Viticulture

Question 1

What are the life stages of a vine

Answer 1

Bud break, flowering, fruit set, veraison, harvest, leaf loss and winter dormancy, pre-pruning and pruning

Question 2

Vendange

Answer 2

French term for harvest

Question 3

Preferred mean annual temperature for grapevines

Answer 3

between 50° and 68°F, with an ideal of 57°F

Question 4

Average summer temperature required for ripening grapevines

Answer 4

Red 70 degrees, White 66 degrees, generally restricts viticulture to the temperate bands of latitude between 30° and 50° in both the northern and southern hemispheres

Question 5

California Heat Summation Index

Answer 5

divides climates into five Regions based on the number of degree days. Degree days are calculated by multiplying the days in each month of the growing season (defined as April 1 through October 31) by the mean number of degrees over 50°F for that month. The months’ totals are then added together to arrive at the heat summation. Region 1 coolest, Region 5 hottest

Question 6

Photosynthesis

Answer 6

Process by which plants convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds, including sugars—sunshine is a necessary provider of both light and heat (minimum required is 1300 hours)

Question 7

Terroir

Answer 7

The complete system of factors that influence the development of the vine; the choice of grapevine as it relates to its location, topography, soil, climate, and the hand of man upon it

Question 8

Macroclimate

Answer 8

Regional climate

Question 9

Mesoclimate

Answer 9

The climate of a particular vineyard; subtler distinctions such as degree and direction of slope and shelter are essential

Question 10

Microclimate

Answer 10

climate in and around a vine canopy, the restricted space including all parts of the vine above the ground.

Question 11

Canopy management techniques

Answer 11

winter pruning, leaf removal, shoot positioning, and the use of sophisticated trellising systems, affecting exposure to sunshine and yield

Question 12

High pH Soils produce what

Answer 12

Higher acidity (low pH in grapes), common in limestone-rich soils, typically inhospitable to most other agriculture.

Question 13

Low pH soils

Answer 13

Deter viticulture, acidic soils, grapes prefer basic soils, can be countered by adding lime to the soil

Question 14

Selection massale

Answer 14

Mass selection. Popular in Burgundy, enables the grower to select budwood for replanting from a number of vines throughout the vineyard, rather than single clones.

Question 15

Scion

Answer 15

Budwood selection, which is then grafted onto separate rootstock

Question 16

Head trained vines

Answer 16

no permanent cordon, and the trunk ends in a knob, or head. may be supported by a simple stake, or not at all. commonly asserted as an alternative to trellising, synonymous with bush vines.

Question 17

Cordon trained vines

Answer 17

generally require a trellising system, the vine has at least one permanent cane that extends from the trunk, called an arm or cordon. It grows thick and gnarled over time, and fruit-bearing shoots will emerge from it each season

Question 18

True or False: Head trained vines may be spur pruned or cane pruned, while Cordon trained vines are spur pruned

Answer 18

True

Question 19

Spur

Answer 19

A cane cut back to two buds

Question 20

Cane pruning

Answer 20

Requires the grower to retain one spur and one cane. The number of buds left on the cane may range from six to over a dozen. The buds on the two-year-old cane each release shoots that will produce a season’s fruit, and the entire two-year-old main cane and its fruiting canes are removed after the growing season. In its place, one of the one-year-old canes from the spur is selected and retained to become the following season’s main cane. Usually only used on head-trained vines

Question 21

Spur pruning

Answer 21

Upper cane growing from a spur will be removed during winter pruning, and the lower cane growing from the same spur will be cut back to two buds, creating a new spur. Thus, each spur will produce two fruiting canes each year, one of which will become the following year’s spur. Cordon-trained vines contain several spurs along the length of the arm

Question 22

Guyot System

Answer 22

Basic form of cane pruning, head training, developed in the 1860 by Jules Guyot. Requires a vertical trellis on which the canes can be suspended, and has one spur and one main two-year-old cane. The Guyot Double variant supports two main canes, extending outward from the trunk on opposite sides.

