adequate concentration of free SO2.
What soil type acts as a natural deterrent of phylloxera?
Sand
What is collage?
Fining
Distinguish training and pruning.
Training determines the form and direction of the trunk and arms and the position of the shoots that develop from the buds retained at pruning.
What is the name for the group of pigments responsible for giving red grapes their color?
Anthocyanins
What is the leafroll virus? How does it manifest?
It manifests as a downward rolling of the leaf late in the growing system. It doesn’t kill the vine (most viruses don’t), but instead delays ripening and reduces wine quality.
Why are grapevines not propagated via seeds?
Grapevines are typically propagated vegetatively (through cuttings that produce genetic clones, rather than sexually (from seed) because the genetic reassortment that occurs from seed usually means the loss of positive features.
What is the minimum age and size of a French oak tree before it is cut to make a barrel?
120 years old; 25 inches in diameter
What is a pergola?
A form of overhead vine training used in Italy
Define turbidity.
Clarity, or lack thereof, caused by suspended particles or sediment
What are the pros/cons of spontaneous (wild yeast/no inoculation) fermentation?
Pros: “terroir” argument
Cons: lack of control, it takes a while for the fermentation to start, risk of spoilage
What level of toasting would promote the most extraction of wood tannin?
Light toasting
What is a pied de cuve?
Basically, a yeast starter. A small amount of must derived from previously used grapes, used to get the fermentation started in spontaneous ferments.
What is Quercus Alba?
American oak
With what grapes does Pinot Noir have a parent/off-spring relationship, though it is not known which is which?
Savagnin, Traminer
What training/pruning is applied to Doppelbogen?
Cane-pruned, head-trained
What is sussreserve?
The German name for sterilized grape juice that is added back into the wine after fermentation to increase sweetness.
What is debourbage and for what type of fermentation would it occur?
Pre-fermentation racking; used in white wine fermentation to remove solids
In what month does flowering normally occur?
May in the northern hemisphere and November in the southern.
When and where were screw cap closures invented?
1959, the French company La Bouchage Mecanique introduced the Stelcap-vin.
What is Dekkera?
The spore-forming type of the Brettanomyces yeast
What is VSP? Where is it used? How is it pruned?
Vertical Shoot Positioning – a common trellising system whereby shoots are trained vertically upwards, held in place by foliage wires. Leads to tall canopies that are suitable for mechanisation. Widely used – can be seen in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace, Germany, and the New World. Can be cane or spur pruned.
When in relation to bud break does flowering occur?
6-13 weeks after, depending on climate
In what form of pruning would you find a renewal spur?
Cane-pruning; a renewal spur is left for generating next year’s canes.
Describe Vertical Shoot Positioning?
Shoots are trained vertically and held in place by foliage wires; suitable for mechanization
Define a cordon.
The permanent woody framework of the vine extending from the top of the trunk.
Name three methods of cap management.
Pigeage – punching down
Remontage – pumping over
Delestage – racking and removing, then adding back in
How do lees relate to oxidation?
Lees eat up oxygen and help prevent oxidation.
What is the parentage of Chardonnay?
Gouais Blanc x Pinot
Why is Muscat typically not a good candidate for botrytis-infected styles?
Monoterpene content is reduced by botrytis
What does IPM stand for?
Integrated Pest Management – a more holistic approach. What lutte raisonee is based on.
Why is cap management so important? How does a cap form?
A cap forms as red wine ferments and grape solids are pushed to the top by the action of the CO2. The cap will dry out, solidify, and prevent extraction without intervention.
What is oenococcus?
Lactic-acid bacterium
What is reverse osmosis used for? What two parts is the wine separated into? Define each.
Reverse osmosis is a method of dealcoholization (though can be used for must concentration, as well). The wine is split into the permeate (water and ethanol) and retentate (aromatic compounds). The permeate is distilled to a proper level and recombined with the retentate.
Name three agents used to precipitate solids in fining?
Egg whites, isinglass (sturgeon bladder), bentonite, casein, gelatin
What is the difference between the Scott-Henry trellising system and the Smart-Dyson?
Scott Henry is typically cane-prune, with seperate canes trained up and down. Smart-Dyson is cordon-trained and spur-pruned, with just one cordon from which shoots go up and down.
What is the preferred training method for Pinot Noir in Champagne?
Cordon de Royat (spur-pruned/cordon-trained)
Name three split canopy systems.
