Vini,Viti, Grape Flashcards
1
Q
Where did Viti Vinifera originate from?
A
Mesopotamia - The Fertile Crescent between the Tigris & Euphrates River
Native to Mediterranean, Europe, Southwestern Asia.
2
Q
How common is Vitis Vinifera? What are examples?
A
Most common for quality grape production.
10,000 varieties.
Examples: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah
3
Q
What are location and geography considerations
A
Site location of vineyard
Goals of wine producer
Regional wine laws
Financial considerations
4
Q
Climate General Definition
A
(-) The weather conditions in an area in general or over a long period of time.
(-) This includes: temperature, humidity, air pressure, rainfall, sunshine, cloud cover, wind, and other elements that are relatively stable
from year to year
5
Q
Climate types
A
Continental
Maritime
Mediterranean
Desert/Arid
6
Q
Climate descriptors
A
Cool
Moderate
Warm
7
Q
Macroclimate
A
The climate of an area, such as a wine region
8
Q
Mesoclimate
A
The climate of a vineyard
9
Q
Microclimate
A
the climate around a single vine
10
Q
Degree-Days
A
Days during the growing season are assigned individual growing degree-days according to the number of days that the average temperature exceeds the threshold of over 50°F.
11
Q
Where do grapes grow?
A
(-) Latitudinal Wine Growing Zones
(-) Most wine-growing regions are within the 30-50° degree latitudinal lines.
(-) Wine-growing regions may exist outside this range
mainly due to climate moderators
12
Q
Another name for Phylloxera
A
Microscopic vine louse
13
Q
What is Phylloxera
A
The microscopic insect related to the aphid that feeds on the roots and leaves of grape vines
Mid-19th century destroyed many of the vineyards in France. Most wine regions of the world are affected.
14
Q
What was one way we stopped Phylloxera
A
Use of resistant American vine species
rootstock to stop the spread.
Grafting of Vitis Vinifera onto Vitis Labrusca rootstock.
15
Q
What is it called to splice one grape species (say, vinifera) onto another species (say, rupestris)?
A
Grafting
16
Q
What was the rootstock that was created to help Vines survive and fight diseases?
A
Vitis Labrusca
17
Q
Other vine diseases
A
Pierce’s Disease
18
Q
What is the French Term for Old Vines
A
Vielle Vignes
19
Q
What is yield? How is it measured
A
(-) How much fruit a vine produces.
(-) Yield can be measured in a few ways:
- Tons per acre
- Hectoliters per hectare
20
Q
Understand the quality impact as a result of yield
choices and how different grape varieties respond to various yields.
A
21
Q
Climate Moderators include
A
Altitude
Diurnal shifts
Sunshine hours
Bodies of water
Wind
Rain shadow effect
22
Q
Impact of Altitude
A
With every 100 meters of rise in elevation,
temperatures drop by approximately one degree
In warm to hot winegrowing regions, increased elevation provides cooler temperatures that
help to slow grape ripening and produce more balanced wines.
23
Q
Impact of Diurnal shifts
A
(-) Defined as the difference between average daytime high and nighttime low temperatures
(-) Can affect the ripening of grapes and the balancing of acidity and sugar
24
Q
Impact of bodies of water
A
Can warm or cool a wine region
25
Impact of wind
Fermentation styles of Alcohol
26
Impact of rain shadow
Fructose and Glucose
27
What is topography?
The surface features of the land, such as local elevation or altitude. This includes local mountains, hills, valleys, and bodies of water
28
Common soil properties
(-) Drainage or water retention
(-) Sun reflection
(-) Nutrient content
(-) Temperature regulation
(-) Pest resistance
29
Grapes are the fruit of a vining plant of which
genus
Vitis
30
There are many species of vining plants that
produce grapes for making wine. What is the focus here
Vinifera
31
How are grape varieties chosen?
Regional wine law
Climate compatibility
Soil compatibility
Marketability
32
Other species of vines
Vitis Labrusca examples: Catawba, Concord
33
Hybrid
(-) A grape variety created from two different species (e.g., Vitis vinifera × Vitis labrusca).
