Viticulture

Question 1

The growing season begins for a vine in ______.

Answer 1

spring

Question 2

The growing season ends for a vine in ______.

Answer 2

autumn

Question 3

Why do vines grow grapes?

Answer 3

Vines grow grapes so animals that eat the fruit will spread the grapes’ seeds.## FootnoteAnimals that eat grapes include deer and birds.

Question 4

During which season are vines dormant?

Answer 4

Winter

Question 5

Are most wines in the world made with European or North American vine species?What is the name of the vine species used?

Answer 5

Most are made using a European vine species named Vitis vinifera.

Question 6

Name some commonly found Vitis Vinifera varieties.

Answer 6

• Sauvignon Blanc* Pinot Grigio* Riesling* Chardonnay* Syrah* Grenache* Merlot* Cabernet Sauvigon

Question 7

Name the 4 major parts of a grape.

Answer 7

1. Pulp2. Skin3. Seeds4. Stems

Question 8

Which 3 parts of the grape produce tannins?

Answer 8

1. Skins2. Seeds3. Stems

Question 9

What flavor do tannins produce?

Answer 9

Bitterness

Question 10

What is the pulp of a grape mostly made up of?

Answer 10

Water

Question 11

Where does the sugar in grape juice come from?:* Skins* Stems & Seeds* Pulp

Answer 11

Pulp## FootnoteThe pulp is also composed of acids and flavor compounds.

Question 12

What part of the grape do most red wines get their color from?

Answer 12

The skins of grapes

Question 13

How many years can a vine live?

Answer 13

If it’s in a healthy environment, a vine can live more than 50 years and upwards of 100 years.

Question 14

What are the 5 things a vine needs to remain alive and flourish?

Answer 14

1. Sunlight2. Warmth3. Carbon dioxide4. Water5. Nutrients

Question 15

Describe photosynthesis.

Answer 15

A vine’s leaves take in CO₂ gas from the air and its roots take up water and nutrients from the ground to produce sugar, or energy, for the vine to grow and ripen its grapes.Photosynthesis cannot happen without sunlight.

Question 16

List a vine’s annual cycle.

Answer 16

1. Flowering: spring2. Fruit set: early summer3. Véraison: summer4. Ripening time: summer/late summer5. Harvest: late summer/early autumn6. Dormancy: winter

Question 17

In which months does flowering happen in the northern and southern hemispheres?

Answer 17

• Northern hemisphere: May/June* Southern hemisphere: November/December

Question 18

How are the flowers of grape vines pollinated?

Answer 18

Vine’s flowers are pollinated by the wind.

Question 19

For flowers to turn into grapes, does each flower need to be pollinated or can just one flower in the cluster be pollinated?

Answer 19

Each flower must be pollinated in order to change into a grape.

Question 20

When does fruit set happen?Describe what happens during fruit set.

Answer 20

• Fruit set happens after pollination* Once pollinated a flower develops seeds and starts to grow; it looks like a tiny green berry* These berries will develop and turn into grapes

Question 21

What is véraison and when does it occur?

Answer 21

Véraison is the onset of ripening and when the grapes change color.Red varieties turn from green to purple or black, and sugars increase while acidity levels decrease.Véraison occurs mid-summer.

Question 22

Before ripening, grapes are high in _____ and low in _____.

Answer 22

Before ripening, grapes are high in acid and low in sugar.

Question 23

As grapes ripen, acidity levels _____ and sugar levels _____.

Answer 23

As grapes ripen, acidity levels decrease and sugar levels increase.## FootnoteIt is during this ripening period that a grape’s aromatics will develop as well.

Question 24

What chemical compound develops in black grapes during ripening?

Answer 24

Tannins## FootnoteTannins are chemical compounds that augment the mouthfeel of a wine, adding texture and astringency (tannins dry out your mouth).Tannins primarily come from the skins of grapes, but they also can come from the seeds and stems.

Question 25

If grapes remain on the vine after the time they’re usually harvested, what happens to them?

Answer 25

The grapes will develop “extra-ripeness”, meaning that the levels of both aromas and sugars will magnify and concentrate.

Question 26

What happens to grapes if they are left to raisinate on the vine?

Answer 26

• Water in the grapes evaporates thereby concentrating acids and sugars;* Aromas in the grape change from ripe/fresh to dried/dimpled.## FootnoteRaisinated grapes are most often used to make sweet wines, not dry wines.

Question 27

List 3 ways to concentrate grape sugars to make sweet wine.

Answer 27

1. Extra-ripeness2. Botrytis3. Frozen grapes

Question 28

Botrytis/noble rot:* what is it?* what does it do to the grapes?* what are the optimal conditions for it to form?