Scott Henry, Smart-Dyson, Geneva double curtain, lyre
How is vanillin expressed in barrel-fermented vs. tank-fermented wines that are then transferred to barrel?
If wine is fermented in oak barrels, yeast metabolism reduces the vanillin concentration - thus, barrel fermented wines have less overt vanilla-notes than those fermented in steel and transferred. (Red wine is almost always fermented in steel and transferred because they are fermented on their skins).
What is the genetic ancestor grape of Zinfandel and where is it from?
Crljenak Kastelanski (also known as Tribidrag), from Croatia
What is Eventail?
A trellising system popular in Chablis and Champagne. Cordon-trained/cane pruned.
What are mercaptans?
Also known as thiols – a group of sulfur containing molecules that manifest as different aromas in wine, generally cooked cabbage, burnt match, sewage, etc. Can also manifest as “varietal character”, especially in Sauvignon blanc – blackcurrant, passion fruit, cat pee, etc. A product of reductive winemaking, often.
True or False: Cordon-trained vines are always cane-pruned.
False, they are always spur-pruned
Why is SO2 so important to winemaking?
It acts as an antioxidant and a microbicide, preventing oxidation, and the growth of harmful bacteria and rogue yeasts at different stages of winemaking.
What are the three most common points in winemaking for wines to be exposed to oxygen stress?
- at crushing
- at the end of malolactic fermentation
- at bottling
What acids are typically used for acidification? Which is preferred?
Malic and tartaric; Tartaric is preferred
What is MYTIK?
The brand of Diam closure for sparkling wine
What was Cinsault originally known as in South Africa?
Hermitage
Who developed micro-oxygenation and where?
Patrick Ducournau in the 1990s in the Madiran.
At what temperature do yeasts become inert? At what temperature do they die?
Below 50’F; above 113’F
What is malvidin?
The most dominant anthocyanin compound found in red wine.
True or False: Pierce’s Disease is a fungal disease common in the US and Mexico.
False; it is a bacterial disease common in the US and Mexico
In which form of pruning is the only permanent vine growth a vertical trunk?
Cane-pruning
What is the parentage of Syrah?
Dureza x Mondeuse Blanche
What type of pruning can hinder the spread of infection, especially eutypa? Why?
Cane pruning; A lot of fungi and infections are harboured in permanent woody parts of the vine (like cordons).
Name three cooperages?
Francois Freres (St. Romain), Taransaud (Coganc), Seguin Moreau (Napa)
What is the #1 reason that French oak is more expensive than American oak?
French oak has to be split along its vertical sap channels in order to remain water-tight. American oak can be sawn in a number of planes. Makes it a more laborious and less yielding process - about 20% compared to 50% yield for American oak.
Define trellising.
Trellising describes the actual stakes, posts, wires or other structures that the grapevine is attached to.
What acid found in grapes remains stable after veraison? Which declines rapidly?
Tartaric acid remains relatively stable after veraison; malic acid will decrease
What is acetaldehyde a product of? What does it present as in a finished wine?
Acetaldehyde forms when oxygen interacts with ethanol; regarded as a sign of oxidation in finished wines. Present in small amounts in all wines.
Name five biodynamic preparations.
Cow manure, yarrow, chamomile, stinging nettles, dandelion, oak bark, ground quartz, valerinan flowers, horsetail plant
Name three regions where the gobelet system is used?
South Australia, Rioja, Dry Creek, Chateauneuf du Pape
Does the EU permit dealcoholization?
Yes, but only since 2009, and only if it is not by more than 2%
What is the mean annual temperature that vines prefer? What average summer temperature?
Between 50’F and 68’F; red grapes require an average summer temp of 70’F, white grapes 66’F
What other ripening occurs in tandem with veraison?
Cane ripening; stems on each shoot begin to lignify, accumulating carbohydrates to sustain the plant through winter
What is TCA?
2,4,6-trichloroanisole (cork taint)
Name five forests in France famous for their oak?
Nevers, Alliers, Troncais, Limousin, Vosges
Name three practices that can lower redox potential.
Stainless steel fermentation/aging, SO2 additions, lees contact (without battonage or racking)
What is more laborious: cane or spur pruning?
Cane
Why does cane-pruning tend to be used in more frost-prone regions?
Cane-pruning limits the permanent growth of the vine (the only part that remains over the winter) to the trunk. Cordon-trained/spur-pruned vines have more permanent growth at risk of frost over winter.
