Madeira growing

Question 1

Madeira sunlight and tempereature

Answer 1

Here’s a short, clear, no-sentence version of that info:

Temperature Factors
* 32degrees N latitude
* warm Mediterranean
* summer: 20–22°C
* winter: 16–17°C → dormancy issues (esp. warm sites)
* small island (55km x 22km), not uniform
* mountainous (peaks >1,800m) = varied mesoclimates

• incl. subtropical, oceanic
• cooler with altitude
• wetter in center

Sunlight Factors

• volcanic, mountainous island
• dark soils → absorb & radiate heat
• moist northern air → cools on mountains → rainclouds

Question 2

Madeira water and nutrients factors

Answer 2

• mountainous (peaks over 1,800m) = range of mesoclimates (incl. sub-tripical, oceanic)
• moist air from north cool down on mountains into rainclouds = wetter and cooler center (than north and south)
• central: over 3.000mm/y rain (but its forests and no agricult)
  Funchal: 650mm/y
  Santana (north) 600mm/y
• majority of rain in autumn/winter (mediterranean climate)
• volcanic soils:
• predominantly basaltic
• rich in organic matter = can give high yields
• roughly 2,500 to 4,000 vines per hectare
  2️⃣5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ - 4️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣
• low to medium density to lower competition and increase yield per vine

Question 3

Madeira pests and diseases

Answer 3

• warm and humid = high disease pressure
• downy + powdery
• grey rot
• phomopsis (how to counter?)
  causes a reduction in yield*
  particularly prevalent in years with *cool and wet springs followed by humidity and moderate temperatures

Management Options
Fungicides applied three weeks after budburst and then every two weeks if wet conditions continue.

Diseased and dead wood should be removed during pruning and the removed wood (prunings) then burnt or buried

improve air flow within the canopy may also reduce risk of the disease.

Question 4

Madeira:
viticulture, sites, planting

Answer 4

Viticulture

• 450 ha planted, up to 800m asl
• mostly near coast
• volcanic soils, high nutrients + rain → fertile → vigorous vines
• steep slopes → terraces (“poios”)
• pergola (“latadas”) training
  • air flow ↑ → less fungal pressure
  • allows intercropping
  • 2,500–4,000 vines/ha
  • low–medium density = less competition, higher yield/vine
• also: cordon-spur + VSP (“espaldeir”)
• avg. vineyard: \~0.3 ha
• max yield: 150 hl/ha
• some vineyards lost to tourism

Question 5

Grapes categories Madeira

Answer 5

recommended (Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia, Terrantez): important because of hq but plantings small; Tinta Negra promoted (main v.v. planted after phylloxera)

authorised (varieties planted after phylloxera but not as high quality wines)

Question 6

Considerations in managing nutrients and water Madeira

Answer 6

mainly near coast
volcanic souls, high in nutrients + plenty of rain = fertile conditions = vigorous vines
irrigation widely practised
rainwater carried from center through small channels levadas
south esp. needs

Question 7

Considerations in canopy management, harvest Madeira

Answer 7

mainly near coast
volcanic souls, high in nutrients + plenty of rain = fertile conditions = vigorous vines
off. harvest decided by IVBAM after consulting producers/growers
usually end of August/start Sepbember
steep slopes = done by hand
min pot abv: 9%, generally at 11% abv
max yields: vary by vintage, but high 150hl/ha not unusual (easy due to fertile soils + irrigation)