(-) Typically bred for disease resistance, cold hardiness, or unique flavors.
(-) Example: Vidal Blanc (used in Ice Wine, a hybrid of Ugni Blanc × Seibel).
34
Crossing
(-) A new grape variety resulting from two parents of the same species (Vitis vinifera × Vitis vinifera).
(-) Happens naturally or through breeding to improve certain characteristics.
(-)Example: Cabernet Sauvignon (Cabernet Franc × Sauvignon Blanc).
35
Clone
(-) A genetically identical vine created from cuttings of a single parent plant.
(-) Maintains key traits but may show small variations over time due to adaptation.
(-) Example: Pinot Noir clones (Dijon Clone 115, 777, 828)
36
Mutations
(-) A natural genetic change in a grape variety that can result in a new expression
(-) Can affect color, flavor, yield, and climate adaptability
(-) Example: Pinot Blanc & Pinot Gris are mutations of Pinot Noir
37
How are grape varieties chosen?
Regional wine law
Climate compatibility
Soil compatibility
Marketability
38
Parts of the grape vine:
Rootstock
Trunk
Cordons
Shoots/canes
Grape clusters/bunches
Canopy
39
What are the small green clusters that form from the shoots that develop in the early spring
Embryo Bunches
40
Vine Training Systems- Two main systems to note
1. Head training: Examples such as Gobelet/bush
2. Cordon training: Using support for growth
41
Canopy management
Managing the growth of the
leaves
42
Irrigation
Making sure the vine has enough water in the growing season
43
Managing pests, disease, mildew, fungus infections,
etc.:
Fungi/Mold: Botrytis cinerea (can be a good thing!)
Pests: Phylloxera
44
Managing yield
Making sure the vine is producing the amount of fruit desired
45
Green harvest
A quality measure of removing or dropping unripe grapes or clusters
46
Vineyard management
Vineyards need to be managed:
(-) To remain viable and healthy
(-) . Vines need to be managed or trained so they
vine in a particular size and ideal shape to ripen grapes best
(-) Many vine training systems exist to suit different
grape varieties in wine-growing regions
47
Vineyard slope and sun exposure
Resulting characteristics of finished
wines that are exposed to heat and light at different
times of day.
48
Vine Cycle
Dormancy
Bud Break
Flowering
Fruit Set
Ripening
- Veraison
- Hangtime
Maturity
Harvest
Pruning
49
What is mesoclimate
The climate of a particular vineyard
50
What is microclimate
Refers to the climate in and around a vine canopy, the restricted space including all parts of the vine above the ground
51
Grapes made for winemaking do better on low fertile soil of rich soils
Low fertile soils - vines should always struggle to produce good fruit
52
Most of worlds vines are grafted to what type of rootstock and why?
