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WSET Diploma, Module 1 > Grape Development > Flashcards

Grape Development Flashcards

1
Q

When is grape development in the Northern hemisphere?

A

June to October (6-10)

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2
Q

What is grape development in the southern hemisphere?

A

December to April (12-4)

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3
Q

What are the four stages of grape development?

A
  1. grape berry formation
  2. verasion
  3. ripening
  4. extra-ripening
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4
Q

What happens during grape berry formation?

A
  • hard green grapes start to grow in size
  • tartaric and malic acids accumulate
  • some aroma compounds and aroma precursors accumulate
  • tannins (very bitter) accumulate
  • sugar levels are low throughout this stage
  • water flow into the grape is high at this stage
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5
Q

What are methoxypyrazines?

A

Aroma compounds that contribute to herbaceous aromas/flavors in some wines, such as those from Sauv Blanc, Cab Sauv, and Cab Franc. They develop during grape berry formation.

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6
Q

What causes a prolonged grape berry development period?

A
  • too much water and nitrogen
  • encourage shoot growth in preference to grape ripening
  • causes delay in the onset of the ripening stage
  • may not be sufficient time for ripening before the weather becomes cold and rainy and the grapes need to be harvested
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7
Q

What speeds up the grape berry development period, and how does this affect the final wine?

A

Mild water stress

  • yields to smaller grapes
  • reduces juice yield
  • greater skin to pulp ration (can be associated with bitter quality in red wines)
  • higher levels of color, tannins, and aroma compounds
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8
Q

What occurs during veraison?

A

Grape growth slows down (lag phase)

  • grape cell walls become stretchy and supple
  • green-colored chlorophyll in skin cells is broken down
  • grapes of black varieties start to become red in color due to the synthesis of compounds called anthocyanins
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9
Q

What does the vine need during grape development?

A
  • sunlight
  • warmth
  • mild water stress
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10
Q

What are adverse conditions during grape development?

A
  • too much water and nutrients
  • excessive shading of grapes
  • very cold or very hot conditions throughout the day and night
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11
Q

When does shoot growth start to slow down?

A

Ripening

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12
Q

What happens to the grape during ripening?

A
  • the cells in the grape expand rapidly
  • sugar and water accumulate
  • acid levels fall
  • tannins, color, and a number of aroma precursors and compounds develop
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13
Q

What is the temperature required for photosynthesis to occur at the maximum rate?

A

18-33 C (64-91 F)

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14
Q

What effect do warmer years with very hot, dry conditions have on the vine and photosynthesis?

A
  • extreme water stress
  • cause photosynthesis to slow or stop
  • hinder sugar accumulation
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15
Q

How do grapes develop sugar?

A
  • sugar is produced in the vines’ leaves by photosynthesis
  • a sugar solution is transported by the phloem into the grapes
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16
Q

in what conditions is the rate of grape transpiration faster? In what conditions is it slower?

A

Faster = warm, dry conditions

Slower = cool, humid conditions

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17
Q

How does the concentration of tartaric acid change during ripening?

A
  • total amount of tartaric acid in the grape generally does not change
  • however the concentration falls during ripening due to dilution, as sugar and water accumulate in the grape
18
Q

Why do wines from cooler climates tend to have higher natural acidity?

A
  • malic acid can be used in respiration during the ripening stage
  • respiration is slower at cool temperatures than warm ones
  • cool night time temperatures also mean that less malic acid is lost during respiration
19
Q

During the final month of ripening, what temperature range is crucial?

A
  • 15-21 C (59-70 F)
  • warmer than 21: rapid loss of acidity
  • cooler than 15: acidity levels are too high
20
Q

What happens to methoxypyrazine levels during ripening?

A
  • levels fall
  • Cool temperatures and limited sunlight (e.g. due to excessive shading of bunches) can hinder this decrease and the resulting wines may show particularly herbaceous aromas/flavors
21
Q

What aroma compound increases during ripening? What flavors can they create?

