WWJ In the Vineyard Flashcards
1
Q
What are six factors that affect heat in the growing environment?
A
- Latitude (30-50 degrees N & S of equator)
- Altitude
- Ocean Currents
- Fog
- Soil
- Aspect
2
Q
What are the five key things a vine needs to survive?
A
- Heat
- Carbon Dioxide
- Sunlight
- Nutrients
- Water
3
Q
Define ‘Aspect’
A
The direction in which a slope faces
4
Q
What is ‘continentality’?
A
The temperature difference between the coldest and the hottest months is referred to as continentality.
5
Q
What is ‘diurnal range’?
A
The difference between daytime and night-time temperatures.
6
Q
What are the four forms of protection against spring frosts?
A
- Heaters
- Wind machines
- Sprinklers
- Thoughtful vineyard design
7
Q
What are three factors that affect the amount of sunlight in a vineyard?
A
- Latitude
- Seas and lakes
- Aspect
8
Q
What are the three main irrigation techniques?
A
- Drip irrigation
- Sprinklers
- Flood irrigation
9
Q
Define a ‘cool climate’.
A
Regions with an average growing season temperature of 16.5 C (62 F) or below.
10
Q
Define ‘moderate climates’.
A
Regions with an average growing season temperature of 16.5-18.5 C (62-65 F).
11
Q
Define ‘warm climate’.
A
Regions with an average growing season temperature of 18.5-21 C (65-70 F).
12
Q
Define ‘hot climate’.
A
Regions with an average growing season temperature in excess of 21C (70F).
13
Q
Define ‘continental climate’.
A
A continental climate has the greatest difference in temperature between the hottest and coldest months (high continentality) and are usually characterized by short summers with a large, rapid temperature drop in autumn. Continental climates are also noted for having dry summers.
14
Q
Define ‘maritime climate’.
A
Maritime climate are characterized by cool to moderate temperatures and a low annual difference between the hottest and coldest months (low continentality). Rainfall tends to be evenly spread throughout the year which helps to moderate the temperature.
15
Q
Define ‘Mediterranean climate’.
A
Mediterranean climates are characterized by a low temperature difference between the hottest and coldest months but the summers tend to be warm and dry. The extra warmth and sunlight, compared with maritime climates, leads to wines that are fuller bodied, with riper tannins, higher alcohol and lower levels of acidity. the lower rainfall can have a positive effect on the health of grapes but can also lead to drought.
16
Q
The most expensive and advanced form of irrigation is what?
A
Drip irrigation
17
Q
What are downsides to sprinklers as a form of irrigation?
A
They spray water and create damp conditions, increasing the risk of disease.
18
Q
What are the benefits to sprinklers as an irrigation system?
A
They are cheaper than drip irrigation and can be used for frost protection.
19
Q
What is the minimum temperature required for a vine to grow?
A
10 C (50 F)
20
Q
In order to meet the vine’s temperature needs and its preference for a dormant period, most vineyards lie between what latitudes north and south of the Equator?
A
30 and 50
21
Q
As altitude increases, what happens to the temperature?
A
It drops
22
Q
How do ocean currents impact certain wine regions?
A
The major currents transport large volumes of warm or cold water across the surface of the ocean, leading to localized warming or cooling in certain wine regions.
23
Q
What is the name of the ocean current that warms the north-west of Europe?
A
The Gulf Stream
24
Q
What is an important cooling influence found in many top vineyard areas in California as well as Casablanca Valley in Chile?
A
Fog
25
What types of soil are better at reradiating warmth?
Soils that are either dark in color or that have a high stone and rock content absorb and reradiate more of the sun's heat than lighter colored soils.
26
How can budburst be impacted for vines planted in soils with high water content?
Soils with high water content require more energy to warm up. This can delay budburst.
27
What aspect will provide a vineyard with the most heat?
The vineyards with an aspect facing the Equator receive the most heat. In the Northern Hemisphere south facing slopes whereas in the Southern Hemisphere it is north facing slopes. Steeper slopes benefit even more from this effect.
28
How can large bodies of water impact continentality?
Large bodies of water, such as seas or lakes, heat up and cool down more slowly than landmasses. Therefore in the winter they have a warming effect on the surrounding air and in summer they have a cooling effect. Areas close to large bodies of water therefore generally have low continentality whereas wine regions that are far inland usually see more temperature extremes and have high continentality.
29
How can a vineyard's proximity to seas and lakes impact its diurnal range?
It reduces its diurnal range. Even relatively small bodies of water, such as rivers, can hold enough warmth to keep adjacent vineyards warm overnight and provide cooling breezes during the day.
30
How can the levels of cloud cover influence diurnal range?