American because American rootstocks from the Native American grapevine species Vitis Riparia that is resistant to Phylloxera
53
After grafting and planting how long does it take for the vine to produce grapes suitable for harvest
3 years
54
What is the name of the training system where there is one permanent cane that extends from the trunk, called arms. It grows thick and gnarled over time and fruit bearing shoots will emerge from it each season
Cordon trained
55
What is the name of the training system that has no permanent cordon and the trunk ends in a knob or head. This system typically doesn't need a trellis support system. This system usually supported by a stake or nothing at all
Head trained
56
Head trained Vines are spur pruned or cane pruned
They actually are both
57
Cordon trained Vines are spur pruned or cane pruned
Spur pruned
58
One of the most basic forms of cane pruning / head training is
Guyot System
59
What system requires a vertical trellis on which the canes can be suspended and has one spur and one main two year old cane
The guyot system
60
What system is an ancient technique common in southern Rhone and southern Italy, where the Vines often unsupported resembles this system, with each years fruiting canes extending from the spur pruned shortened arms atop the trunk. This system is called a bush system in Australia
Gobelet system
61
What is albarello
The Italian name for gobelet
62
What is en vaso
The Spanish name for gobelet
63
What system is one of the simplest spured-pruned / cordon trained systems? This system is the preferred training style for Pinot Noir in Champagne, and is similar to the Guyot system, with a single spur - pruned permenant cordon extending horizontally from the trunk, rather than a two year old cane
Cordon de Royat
64
What system maybe used for either cane pruned or spur pruned Vines. Also known as a tendone system where the Vines are trained upward and overhead along wooden frames or trees, enabling workers to pass underneath
Vertical Shoot Positioning
65
What is the Quercus
The scientific name for the oak used in the wine making process
66
What is Quercus Robur and Quercus Petranea
The scientific names of the French oak used in the winemaking process
67
What is Quercus Alba
The scientific name of the American White Oak used in winemaking
68
Warming - Chauffage
Shaping - Cintrage
Toasting - Bousinage
These are the steps to what process
Heating the oak to make the barrels
69
What is the most important and has the most effect in the barrel heating process
Toasting - Bousinage
70
What effect does toasting have on he wine
The heavier the toast of the barrel the more vanilla flavor the wine have
71
What is Colatura
Poor fruit set at flowering
72
What is Coulure
The dropping of flowers (grapes)
- occurs during the flowering phase, in the spring, wind and rain as well as chemical deficiencies can help keep grapevine flowers from being properly fertilized, causing these flowers to drop from the cluster
73
Define Viticulture
(-) Factors of production that influence grape growing; those occurring from nature plus manmade decisions in the vineyard that affect wine quality.
74
4 Common types of viticulture
1. Organic
2. Biodynamic
3. Sustainable
4. Dry farming
75
Organic viticulture
(-) No synthetic chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers)
(-) Uses natural treatments and promotes soil health
76
Biodynamic Viticulture 🌙
(-) Holistic, self-sustaining farming based on lunar and cosmic cycles.
(-) Uses natural composts & herbal preparations (e.g., cow horn manure)
77
Sustainable Viticulture
(-) Balances environmental, social, and economic factors.
(-) Allows some chemical use but focuses on eco-friendly practices (cover crops, water conservation)
78
Dry Farming
(-) No irrigation, relying only on natural rainfall
(-) Produces lower yields but more concentrated flavors
(-) Common in regions like Rioja, Napa, and parts of Oregon.
79
Grape Maturity
(-) Ripeness is a range, one vineyard manager's definition of ripeness may be different than another's.
(-) Sugar measurements: Example- Brix
Structure and flavor ripeness
80
How grapes are picked?
By hand or by machine
81
Timing of picking - Considerations include:
(-) Weather
(-) Style of wine being made
(-) Producer goals
(-) Regional wine law
(-) Number of vineyard passes for picking
82
How are the grapes collected?
How does this affect quality?
Collection bin size (large or small)
Smaller bin size is higher quality, larger bin size gets squished
83
Goût de terroir" or Taste of Earth
(-) Encompasses all of the environmental impacts on a grapevine
(-) Unique characteristics of wine such as
aromas and flavors that distinguish it from all others.
84
Vinification
Decisions and practices made in the
winery from harvest to when the wine is bottled.
85
Basic chemistry of wine and how it relates to cause and effect
86
Malolactic fermentation
(-) A winemaking process that turns malic acid into lactic acid
(-) Softens the wine's acidity and gives it a smoother mouthfeel.
(-) Often employed when making white wines, especially Chardonnay, imparting rich, buttery aromas and flavors.
87
acids in wine
88
sugars in wine
89
Factors in Decision Making for wine
What is the goal of the winery?
What style of wine will be produced?
What will the price point of the wine be?
Are there regional wine laws the winery must adhere
to?