What is the typical pH range for white wines and red wines?
White: 2.9-3.5
Red: 3.3-3.8
True or False: less SO2 is needed for botrytized wines? Why or why not?
False. Much more is needed. This is because damaged or rotten grapes are much more prone to oxidation. Botrytized wines are also high in compounds that bind free SO2.
What is phylloxera?
A tiny aphid (sap-sucking insect) that feeds on rootstock. The root-feeding form of phylloxera, the radicicole, is exclusively female.
What is the world’s largest cork producer?
Amorim
What is mutage?
The addition of neutral grape spirits during fermentation, used in vin doux naturel and fortified wines.
What is another name for oidium?
Powdery mildew
Distinguish between cordon and head trained vines.
Cordon trained vines are defined by the presence of a trunk and permanent horizontal arms (cordons). Head-training is the absence of such permanent structure from the trunk – spurs or canes are developed on impermanent branches straight from the head of the trunk.
What are three issues related to cork performance besides TCA?
- oxidation
- neutrality
- flavor scalping
What is Pierce’s Disease?
A bacterial disease, spread by the glassy-winged sharpshooter. Blocks the vessels of the affected vines, thus killing them.
Name four off-spring grapes of Sangiovese?
Nerello Mascalese, Frappato, Galioppo, Perricone
Attribute the following qualities to either French oak or American oak:
- tight wood grain vs. wide wood grain
- slower growing vs. faster growing
- sawn vs. split
- more porous vs. less porous
- air dried vs. kiln dried
American: wide grain, faster growing, sawn (which releases for vanillin and lactones), less porous, kiln dried (concentrates lactones)
French: tight grain, slow growing, split, more porous, air dried
Biodynamics has its roots in a series of lectures given by what man in what year?
Rudolf Steiner, 1924
What is the genetic make-up of Pinot Meunier?
It has two genetically distinct cell layers – one is identical to Pinot Noir, and one is a mutant that produces a short, stubby vine with a fruit cluster at every node instead of the usual mix of fruit clusters and tendrils.
What are the three basic conditions necessary to conduct MLF:
- Higher pH - few MLF strains can initiate at pHs below 3.0
- Temperature – Malolactic bacteria are inert below 15’C/59’F
- Low SO2 – high levels of free SO2 can inhibit
Define chauffage, bousinage, and cintrage. What process are they used in? What order do they occur in?
Making barrels:
1) Warming (chauffage)
2) Shaping (cintrage)
3) Toasting (bousinage)
What is a teinturier grape? Name 5.
A red fleshed grape; Pontac, Alicante Bouschet,Carmina, Deckrot, Dunkelfelder, Gamay Teinturier, Garnacha Tinotorera, Grand Noir de la Calmette, Kolor, Petit Bouschet, Pinot Teinturier, Royalty 1390, Rubired, Salvador, Saperavi, Siebouschet & Sulmer.
Name five biodynamic producers in France.
Lafon, Leflaive, Leroy, Deiss, Pierre Frick, Ostertag, Weinbach, Zind-Humbrecht, Huet, Nicolas Joly, Selosse, Chapoutier, Marcoux
What is the significance of the vine being a woodland climber?
- Extensive root systems that are able to compete for water and nutrients with the trees and bushes they hitch a ride on
- Shoots capably of rapid elongation to grow outside of the host canopy and find sunlight
- Energy not wasted on a permanent structure
Name two synonyms for basket-trained vines.
Wreath, kouloura
Describe the relationship between excess nitrogen in soils and vine vigour.
Excess nitrogen = more vigorous vines.
Give three reasons why a certain clone of a grape might be chosen over another.
Disease resistance, hardiness, yields, aromatics, structure, and color
Define malolactic fermentation.
The process by which lactic acid bacteria converts malic acid into lactic acid.
Name three aims of canopy management:
- achieving optimum leaf & fruit exposure to the sun
- reducing the risk of disease by promoting spray penetration and air circulation
- balancing the quality to yield ratio
How is Sotolon created?
Sotolon results from the reaction between acetaldehyde and glutaric - a second generation product of the oxidation of alcohol. It can also be synthesised by botrytis.
What compound is responsible for the buttery aroma in wine, and what is it a byproduct of?
Diacetyl; malolactic fermentation
What are the benefits and detriments of the pergola system?
