WSET Diploma Viticulture Flashcards
What 3 factors can affect sunlight?
Latitude - Day length greater further from Equator
Seas, Lakes and Rivers - Near large bodies of water more cloud cover, Centre of landmasses tend to be sunnier
Aspect - A slopes aspect affect the amount of sunlight, steeper slopes = more benefit
What is the purpose of the California Heat Summation index?
How does this index work?
To classify vine-growing areas by temperature and thereby reccomend appropriate grape varieties for cultivation.
- Divides climates into five Regions based on the number of degree days.
- Degree days are calculated by multiplying the days in each month of the growing season (defined as April 1 through October 31) by the mean number of degrees over 50°F for that month.
- The months’ totals are then added together to arrive at the heat summation:
How does Phylloxera kill vulnerable vines?
How did Phylloxera first reach Europe?
- It feeds on the roots of the vine allowing infections to set in meaning, over the course of a few years, the vine dies.
- The louse came over on American vine cuttings that were imported to the Southern Rhone Valley in the 1860s.
The Picture Below is an example of what type of training?
Head Training
At what age are most vines replacedWhat are the pros / cons of ‘old vines’
Most replaced between 30~50 Years
Old vines produce higher quality fruit (more concentrated flavour) partly due to lower yield per vine.
Lower yield might not be cost efficient andolder vines more susceptible to disease
What climate type is this?
High Continentality, low rainfall and a very sunny growing season
Continental
Name 3 diseases that threaten vines and how they are controlled
Powdery and Downy mildew - Likes warm, humid environments. If affected grapes lose fruity flavour.
Powdery treated with sulfur based spray. Downy treated with Bordeaux mixture copper based spray. Can also be managed by canopy management to max air flow * More spraying in Maritime climates where there is more rainfall.
Black rot (Guignardia bidwelli) - The disease originates as a black spot on the vine’s shoots, leaves, and berries. Yield reductions can be disastrous if unchecked; it can be controlled through fungicide sprays.
New grape varieties can be created through cross pollination. What is ‘cross pollination’?
The pollen from the male part of the flower of one vine is transferred to the female part of the flower on another vine and fertilisation occurs.
Name the 2 most common training techniques for vines
Head training - Little permanent wood (some only trunk), then shoots are trained
Cordon training - Trunk plus one or more permanent horizontal arms (cordons). Takes longer to establish but makes mechanisation easier
What climate type is this?
Low to medium Contintality, low to medium rainfall mainly in Winter and a sunny growing season
Mediterranean
Identify 2 examples of Mediterranean Climate for the following temperatures:
Moderate
Warm
Hot
Mod -> Chianti, Carneros
Warm ->Chateauneuf, Napa Valley
Hot -> Murray-Darling, Calabria
Which soil type has the largest warming effect?
Gravel
Which of the following inputs to a vine will vary least from season to season?
CO2
Heat
Sunlight
Nutrients
CO2
Identify 3 methods of controlling the yield of grapevines:
Green harvest
Winter pruning
Irrigation
In which regions has Phylloxera not reached?
Why?
Chile, some parts of Argentina and South Australia.
Some parts of Lisboa, Portugal, due to sandy soils.
Some volcanic islands, such as Santorini.
It hasn’t reached due to strict quarantine procedures and inhospitable climate.
Why is vine bud management important?
What happens if there are too few / too many buds?
The vine stores Carbohydrates over Winter.
If too few buds each will have access to too much energy and will grow too vigorously.
If too many buds, each will not have access to enough energy and the vine will struggle to ripen its crop load.
What are 3 agricultural practices that reduce intense chemical usage?
Sustainable agriculture - Chemicals permitted but minimised by growers understanding life cycles of pests and introducing predators of the pests. Monitor weather to prevent pest or disease before it occurs.
Organic agriculture - Small doses of traditional treatments permitted only.
Biodynamic agriculture - Organic practices + philosophy and cosmology. Cycles of planets, moon and stars plus homeopathic treatments.
Put the growth cycle in order
Veraison, Budburst, Flowering, Fruit set, Ripening
Budburst, Flowering, Fruit set, Veraison, Ripening
Budburst, Flowering, Veraison, Fruit set, Ripening
Budburst, Veraison, Flowering, Fruit set, Ripening
Budburst, Flowering, Fruit set, Veraison, Ripening
How can VSP (Vertical Shoot Positioning) be used in hot, sunny climates and why would a grower choose to use this system?
The method is adapted so the tops of the shoots are not tied but allowed to flop over creating some shade in the canopy to protect fruit.
A grower would choose this system to enable mechanical harvesting.
Frost flows in a similar way to
Ice
Water
Steam
Water
Describe the annual cycle of vine
Spring
Late Spring / Early Summer
As Summer progresses
Late Summer / Early Autumn
Later in Autumn
Spring - Budburst, new shoots begin to grow
Late Spring - The vine flowers and small grapes form
Summer - Grapes grow but still hard in texture, high acid/low sugar
Late Summer/Early Autumn - Grapes ripen, sugar rises, acidity drops and flavours develop. Marked by grape colour change; véraison
Later in Autumn - Grapes harvested
What is the difference between Climate and Weather?
Climate - Annual weather pattern over several years
Weather - Variation in a specific year
In hills and mountains, as the altitude increases what happens to temperature?
It decreases
What are the vineyards 4 natural resources?
Temperature, Sunlight, Water, Soil nutrients
Pinot Noir, as a grape variety, is known to randomly change. For example, in the past it has suddenly produced a grey version and was renamed Pinot Gris, a white grape version has appeared and is called Pinot Blanc.
All 3 grapes are related to each other and can be considered what?
Mutations
What is a Cordon?
The arms of a vine made up of 2+ year old wood.