Sustainability
90
Sugar + Yeast
Alcohol, CO2, Heat, Aromas, Flavors
91
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Species of yeast for wine fermentation
92
Red Winemaking Steps
(-) Harvest
(-) Crush
(-) Destem or whole bunch
(-) Skins and seeds macerated with juice (must)
(-) Fermentation
(-) Press juice from skins
(-) Aging
(-) Fining/Filtration
(-) Bottling/Packaging
93
White Winemaking Steps
(-) Harvest
(-) Sort
(-) Destem
(-) Crush
(-) Press (from skins is a must), Skin contact
(-) Fermentation
(-) Fining/Filtering
(-) Bottling/Packaging
94
Rose Winemaking Steps
(-) Harvest
(-) Destem or whole bunch
(-) Crush
(-) Press (from skins is a must), Skin contact limited
(-) Fermentation
(-) Aging
(-) Fining/Filtration
(-) Bottling/Packaging
95
Aging types
(-) Can be on the lees or without.
(-) Can be in concrete, stainless steel, or oak.
96
Type of vessel
Wood
Stainless steel
Concrete
97
Types of Oak
Different types of oak impart unique flavors depending on the place of origin and climate in which the oak trees were grown
(–) American Oak Often has bold, more intense flavors of vanilla, baking spices, dill, and coconut
(–) French Oak Often subtler aromas of vanilla, toast, and spice
(-) Other Types of Oak Slavonian (from northeastern Croatia), Hungarian
98
Identification of other types of woods used for barrels
Acacia, cherry, and chestnut.
99
Barrel Sizes
Barrique = 225 liters
Puncheon = 300 liters
Demi-muid = 600 liters
Foudre/Botti = 1,000+ liters
100
Grape must
Must is unfermented grape juice. Depending on
the climate, grape must may require adjustment to create balance in the juice and—consequently—the finished wine
101
Chaptalization
The addition of sugar to must to increase the final
alcohol content of the wine
102
Acidification
The addition of tartaric acid to increase the acidity of the must to achieve improved balance in the resulting wine
103
Lees
(-) A winemaking decision to leave white and sparkling wines in contact with the yeasts that produced the fermentation. Over time autolysis occurs
(-) Lees contact is often used in cool-climate growing regions for the purpose of deriving more expressive aromas and flavors from the grape varieties that are rather subtle in these respects.
104
Autolysis
This is when yeast cells die and release flavor
components into the wine, giving additional richness, creaminess, and texture.
105
Carbonic maceration
(-) Tanks filled with whole berries are blanketed under CO2 gas
(-) Grapes begin to ferment from the inside (intracellular fermentation). Berries at the bottom of the tank are crushed and ferment normally
(-) Unique aromas and flavors are produced. This technique is historically associated most closely with the Beaujolais region of Burgundy, France.
106
Skin contact and its effect on color
(-) Red Wines: Extended skin contact extracts anthocyanins (color pigments), leading to deeper hues
(-) White Wines: Traditional white wines have minimal skin contact, resulting in pale colors.
(-) Orange wines: extended skin contact extracts pigments and phenolics, creating golden to amber hues
(-) Rosé Wines: Achieved through limited skin maceration (a few hours to a couple of days), resulting in pale pink to deep salmon hues.
107
Skin contact and its effect on extraction
(-) Longer skin contact increases tannin levels, especially in red and orange wines.
(-) Phenolic compounds contribute to bitterness, structure, and aging potential.
(-) Enhances aromatic intensity, extracting compounds responsible for floral, fruity, and spicy notes.
(-) Short skin contact results in softer, lighter-bodied wines, while longer contact creates structured, age-worthy wines
108
Skin contact and its effect pH and texture
(-) More skin contact = fuller body & richer texture due to the extraction of tannins, polysaccharides, and phenolics.
(-) White wines with skin contact (orange wines) have a grippy, tannic mouthfeel, similar to reds.
(-) Shorter maceration results in lighter, silkier textures, commonly seen in crisp white and rosé wines
109
Bâttonage and its effect on weight, flavor, and texture.
(-) Increases richness and fullness by releasing mannoproteins and polysaccharides.
(-) Creates a creamier, rounder mouthfeel, making wines feel more substantial.
(-) Enhances nutty, toasty, brioche-like notes
(-) Softens acidity, complementing oak or malolactic influence
(-) Extends the finish and integrates oak influence for a more structured palate.