The level of cloud cover (generally greater nearer seas and lakes) also influences diurnal range. This is because temperatures drop more quickly on clear nights, when there is no insulating blanket of cloud (increasing diurnal range), and rise more slowly on cloudy days, when sunlight cannot heat the ground directly (reducing diurnal range).
31
What part of the vine is most at risk during a winter freeze?
the graft
32
What can happen to a vine if a winter is mild or there is no winter at all?
If winter is mild, or there is no winter at all, the vine will not have a dormancy period and may produce more than one crop each year. Its life will be shortened, and the quality of the grapes will suffer. Mild winters also mean larger populations of insect pests survive to attack the vine the following summer.
33
When do spring frosts occur?
Spring frosts occur when cold air below 0 C (32 F) collects at ground level, freezing any water vapor that has settled on the ground or the vine.
34
What impact can spring frost have on a vine?
If spring frosts are present when newly burst buds or young shoots are present, it kills them. The damage done and the impact on yields can be enormous, and in frost-prone regions growers go to great lengths to minimize the risk.
35
How can cold temperature during the spring months impact the growing season?
Cold temperatures in the spring may delay budburst. This shortens the growing season and could mean that there is not enough time for the grapes to ripen fully in the autumn before it becomes to cold. Flowering and fruit set can also be disrupted by cold temps, resulting in a smaller than average crop of grapes.
36
How can very hot temps during the summer months impact the growing season?
During the summer, very hot temps can be harmful, and in prolonged periods of extreme heat all vine activity will slow and eventually stop, even when there is sufficient water. This prevents the grapes from ripening. In extreme cases the vine will die. Hot and dry conditions can also increase the risk of fires starting and rapidly spreading. Vineyards can be damaged and winery buildings destroyed if they lie in the path of these fires. In addition, the smoke that such fires produce can affect a much larger area.
37
How can smoke from fires impact a wine?
Smoke in the vineyard during the ripening period can result in smoky or plastic-like aromas in the final wines.
38
Why is light necessary for the vine?
Without light, photosynthesis cannot happen and plants die. The more light there is the more a vine will photosynthesize and the greater the amount of glucose produced for growth and ripening grapes. Flowering and fruit set also benefit greatly from plenty of sunlight.
39
How does latitude impact the amount of sunlight in a vineyard?
Day length during the summer growing season is longer the further the vineyard is from the Equator.
40
How can seas and lakes impact the amount of sunlight in a vineyard?
Vineyards near large bodies of water tend to experience more cloud cover. Regions at the center of large land masses tend to be sunnier. In some cases, vineyards situated above rivers or lakes can benefit from sunlight reflected from the surface of the water.
41
How can aspect impact the amount of sunlight in a vineyard?
A slope's aspect affects the amount of sunlight it receives and steeper slopes benefit more from this effect. Vineyards that face the Equator receive the most sunlight. The greater the distance from the equator the weaker the sun's energy, so for vineyards that are closest to the Poles maximizing the sunlight with a favorable aspect is especially important.
42
What can be negative results of intensely sunny conditions?
Intensely sunny conditions can cause sunburn, leading to bitter flavors developing in the grape skins.
43
How does a vine access water?
The vine accesses water through its roots and draws the water up to its leaves.
44
What is transpiration?
The process where water is lost via evaporation from the vine's leaves.
45
Why could limiting the supply of water to the vine once a sufficient canopy of leaves has grown be beneficial for grape ripening?
This has the added advantage of reducing the impact of shading because the canopy does not grow too large.
46
What is the most important source of water for a vineyard?
Rainfall
47
What can happen to a vine if drought occurs?
During prolonged shortages of water or drought, vines suffer from water stress; photosynthesis stops, leaves wilt and grapes fail to ripen. Ultimately this can weaken and kill a vine.
48
What can happen if a vine has access to too much water during the growing season?
If the vine has access to too much water during the growing season the vine will continue to grow shoots and leaves during the ripening season, leaving less sugar for ripening grapes. Furthermore, the extra shoots and leaves increase the amount of shading in the canopy, which restricts grape ripening.
49
What can be the result of waterlogged soils?
A waterlogged soil can cause the roots to die through lack of oxygen. Waterlogging can be avoided by planting vines on a slope or, on flat sites, installing drainage pipes to aid the flow of water away from the roots.
50
What region in Argentina is particularly prone to hail?
Mendoza
51
How is a region's climate defined?
A region's climate is defined as the annual pattern of temp, sunlight and rainfall averaged out over several years. The climate does not change from one year to the next, though it can alter over a period of decades.
52
What are the largest of soil particles?
stones are the largest soil particles and are not always present in a vineyard soil.
53
What is humus?
Humus is made up of decomposing plant and animal materials that re-enriched in plant nutrients and have excellent water retaining properties.
54
How is water stored in soil?