High yields, but fruit shading is problematic, as grapes hang below the canopy, resulting in poor quality. They are hard to work, too.
Who is the largest biodynamic winegrower in France?
Chapoutier with 250 ha.
What grape variety is notorious for uneven veraison?
Zinfandel
What two issues is reverse osmosis able to correct?
Too much alcohol in finished wine; not enough must concentration
Where did phylloxera originate in Europe?
It was spread to the Southern Rhone through vine cuttings imported from the US in the 1860s.
What is the difference between the Lyre system and Geneva Double Curtain?
With Lyre, vines are trained upwards. With GDC, vines are trained downwards. Lyre is preferred for medium vigour-vines. Both tend to be spur-pruned, but Lyre can be cane-pruned.
What training/pruning is applied to Geneva Double Curtain? What is its main aim?
Spur-pruned, cordon-trained. Aims to divide a mass of foliage into two and reducing shade on high vigour vines.
What is the Bordeaux mixture?
A mixture of lime, copper sulfate, and water; was developed in 1885 to prevent outbreaks of Downy Mildew (aka Peronospora)
What is a synonym for Quercus Robur? Quercus Petraea?
Quercus pedunculata; Quercus sessiliflora
What vintage in Ontario is known for having ladybug taint? What species of ladybug is responsible?
2001; the orange Asian ladybug
How are wood tannins affected by toasting levels?
Wood tannins (i.e. Ellagitannins) are tannins absorbed by the wine from the wood. Their concentration decreases at high toasting levels.
What is another name from a permanent cane extended from the trunk of a vine?
Cordon or arm
What is veraison?
When grapes begin to ripen, soften, and change color. Acidity decreases.
What is the ancient Croatian grape that Zinfandel has been revealed to be identical to.
Crljenak Kaštelanski aka Tribidrag
What is the Australian word for terroir?
Pangkarra
Why is it important that grape vines “struggle”?
If a vine is in ideal conditions, it will focus on vegetative reproduction – grows more leaves and stems and grows larger. If in poor conditions, the vine thinks it will die, and focuses on sexual reproduction – thus allocating nutrients to its fruit, containing seeds.
Also, roots will dig deeper for nutrients/water and develop more complexity, theoretically.
Define glycerol.
A non-aromatic sugar alcohol that is a by-product of fermentation
True or False: White grapes are generally harvested before reds.
True
What is microbullage another name for?
Micro-oxygenation
What are ellagitannins? What is their relationship to toasting levels?
Tannins absorbed by the wine from the wood; wood tannins; their concentration decreases at high toasting levels
What ester is most associated with the banana/pear drop note in wine?
Isoamyl acetate (a fermentation ester)
What are three advantages of the Scott-Henry trellising system?
- A split-canopy trellising system where shoots are trained both upwards and downwards
- Lower disease pressure, improved grape quality, and higher yields
Put in order from tightest to loosest grain, the oak produced by the following forests: Alliers, Nevers, Vosges, Limousin, Troncais
Troncais, Alliers, Nevers, Vosges, Limousin
Where is Quercus robur primarily found?
Limousin, Burgundy, and Southern France
What is DAP and what is it normally used to correct?
Diammonium Phosphate - a yeast nutrient - can correct the aromas of highly volatile hydrogen sulfide (as can aeration).
What is AXR #1?
A rootstock commonly used in California in the 1960s and 1970s. A cross between an American and Vinifera species, thought to be resistant to phylloxera, but turned out not to be.
What is a mercaptan, and what else is it known as?
Mercaptans are volatile sulfur compounds also known as thiols
In which forest is Tronçais a sub-section?
Alliers
What is the parentage of Cabernet Sauvignon?
Sauvignon Blanc x Cabernet Franc
What is the parentage of Tempranillo?
Albillo Mayor x Benedicto
Why is Brettanomyces more common in red wine than white wine?
Polyphenol content (contains precursors for volatile phenols responsible for Bretty odors) and higher pH (reduces effectiveness of SO2) both encourage the yeast.
What type of pruning system would you expect to find in Burgundy, Sonoma, and Oregon?
Cane-pruned
Define redox potential.
The ability to display a reductive or oxidative character.
High redox potential = oxidative
Low redox potential = reductive
What does PV stand for?
Precision Viticulture
Define a cane.
The shoot of a grape vine that is one season old and has lignified (become woody)
What other compound is associated with the presence of volatile acidity?