Answer 28

What it is:Botrytis is a fungus that grows on the outside of grapes that can cause noble rot.What it does:The fungus punctures the grape skins which allows the water inside the grape to evaporate, thereby concentrating sugars, flavors, and acids._Conditions:_In order for noble rot to form, the Botrytis fungus requires misty mornings or humid conditions followed by warm, dry afternoons (the dry afternoons slow the growth of Botrytis and prevent it from completely rotting the grapes).

Question 29

What style of wine is usually made with grapes affected by Botrytis:* sparkling wine* table wine* dessert wine

Answer 29

Dessert wine

Question 30

Botrytis-affected grapes are _____ used to make sweet wines.* always* almost always* never

Answer 30

Almost always

Question 31

Give a classic example of a wine whose grapes are affected by Botrytis.

Answer 31

• Sauternes (Bordeaux, France)* Aszú (Tokaj, Hungary)

Question 32

What happens to healthy grapes when they are left on the vine to freeze and they’re picked when frozen?

Answer 32

The water inside the grapes freezes.The grapes are quickly taken to the winery and pressed where the frozen water and skins are easily separated from the remaining sugary liquid, which is intensely high in acids, flavor, and sugar.This sugary liquid is fermented to make the sweet wine Icewine/Eiswein.

Question 33

What is the difference between training and pruning?

Answer 33

Training* How the vine is supported and arranged to optimize sunlight and productivityPruning* Removal of plant parts to control size and form of the vine, optimize production potential, and achieve balance between vegetative growth (the leaves) and fruit

Question 34

How are most vines trained?

Answer 34

On trellises

Question 35

During which season are vines usually pruned?Why do farmers prune their vines?

Answer 35

Vines are usually pruned in the winter when they’re dormant.Farmers prune their vines to:* Help maintain their shape* Balance fruit production and shoot growth

Question 36

Name 3 ways farmers can irrigate their vines.

Answer 36

1. Drip irrigation2. Flood irrigation3. Sprinklers

Question 37

What are some of the things that can cause problems in vineyards?

Answer 37

• Insects* Fungi* Weeds* Birds* Deer

Question 38

Netting protects vines from these 2 things:

Answer 38

1. Birds and other pests that eat the berries2. Hail that can damage the berries and vine

Question 39

Pesticides kill _____.Fungicides kill _____.Herbicides kill _____.

Answer 39

Pesticides kill insectsFungicides kill fungiHerbicides kill weeds

Question 40

What exactly is yield?

Answer 40

Yield is the amount of grapes produced in an acre (or hectare).* An average yield is 40-60 hectoliters per hectare

Question 41

What happens to grape flavors if a vineyard’s yields are too high?And what if the yields are too low?

Answer 41

Yield that’s too high:* Grapes could potentially have low sugar and/or loss of flavor (due to overproduction)Yield that’s too low:* Insufficient amount of grapes to make enough wine for the market

Question 42

Name 2 ways how grapes are harvested.

Answer 42

1. By hand2. Machine

Question 43

Which is machine harvesting best used on:* flat land* steep slopes

Answer 43

Flat land## FootnoteIt’s nearly impossible to use machine harvesters on slopes.

Question 44

What attributes will grapes have if they’re harvested early?

Answer 44

• Higher acidity* Lower sugar* Under-developed/under-ripe fruit flavors* More grassy and herbaceous flavors

Question 45

What attributes will grapes have if they’re harvested later than normal?

Answer 45

• Lower acidity* Higher sugar* Riper fruit flavors

Question 46

Besides the producer, appellation, and vintage, what are some common labeling terms found on wine bottles?

Answer 46

• Old Vine/Vieilles Vignes* Late Harvest/Vendanges Tardives* Icewine/Eiswein* Botrytis

Question 47

What does the term Old Vine or Vieilles Vignes indicate on a bottle of wine?

Answer 47

That the vines are older and, assumingly, grow grapes that express higher flavor concentration.## FootnoteTo achieve the distinction of Old Vine/Vieilles Vignes, a vine usually has to be at least 35 years old but there is no legally defined age minimum.

Question 48

If you have two bottles with the same vintage but they’re from different hemispheres, which wine will be older: the one from the northern hemisphere or the one from the southern hemisphere?

Answer 48

The one from the southern hemisphere.## FootnoteThe southern hemisphere harvests their grapes about 6 months before the northern hemisphere does, so the wine techincally is older than the one from the northern hemisphere.

Question 49

True or False:Wines labeled Late Harvest are always sweet.

Answer 49

False## FootnoteLate Harvest wines can be dry, off-dry, medium-sweet or sweet.They are fuller in body and more concentrated in sugars and flavors than wines made from grapes harvested at the regular time.