Water is stored in the soil by binding to clay particles or humus.
55
What is loam?
Loam is a mixture of sand and clay particles.
56
What are three important nutrients for a vine?
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.
57
What is a common symptom linked to a lack of nutrients in a vine?
Chlorosis
58
What is chlorosis?
Chlorosis is a common symptom linked to a lack of nutrients. The leaves turn yellow and the vine's ability to photosynthesize is restricted. Grapes struggle to ripen properly and their quality and quantity is reduced.
59
Define Vitis Vinifera.
This is the main Eurasian species. It produces nearly all the grapes used in winemaking and as been used to make wine for several thousand years.
60
What is a 'cutting'?
A cutting is a section of a vine shoot that is planted and then grows as a new plant. This method is widely used in commercial nurseries that sell vines to growers.
61
What is 'layering'?
Layering takes place in the vineyard. A cane is bent down and a section of it is buried in the ground. The cane tip points upwards out of the ground. The buried section takes root and, once these roots are established, the cane linking the new growth to the original plant is cut.
62
When considering the anatomy of the vine, what are 'buds'?
These form in the join between the leaf and the shoot and can be described as embryonic shoots. Once formed, they mature inside their casing during the growing season so that, by the end of the year, each bud contains in miniature all the structures that will become the shoot, leaves, flowers and tendrils the following year.
63
What is a 'crossing'?
A crossing is when a new variety is produced from two parents of the same species.
64
What is a 'hybrid'?
A hybrid is a vine whose parents come from two different vine species. Typically hybrids will have at least one American vine as a parent.
65
What are Nematodes?
Nematodes are microscopic worms that attack the roots of vines interfering with water and nutrient uptake. In certain instances they transmit vine viruses.
66
Whay are birds and mammals considered vineyard pests?
They can both consume large volumes of grapes. Additionally, half-eaten or crushed grapes can lead to an increased risk of fungal disease.
67
Why are insects considered pests?
They feed on both grapes and leaves.
68
How many important species of vines are native to North America?
3
69
Why are vines native to North America rarely used to produce grapes for winemaking?
They are rarely used to produce grapes for winemaking because the wines they produce are widely considered to have unattractive flavors.
70
What is the major benefit of North American rootstocks?
They are resistant to Phylloxera.
71
What is 'clonal selection'?
When vines with positive mutations are selected for further propagation by cutting or layering, so that the positive characteristics of these vines can be carried forward in new plantings.
72
What is a specific example of a mutation that has had such a significant effect that although technically clones of an original pant, the resulting vines are treated as different grape varieties?
The grape varieties Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Meunier are all mutations of an ancient grape variety called Pinot.
73
What is cross-fertilization and why is it used?
Cross-fertilization is where pollen from the male part of the flower of one vine is transferred to the female part of the flower of another vine and fertilization occurs. The pollinated flower develops into a grape with seeds. This allows new grape varieties to be created in controlled conditions. Grape varieties can therefore be created that are developed to thrive in certain climates and soil conditions, as well as varieties with improved disease resistance, and those able to deliver a higher quality of quantity of grapes.
74
What is the function of a vine's leaves?
The leaves are the plant's engine. They are principally responsible for photosynthesis, which is the process by which plants use sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen.
75
What is glucose and how does it impact the vine?
Glucose is a sugar that is used to support vine growth and makes ripe grapes taste sweet.
76
What is the function of a vine's tendrils?
Vines are not able to support themselves, so they use tendrils to grip a supporting structure in order to stay upright. Once a tendril senses that it has touched a structure, such as a trellis wire, it will wind itself around the wire in order to keep the shoot upright.
77
What is the function of a vine's flowers?
Flowers are the vine's reproductive organs. A vine's flowers have both male and female parts, and are grouped in bunched called inflorescences. Each flower that is successfully pollinated will become a berry and so the inflorescence will become the bunch of grapes that will be harvested at the end of the growing season.
78
Why is one-year-old-wood vital for a grape-grower?
Managing one-year-old-wood is vital for a grape-grower because vines will normally only produce fruit on shoots that grow from buds that developed the previous year.
79
What is the difference between a cane and a spur?
Every winter the vine is pruned and the one-year-old-wood will either be called a cane or a spur depending on how many buds it is left with. A cane is long, with 8-20 buds, whereas a spur is short and only has 2-3 buds.
80
What is permanent wood?
Permanent wood is wood that is more than one year old. In the vineyard the amount of permanent wood is restricted by pruning. The permanent wood is made up of the trunk and, where present, the arms of the vine.
81
What is the function of a vine's roots?
The roots function is to absorb water and nutrients from the soil, anchor the vine and store carbohydrates to allow the vine to survive winter.
82
What is the main reason that new varieties rarely come to market?