What are the 4 main techniques to manage a vine?
Training, pruning, trellising and planting density
What are day / night temperature changes known as?
Diurnal
What 3 things should a grower consider when selecting a site for a new vineyard?
Environmental - Temp, rainfall, sunlight, soil fertility and drainage. Factors that affect grape selection, planting density and trellising etc.
Business - Proximity to power and water, avail of labour, accessibility for machinery and cost of land.
Grape variety - Must suit climate and meet demand. In EU might be legal restrictions on types used.
What are the 3 main techniques for irrigation?
Drip - Computer controlled dripper for each vine - Expensive
Sprinklers - Also used for frost protection. Waste water and can create damp conditions promoting disease - Cheaper than Drip
Flood Irrigation - Cheapest where water is freely available. Only used on flat or gently sloping vineyards
Briefly explain the effect of
Latitude
Altitude
Ocean Currents
Fog
Soil
Aspect on vine development and grape growing.
Latitude -Usually between 30~50 degrees N and S of the Equator
Altitude - As altitude increases temp drops allowing growth closer to Equator
Ocean Currents - Deliver localised warming/cooling in certain regions
Fog - Can cool an otherwise unsuitable growing area e.g. California, Casablanca Valley, Chile
Soil - Dark soils radiate more heat than lighter. High water retaining soils take longer to warm up
Aspect - Direction slope faces, facing Equator get most heat. Steeper slopes accentuate effect.
What 5 things does a vine need to survive
Heat, Sunlight, Water, Nutrients, Carbon Dioxide
Name 4 vineyards pests and how to control them
Phylloxera- Use resistant rootstock
Nematodes (microscopic worms) - Use resistant rootstock and sanitise soil before re-planting.
Birds and mammals - Birds - Netting / Mammals - Fencing
Insects - Insecticides or Integrated pest management
What is an Inflorescence?
The complete flower head of a plant including stems, stalks, bracts, and flowers
Planting seeds doesn’t work in viticulture, what are the two ways to grow more vines?
a. A cutting (a section of vine shoot is planted and grows)
b. Layering (a section of vine is buried and, in time, takes root)
In regards to temperature, how do Light-colored, Wet and Rocky soils play a part?
- Light coloured soils e.g. Chalk, reflect the suns energy and don’t radiate heat into the vineyard.
- Wet soils, e.g. clay, take longer to warm up and tend to cool the vine
- Rocky soils, e.g. gravel, tend to absorb and radiate heat warming the vineyard.
A Spur is what?
1 year old wood pruned often with 2~3 buds and is quite short.
How is American rootstock resistant to Phylloxera?
They clog the insects mouth with sticky sap and form a protective layer behind the feeding wound to prevent secondary infections
What 3 main reasons can influence planting density?
- Limited water: Low density allows vines to take limited water without competing against the roots of neighbouring vines.
- Low levels of nutrients and sufficient rainfall: Risk is vigorous vegetative growth rather than fruit. High density planting provides competition for resources to limit vegetative growth. Bud management is also important. High density and strict bud control common in Europe.
- High nutrients and sufficient rainfall: High density planting not enough so, instead, low density with vines with multiple cordons or canes.
What is ‘Coulure’ also known as?
What is it?
What is it caused by and how does it affect vines?
AKA “Uneven Set”
Occurs when a significant number of berries do not set after flowering.
Caused by cold weather during flowering or mineral deficiency. Results in reduced yields.
When plants are photosynthesising which of the following equations is correct?
02 + Sunlight + Chlorophyll => Sugars + CO2
C02 + Sunlight + Chlorophyll => Sugars + O2
02 + Heat + Chlorophyll => Sugars + O2
C02 + Sunlight + Veraison => Sugars + O2
C02 + Sunlight + Chlorophyll => Sugars + O2
Which part of the grapes does not contain tannins
Stems
Bloom
Seeds
Skin
Bloom
Name and briefly explain the two common methods of grafting
Bench Grafting - Automated process, both parts joined by machine and stored in warm environment to encourage both parts to fuse together
Head Grafting - Vine is cut back to its trunk and a bud or cutting of the new variety is grafted on to the trunk
What are the four parts of a vine?
Green parts of the vine
One year wood
Permanent wood
The roots
What are the four main forms of frost protection?
Heaters
Wind Machines
Sprinklers
Vineyard design - slopes are less at risk
Describe Continental climate
High Continentality, low rainfall and a very sunny growing season
American vines are rarely used to make wines, what is their main use?
Providing Phylloxera resistant rootstock for Eurasian species to be grafted onto.
What are Tendrils?
The structure the vine uses to support itself by winding themselves tightly around trellis wires to keep the shoot upright
Which statement is NOT true about Permanent Wood?
It is at least 2 years old
It has bark
Cordon is an example of permanent wood
Buds typically burst from permanent wood
Buds typically burst from permanent wood
Identify 2 examples of Continental Climates for the following temperatures:
Cool
Moderate
Warm
Hot
Cool -> Champagne, Mosel
Mod -> Burgundy, Central Otago
Warm -> Ribera Del Duero, Mendoza
Hot -> La Mancha, Douro
How long after new planting is first yield?
Third year after planting
Identify 2 examples of Maritime climates for the following temperatures:
Cool
Moderate
Warm
Cool -> Muscadet, Tasmania
Mod -> Bordeaux, Rias Baixas
Warm -> Auckland, Margaret River
Which statement about Root stock is false?
- Root stocks are used because they are disease resistant
- Root stocks allow the grower to match different Root stocks to different soils
- Changing Root stocks while the plant is growing is called ‘head grafting’
- Root stocks can be used to manage yield
Changing Root stocks while the plant is growing is called ‘head grafting’