A
  • terpenes
  • give floral and citrus aromas, such as the grapey aromas found in Muscat
22
Q

What conditions give off “riper” aromas?

A

Warmer, sunnier climates tend to produce grapes and wines with aromas that could be described as “riper” than cooler, less sunny climates

23
Q

In black grapes, when are tannin levels the highest?

A
  • highest at verasion
  • start to decrease slightly at ripening
24
Q

What tannins polymerize, how does it affect the flavor?

A

causes them to become less bitter

25
Q

What happens to anthocyanins during ripening? What factors encourage this?

A
  • anthocyanins increase during ripening stage
  • plentiful sunlight, temps between 15 and 25 C
26
Q

What 4 factors determine the length of ripening?

A
  1. variety
  2. climatic conditions
  3. management of the vine and vineyard
  4. time of harvest
27
Q

Name 2 early ripening varieties

A
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Noir
28
Q

Name 2 late ripening varieties

A
  • Cab Sauv
  • Grenache
29
Q

In what climatic conditions is sugar ripening quickest?

A
  • sugar ripening is quickest in warm, dry conditions
  • however, very hot or dry conditions can cause the vine to shut down, which inhibits grape formation and ripening
30
Q

Name 2 elements of vineyard management that can slow down ripening

A
  1. heavy crop loads
  2. excessive shading within the vine canopy
31
Q

What happens if ripe grapes are left on the vine?

A
  • grapes start to shrivel
  • no more sugar or water are imported to the grape by phloem at this stage, but water loss in the grape through grape transpiration means that sugars are concentrated
  • extra-ripe aromas can also develop in this stage
32
Q

What are the factors that determine ripeness?

A
  1. amount of sugar in the grapes
  2. level of acidity in the grapes
  3. flavor profile
  4. tannin ripeness
33
Q

Describe the grape flavor evolution through ripening

A
  • under-ripe (often herbaceous)
  • to fresh fruit
  • to riper fruit
  • to jammy, or cooked fruit
34
Q

Describe tannins during grape formation and ripening

A
  • during grape formation, skin tannins accumulate but are bitter to taste
  • during ripening, tannins polymerise and become less bitter
35
Q

What is a winemaker’s main concern with tannins?

A
  • avoid bitter, unripe tannins
36
Q

Why do wines from warm climates tend to have higher levels of alcohol?

A

The desired sugar ripeness may be reached before the desired ripeness of aromas and tannins.

37
Q

What can winemakers do if the optimal balance of sugar, acid, and tannins isn’t achieved naturally?

A

Make adjustments during the winemaking process

38
Q

What’s easiest to adjust: sugar, alcohol, acid, or tannin levels? What does this mean when grape growers try to find optimal ripeness?

A
  • sugar, alcohol, and acid are easier to adjust than bitter, unripe tannins
  • many growers will focus on attaining the desired level of tannin and aroma ripeness first since they can adjust other things
39
Q

What happens to the vines in late summer and autumn?

A

Late summer

  • cane formation: green shoots lignify

Autumn

  • leaves fall
  • carbohydrate reserves stored in the roots, trunk, branches
  • vine enters its dormant period
40
Q

What can winemakers do if the optimal balance of sugar, acid and tannins isn’t achieved naturally?

A

Make adjustments during the winemaking process.

41
Q

What’s easiest to adjust: sugar, alcohol, acid, or tannin levels? What does this mean when grape growers try to find optimal ripeness?

A
  • sugar, alcohol, and acid are easier to adjust than bitter, unripe tannins

Many grape growers will focus on attaining the desired level of tannin and aroma ripeness first, since they can adjust the other things

42
Q

What happens to the vines in late summer and autumn?

A

Late summer
- cane formation: green shoots lignify

Autumn
- leaves fall
- carbohydrate reserves are stored in the roots, trunk, and branches
- vine enters its dormant period

WSET Diploma, Module 1 (70 decks)

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