New varieties rarely come to market with the main reason being the resistance of consumers to unknown grape varieties.
83
Müller-Thurgau is a corssing between what two grape varieties?
Riesling X Madeleine Royale
84
Pinotage is a crossing between what two grape varieties?
Pinot Noir x Cinsault
85
The grapes from American vines are rarely used in winemaking, and this is true of their hybrids too. What is one notable exception however grown in Canada?
Vidal
86
What is phylloxera?
Phylloxera is an insect that is native to North America and v. vinifera is unable to defend itself against this pest.
87
How do American rootstocks protect the vine against phylloxera?
American vines are able to inhibit the underground louse by clogging its mouth with sticky sap. They also form protective layers behind the feeding wound preventing secondary infections.
88
What is grafting?
Grafting is the technique used to join a rootstock to a v. vinifera variety.
89
What is bench grafting?
Bench grafting is an automated process carried out by specialist plant nurseries and is the most popular modern technique of grafting. Short sections of cane from both the v. vinifera variety and the rootstock variety are joined together in order to encourage the two parts to fuse together. Once this happens the vine can be planted.
90
What is head grafting?
Head grafting is used if a grape grower with an established vineyard decides to switch to a different grape variety between seasons. The existing vine is cut back to its trunk and a bud or cutting of the new variety is grafted onto the trunk. If it is successful the vine will produce the fruit of the new variety at the next vintage.
91
What are the benefits of head grafting?
It takes a newly planted vine a minimum of three years to be able to produce a commercial crop, but this technique can allow the grower to adjust quickly to changes in market demand. It is also considerably cheaper than replanting the whole vineyard and the new variety starts life with an established root system.
92
What are the main techniques applied in the vineyard to manage the vine?
Training, pruning, trellising and planting density
93
How long is a vineyard normally left fallow after vines are dug up?
3 years or more
94
What is a good control measure to protect ripe grapes from birds?
Netting
95
What is Bordeaux mixture and why is it used?
It is copper-based spray, used to treat Downy Mildew
96
How has Powdery Mildew traditionally been treated?
Sulphur-based sprays
97
Why are sharpshooters damaging to the vine?
They infect vines with bacterial diseases, reducing grape quality and at worst killing the vine.
98
Biodynamic agriculture is based on the works of which 2 individuals?
Rudolf Steiner and Maria Thun
99
What is Veraison?
The point at which ripening grapes change color.
100
Vine training can be broadly split into two categories, what are they?
Head training and Cordon Training
101
Why does cordon training take longer to establish?
The system requires a greater amount of permanent wood
102
Bush-trained vines are better suited to what type of climate?
Warm or hot, dry and sunny
103
What does VSP stand for?
Vertical Shoot Positioning
104
Budburst generally occurs when the mean temperature exceeds what degree Celsius?
10 (or 50 F)
105
What can be done in continental climates during winter freeze to protect the vine?
Earth can be piled up around the base of the vine to offer protection
106
In the southern hemisphere, during which two months does harvest usually take place?
March-April
107
Dry conditions are preferred during harvest - why?
Excess rain dilutes flavors and increases risk of rot
108
Fruitset to veraison generally takes how many weeks?
6-8 weeks
109
Why do some producers summer-prune?
To remove excess foliage and ensure the canopy remains open.
110
Are man-made chemicals prohibited in sustainable agriculture?
No, but use is restricted
111
What fungal disease appears as yellow spots on the upper side of leaves or furry grey patches on the underside?
Downy Mildew
112
What fungal disease appears as a grey-white powdery coasting that can affect all the green parts of the vine including the leaves and grapes?
Powdery Mildew
113
What is the main aim of winter pruning?
to determine the number and locations of the buds that will form in the coming growing season.
114
What are the two styles of winter pruning called?
1. Spur pruning
2. replacement cane pruning
115
Replacement cane pruning is most often seen with what kind of vine training method?
Head training
116
Summer pruning involves leaf stripping, so that bunches of grapes see what benefit?
Optimum exposure to sunshine
117
The vine's canopy is made up of what?
All the green parts of the vine
118
Planting density in a vineyard is typically expressed how?
Vines per hectare
119
What is one very important set of criteria that can determine planting density?
The availability of nutrients and water
120
What are two advantages of machine harvesting?
1. Speed
2. Can work at night - bringing in grapes when they're cool
121
What are two disadvantages of machine harvesting?
1. Can only be used on flat or gently sloping land
2. Not selective - unsuitable material might be collected
or
3. Cannot be used to pick grapes for styles requiring whole bunches
122
When might hand-picking grapes be essential?
When picking grapes affected by noble rot -- where the onset and degree of rot varies from bunch to bunch and berry to berry, and careful selection is required. Hand harvesting may also be the only option on very steep vineyards.
