Grape Growing and Related Labelling Terms Flashcards
Most common vine
vitis vinifera
What does a vine need (5)
warmth, sunlight, CO2, water and nutrients
Grape formation / ripening sequence, timing
Flowering happens in spring (counts on wind to pollinate)
Fruit sets in June
Veraison (ripening color change)
ripening - converting acidity to sugar, swell with water, develop herbaceous flavors (white go from green to stone / tropical and black goes from fresh to cooked fruit). tannins also develop
Sugar concentration methods
extra ripening concentrates acids and sugars
botrytis / noble rot (fungus that cause holes in skin which releases water through evaporation and concentrates sugars + acids). Can be gray rot if (sets too early before ripening and vineyard must be damp / misty in the mornings followed by warm dry afternoons)
frozen grapes - left unpicked through winter and picked while frozen (separating ice crystal and remaining high concentration liquids
List of environmental influences
climate (combination of heat, sunlighjt and water availability)
climatic influences (latitude, altitude, seas, rivers, air, cloud / fog / mist, mountains, slope and aspect)
soil
weather (warm and cool vintages)
drought
weather events (hail, frost, and high rain)
Three types of climates
cool (16.5 / 62)
moderate (18.5 / 65)
warm (18.5 - 21 / 65 - 70)
Latitude impact
altitude impact
most vineyards are 30-50 north and south of the equator
altitude - temperature drops
seas, river, air, cloud / fog /mist, and mountain impact
warm climates are cooled by sea breezes (i.e., south Africa in the cape) and cool places can be warmed (northern Europe benefits from warming Caribbean breezes)
rivers take longer to warm up and cool down vs. land (i.e., in fall, rivers are warmer for longer and can help extend the growing season for cooler regions). Can also reflect sunlight which can help grapes ripen / protect against frost
Cooling air from seas and mountains has a moderating effect on climate. Cooling air from mountains can move down to lower alts at night
Clouds block sun and grapes take longer to ripen (moderating growth), fog moderates and mist is lesser version of that and essential for botrytis
mountains act as barrier from clouds / rain / cold winds which drive sunny summers, dry autumns which extends growing seasons
slope / aspect
vineyards further from equator receive less heat / sun and grapes are usually planted on a slope facing equator
soil impact on temp
stony soils absorb heat and make vineyards warmer while clay retains water and makes soils cooler
cool vs hot vintages
cold: vines struggle to ripen (higher acid, less sweetness, less developed tannins). less signature aroms
hot vintages: uncharacteristic dried fruit aromas and damage from sunburn. in extreme conditions, grapes struggle to ripen because need more water - which may cause vines to shut down - need irrigation
high levels of train
spread of fungal disease and cause grapes to swell and dilute flavors
training and pruning
healthy and commercially viable crop, vines are typically trained on trellises
spraying
fungicide, pesticide, herbicide for weeds. not used in organic vineyards
yield
grapes / unit which may be limited in certain growing regions to preserve quality (too many grapes dilute flavors)