Ethyl acetate; acetic acid bacteria generate ethyl acetate, but other micro organisms may synthesize it as well. It often appears hand-in-hand with VA, but the causes can be distinct. Smells like nail polish remover.
After how many uses would you expect French oak to be rendered neutral? American oak?
5 fills; 7-8 fills for American oak.
What makes cork such a unique closure?
Elasticity, Compressibility, and slight Permeability. Nothing synthetic has been able to replicate, and thus wines under synthetic corks often oxidize rapidly.
Describe the Tendone system of vine training. What is it known as it Italy? Portugal?
Vines are trained upwards and overhead along wooden frames; may be cane or spur pruned; Pergola; Enforcado
What is PRD and what is its aim?
Partial root drying; sectioning off part of the vine’s roots from water so it think it has a water shortage (and thus focuses on fruit production rather than growth), but will not experience any of the effects of drought stress because the vine is in fact receiving enough water. It also reduces water use!
What is DIAM?
A composite cork made of 95% processed cork and 5% acrylate (expands when heated to fill spaces between cork particles) and polyurethane (a binder). The cork is processed with pressurised CO2, which is able to nearly eradicate TCA.
How does toasting affect lactone levels?
Toasting is thought to reduce overall lactone levels
Approximately when (in both hemispheres) does veraison occur?
August (Northern), February (Southern)
Describe the relationship between accumulation of anthocyanins and sunlight/heat?
The accumulation of anthocyanins in red grapes during and after veraison is enhanced by sunlight, but inhibited by heat.
What is Doppelbogen?
The “double bow” system for Riesling vines, common in the Mosel. Each vine is singly staked, with two canes bent around into a bow shape. Used on particularly steep slopes.
What conditions aid the proliferation of Brett?
- high pH
- high polyphenol content
- lower SO2
What soil type is known to be immune to phylloxera?
Sand
What is the parentage of Carmenere?
Gros Cabernet x Cabernet Franc
Compare the attributes of Quercus Sessilflora to Quercus Robur.
Sessilflora = contributes more aroma and less structure. Tighter grained. Withstands weather better than Robur and is much more widely planted now.
Robur = highly extractable polyphenol content; makes wines that are more structured and less aromatic. Wider grained.
What is the full name of phylloxera?
Phylloxera vastatrix (aka Dactylasphaera vitifoliae)
What is the purpose of cold stabilization?
Causes tartrate crystals to precipitate out of the wine; used after fermentation in white wines
Name three vehicles for oxygen ingress during barrel aging?
Oxygen passes through the wood itself, the gaps in the staves, and the bunghole.
What is laccase?
An enzyme that develops as a result of botrytis. It is oxidative and will turn wine, especially red wine, orange.
What are common objections to the use of DIAM?
- “too airtight”
- still has some TCA
- a gluey note
What is bousinage?
Toasting the inside of the oak barrel.
What is acetobacter?
The acetic-acid bacterium that turns wine into vinegar
What country is notably devoid of phylloxera?
Chile
Define hyper-, macro-, and micro-oxygenation?
Refers to three stages of oxygenation:
- Hyper = pre-ferment. Causes tannins to drop out of the must. Most commonly used in Riesling and Champagne.
- Macro = during-ferment. Boosts yeast health.
- Micro = post-ferment. Builds structure by encouraging phenolic compounds to polymerize. Also oxidises ethanol to acetaldehyde.
When is the vine most vulnerable to frost?
Bud break and fruit set
What is the genus of French oak?
Quercus robur (aka Quercus pedunculata/English Oak) or Quercus petraea (aka Quercus sessiliflora)
The Guyot System is a system of _____-pruning/______- training.
cane; head
True or False: Cordon-training requires a trellising system while head training does not.
True.
What are some of the benefits of cover cropping?
The promotion of soil life, erosion prevention, and the enhancement of populations of beneficial insects.
Define cane pruning versus spur pruning.
Cane pruning involves cutting shoots from the previous season’s growth to between six and fifteen buds. Spur pruning is a more drastic cutting, to usually around two or three buds.
How does pH relate to SO2 levels and SO2 effectiveness?
At higher pH levels (lower acid), more total SO2 is needed to get the same level of free SO2. SO2 also tends to be less effective at a higher pH.
Describe the correlation between soil pH, wine pH, and acidity in wine.
High soil pH (common in limestone rich soils) = low wine pH = high acidity wine
What is the most common viral problem in viticulture?