110
Whole-cluster fermentation
(-) The entire grape cluster, including stems, is fermented without destemming.
(-) Increased tannins from stems, adding structure and grip.
(-) Enhanced aromatics (floral, herbal, spicy notes like pepper or green tea).
(-) Lower acidity perception, as stems can absorb some acidity.
(-) Carbonic maceration potential, leading to brighter, fruitier flavors (especially in Beaujolais).
(-) Common in: Pinot Noir (Burgundy), Syrah (Northern Rhône), Gamay (Beaujolais Cru).
111
Stem inclusion fermentation
(-) A portion of stems (not the entire cluster) is added back into fermentation.
(-) Balances tannin structure without overpowering the fruit
(-) Adds complexity—mild herbal, savory, and earthy notes.
(-) Common in: Burgundy Pinot Noir, Rhône Syrah, some high-end Cabernets.
112
Whole berry fermentation
(-) Destemmed grapes are fermented with intact berries, avoiding excessive crushing.
(-) Gentler tannins and a smoother texture compared to whole-cluster
(-) Promotes semi-carbonic maceration, leading to brighter, fruitier flavors
(-) Reduces green/stemmy flavors, emphasizing pure fruit expression
(-) Common in: California Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and some Merlot-based wines.
113
Differences between reductive and
oxidative winemaking
(-) Reductive Winemaking 🍋🔬 – Minimizes oxygen exposure (stainless steel, inert gases), preserving fresh fruit flavors, high acidity, and crisp texture; can develop flinty, struck-match notes.
(-) Oxidative Winemaking 🍷🛢️ – Controlled oxygen exposure (barrels, amphorae) creates richer textures, nutty/honeyed aromatics, and softer acidity; used in aged whites and some traditional styles.
(-) Key Difference: Reductive = fresh, bright, crisp vs. Oxidative = complex, round, aged-friendly
114
Temperature control and why it's important for
different color wines and styles.
(-) White & Rosé Wines ❄️ – Cool fermentation (10-15°C / 50-59°F) preserves fresh fruit, floral aromatics, and crisp acidity; used for Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Rosé to maintain vibrancy.
(-) Red Wines 🍷 – Warmer fermentation (22-32°C / 72-90°F) enhances color extraction, tannin structure, and complexity; essential for Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Pinot Noir.
(-) Sparkling & Aromatic Wines 🥂 – Very cool fermentation (8-12°C / 46-54°F) helps retain delicate floral, citrus, and fresh fruit notes, crucial for Champagne and Muscat-based wines.
115
Oxygen management and its impact of final style of
wine produced.
(-) Low Oxygen Exposure (Reductive) 🍋🔬 – Preserves fresh fruit, bright acidity, and crisp texture; common in stainless steel-aged whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.
(-) Moderate Oxygen Exposure (Balanced) 🍷🛢️ – Softens tannins, enhances complexity, and adds subtle toasty or nutty notes; seen in oak-aged Chardonnay, Bordeaux, and Rioja.
(-) High Oxygen Exposure (Oxidative) 🌰🍂 – Develops deep, nutty, and dried fruit characteristics; used in Sherry, Vin Jaune, and some Orange wines.
116
Extraction explained through the use of punch downs, pump overs, maceration times, and fermentation temperature.
117
Clarification and the difference between fining and
filtration.
Fining - Utilized to clarify the wine for attractiveness.
Filtration - The wine is passed through a series of filters to extract yeasts and other microbes, providing stability and assuring that the wine does not re-ferment
118
Cold stabilization
A process that causes tartrate crystals to precipitate out of the wine at a very low temperature (25ºF)
119
Examples of fining agents
(-) Bentonite
(-) Chitosan
(-) Kieselsol
(-) Isinglass
(-) Gelatin
120
Sulphur additions and the difference between free and bound compounds
121
Containers
Bottles
Kegs
Boxed wine
122
Closures
Cork
Composites
Screw cap (Stelvin)
Glass top (Vinolok)
