Grape Growing

Question 1

Parts of a grape

Answer 1

Skin -
colour, tannins (antioxidant), flavours

Pulp -
water, sugar, acid, flavours

Seeds & Stems -
Tannins

Question 2

What environmental factors does a vine need to thrive?

Answer 2

water, C02, warmth, nutrients (from soil)

Question 3

Photosynthesis basic equation

Answer 3

water + C02 + sunlight —–> sugar

Question 4

Grape formation & ripening

Answer 4

Flowering (self-pollination) > Fruit set (hard, green , sour bulbs), veraison (green to red/black/purpke) > ripe grapes (acidity drops and sugar increases, tannins up, flavours shift the longer grapes ripen in a given climate)

Question 6

Growing environment - COOL climate features

Answer 6

16.5C or below

(Wines - less alcohol, tannins, lighter body, more acidity)

Question 7

Moderate growing climate

Answer 7

16.5C to 18.5C

Question 8

Warm growing climate

Answer 8

18.5C to 21C

(Wines - more alcohol, tannins, fuller body, less acidity)

Question 9

Latitude influence on growing climate

Answer 9

Most vineyards globally are locate between 30 to 50 degrees NORTH or SOUTH of the equator.
Too hot close to equator

Altitude -
temps drop higher up = cooler growing climate even if at same latitude as another vineyard

Coastal vineyards -
warming or cooling influence of ocean currents/winds.
I.e. South Africa - cooling antarctic ocean currents /
Europe - warming Caribbean currents crossing Atlantic

Question 10

Rivers, slopes and aspect impact on growing

Answer 10

Rivers -
take longer to warm up/cool down so can moderate impact on vineyard.
Warmth in autumn, reflect sunlight back onto vines, protect against frost

Slope -
incline of the land the vineyard

Aspect -
facing north/south. If sunlight limited, then facing south to maximise exposure is key i.e. sparkling wine vineyards in Surrey/South Downs

Question 11

Cloud, fog & mist positive impacts on growing

Answer 11

Water vapour in the air

Clouds -
above ground level can block some sunlight - i.e. good in v warm climates v i.e. Aus

Fog -
cools down vineyards i.e. to moderate coastal regions i.e. Cali, Chile

Mist -
Essential for botritus/ ‘noble rot’, in particular for sweet wine production

Question 12

Mountains, soils

Answer 12

Mountians - rain, wind/cloud, sun protection i.e. Alsace, France

Soils -
Provides the water & nutrients for growing.
Water retention - Some can be better at this which aids ripening
Very stony - can hold warmth better &

Air -
Warm coastal winds, cool down vineyard i.e. Pacific on Cali vineyards

Cold mountain air - can fall down to lower altitudes to cool vineyards at night

Question 13

Weather influence on wines & vintages (year)

Answer 13

Day - to day sunlight, water

Vintage variations - i.e. wines from one year to another.
Especially matters in prestigious regions i.e. Bordeux

Question 14

Weather influence - A hot vintage problems on wine

Answer 14

Grapes can overrippen - leads to dried fruit aromas

Excess heat/sunlight -
leads to sunburnt grapes. Decreases yield of a vine

Drought -
caused by prolonged period of below average rainfall. (due to higher overall climate temperatures)
Irrigation can help, but water table may not be plentiful enough.

Too much rainfall -
Fungal disease flourishes from excess air moisture

Too little -
Vine shut down, stop growing or dies.

Hail -
physical vine/grape damage, hard tp predict when it occurs

Too cold vs typical climate weather -
Struggle to ripen
Acid levels high, sugar level low - Grapes struggle to reach typical flavour characteristics

Question 15

Wine made in the same year but produced in the South will technically be older or younger than one grown in the North by how long

Answer 15

6 months older if grown in the South vs North in the same year i.e. NZ vs France 2018

Question 16

What are the key vineyard activities

Answer 16

Training & pruning -
of vines/trellis

Spraying -
of fungicides, pesticides, herbicides. For weeds, pests & diseases (organic - no synthetic sprays)

Yield -
No. of grapes produced per unit of area.
Balance of quality/quantity

Irrigation -
of water where rainfall is lacking.

Harvesting -
Timing is key to get right sugar/acid/flavour & tannins
Hand picked or machine (no machine on steep slopes)

Question 17

Vine age (Old Vine)

Answer 17

Older vines produce smaller yields of grapes. More concentrated and complex aromas = higher quality wines.

French for old vine - ‘Vielles Vignes’.
Sometimes found on bottle label

Question 18

‘Late Harvest’ label & why?

Answer 18

Harvestes much later than usual i.e. autumn/winter.

Creates riper flavours & higher sugar levels. More full bodied & concentrated. Can be dry, off dry, medium or sweet

Question 19

Botrytis / Noble Rot

Answer 19

Botrytis - type of fungus leading to noble rot.
Punctures holes in grapes, releasing water but concentrating sugars & acids.

Used for sweet wines.

Question 20

Icewine/Eiswein

Answer 20

Grapes left to freeze on vine in winter before harvesting.

Water in grapes are frozen when pressed = grape juice that is very concentrated in sugar/acid.

Used to make sweet wines.