Leafroll virus.
What is the main aromatic descriptor of highly volatile hydrogen sulfide? What conditions favor it?
- rotten egg
- low levels of nitrogen in the must, elemental sulfur residue on recently sprayed grapes, SO2 additions, and certain yeast strains
What type of pruning system is most common in California and Spain?
Spur-pruning
What kinds of vineyards is the Gobelet system particularly suited to?
Warm, dry climates in low vigour situations.
What is TBA?
2,4,5-tribromoanisole, another possible contributor of cork taint
What is the parentage of Gamay?
Gouais Blanc x Pinot
What is batonnage?
Lees stirring
Where is the lyre trellising system most common?
Austria
Name 5 producers who use DIAM?
William Fevre, Hugel, Bouchard, Jadot, Bindi
What is the Gobelet system known as in Italy? In Spain? Australia?
Albarello; En Vaso; Bush Vines
Name three grapes whose parentage is Gouais Blanc x Pinot?
Chardonnay, Gamay, Melon de Bourgogne
What is a tonnellerie?
Cooperage
What is the parentage of Cabernet Sauvignon?
Cabernet Franc x Sauvignon Blanc
Name two red grapes that are considered reductive. Name two that are considered oxidative. How would these be handled differently in vinification?
Reductive: Syrah & Mourvedre
Oxidative: Pinot Noir & Grenache
The reductive varieties would be exposed to more oxygen, while the oxidative ones would be kept away from it.
Name three certifying bodies for biodynamics.
Ecocert, Biodyvin, and Demeter
What is Velcorin?
Dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC) – a compound that effectively sterilizes and eradicates Brett. Hazardous to apply, but completely safe once in wine. Technically illegal in Europe.
What is the difference between natural seasoning and artificially seasoning of oak?
Natural seasoning takes 2-3 years; oak can be artificially seasoned in ovens in a shorter amount of time, but bitter compounds will remain and aromatic compounds will not increase.
What is RDI and how is it used?
Regulated deficit irrigation; used to increase fruit quality by decreasing irrigation strategically
How did the fungal diseases downy and powdery mildew arrive in Europe?
They were imported from the US in the 19th century, along with phylloxera.
What is the genus of American oak?
Quercus alba
What is the parentage of Sangiovese?
Ciliegiolo x Calabrese di Montenuovo
Why do botrytis-infected grapes need more SO2 to be effective?
- Botrytized grapes are rich in an enzyme called oxidase, found often in damaged and fungal grapes – promotes oxidation more easily.
- They also are high in compounds that bind free SO2
What are the two main sugars that vitis vinifera accumulates?
Glucose & fructose
Name two products of the oxidation of ethanol.
Acetaldehyde and Sotolon.
What are three aims of pruning?
Improve vine fertility, encourage optimum canopy development, and regulate crop load
Define micro-oxygenation?
The practice of adding low levels of oxygen to a developing wine over an extended period, usually through a small ceramic device placed at the bottom of the fermentation tank.
Why is cane pruning typically used for grapes that produce smaller clusters?
Because cane-pruning allows more buds to remain and disperses the fruits away from the crown, it is best suited for (and maximizes yields for) grapes that produce small clusters.
What latitudes is viticultural generally restricted to?
Between 30’ and 50’ in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
What are lactones?
An oak-derived flavor compound that manifests as herbaceous and coconutty. American oak contains much higher lactone concentrations.
What is the difference between tendone and pergola?
They are both systems for overhead training of vines – tends to be called tendone when the canopy is horizontal (vs. inclined).
What are the most common ways of blocking MLF?
- low temperatures
- SO2 additions
What does TDN stand for? What factors influence its development?
Trimethyl-dihydro-naphthalene; TDN attains higher concentrations in warm, sunny climates; it is also influenced by water stress, nitrogen deficiency, and selection of yeast strain.
True or False: Bush vines are head trained.
True; bush vines are pretty much synonymous with head-training and as an alternative to trellising.
What is the benefit of whole bunch pressing for white wine?
Whole bunch pressing (i.e. no crushing) minimizes extraction of phenolics.
What region of the Europe issues a “guide practique” for growers on IPM?
Champagne
What is soutirage?
Racking
Define:
- remontage
- delestage
- pigeage
- soutirage
- remontage - pumping over
- delestage - rack and return
- pigeage - punching down
- soutirage - racking (can also describe fining)