Question 23

Gobelet System

Answer 23

The simplest form of spur-pruning/head-training, an ancient technique common in the Southern Rhône and Southern Italy, wherein the vine, often unsupported, resembles a goblet, with each year’s fruiting canes extending from the spur-pruned, shortened arms atop the trunk. In Italy the Gobelet system is known as albarello; in Spain, en vaso. Australians often refer to such vines as bush vines.

Question 24

Cordon de Royat

Answer 24

Preferred training style for Pinot Noir in Champagne. The Cordon de Royat system is similar to the Guyot system, but with a single spur-pruned permanent cordon extending horizontally from the trunk, rather than a two-year-old cane. (Geneva system and a close variant, the Lyre system, are more complicated, as cordons extend outward from the trunk in a flat “U” shape, creating a divided canopy.)

Question 25

VSP

Answer 25

Vertical Shoot Positioning, trellising system for either cane-pruned or spur-pruned vines

Question 26

Tendone System

Answer 26

Pergola in Italy, Enforcado in Portugal, Vines are trained up and overhead along wood frames or trees

Question 27

Four types of vine diseases

Answer 27

Viral, Fungal, Bacterial and Phytoplasma

Question 28

Fungal diseases

Answer 28

Fungal spores are spread by wind and rain and a disease, once entrenched in a vine, may infect an entire vineyard. Some of the most worrisome fungal diseases—including powdery and downy mildew—originated in America, arriving in Europe on cuttings in the 19th century. Can be successfully controlled—if not wholly eradicated—through fungicide sprays and other applications.

Question 29

Bacterial diseases

Answer 29

Not common but difficult to control; can be devastating

Question 30

Viral diseases

Answer 30

Spread through grafting or transmitted by insects; often less immediately destructive than bacterial diseases, yet there is no known cure for many common viruses. Infected vines experience a shortened lifespan, reduced yields and a changed quality of fruit. Viral diseases are controlled through removal and appropriate selection for propagation.

Question 31

Phytoplasma diseases

Answer 31

Caused by phytoplasmas, pathogens similar to bacteria, yet they are symptomatically similar to viral diseases and, like viruses, must be spread through an insect vector or rootstock grafting.

Question 32

Daktulosphaira vitifoliae

Answer 32

Phyloxxera; an aphid that feeds on the roots of vines, is native to the Eastern United States, but it quickly spread through Europe from cuttings imported to the Southern Rhône Valley in the early 1860s, and is now present in all of the world’s major winegrowing countries—with the notable exception of Chile. Kills vines by destroying its root system, Sandier soils, such as those found in Colares in Portugal, act as a natural barrier, impeding the spread of phylloxera.

Question 33

Oidium

Answer 33

Powdery Mildew; the Uncinula necator fungus has spread worldwide, and thrives even in humid yet dry conditions—Affects all green parts of the plant, marking grapes, leaves, and shoots with its dusty white mildew growth. It prefers densely shaded canopies and overcast weather, and greatly inhibits bunch development and ripening. If infected prior to flowering, yields will be reduced; if infected after fruit set, berries will struggle to achieve veraison and reach full size.

Question 34

Peronspor

Answer 34

Downy Mildew; fungal disease. Plasmopara viticola, the agent of downy mildew, attacks the green portions of the vine, causing leaves to drop off the vine and limiting the vine’s ability to photosynthesize. First visible as an oil spot on vine leaves. As spores germinate a white, cottony growth develops on the underside of the leaves.

Question 35

Bordeaux Mixture

Answer 35

Spray of copper sulfate, water and lime, prevents outbreaks of downy mildew

Question 36

Eutypa Dieback

Answer 36

Also called dead arm, the disease is caused by the Eutypa lata fungus. Spores are carried by rain and enter the vine through pruning wounds. Difficult to control as it affects a wide number of plants. Infected vines experience stunted shoot growth and eventually an infected cane may die—the dead arm. This disease has a drastic effect on yield, but does not devalue the quality of the crop.

Question 37

Esca

Answer 37

Black measles, one of the earliest known fungal grapevine diseases, No known control or cure. Unlike other fungal diseases, Esca is the result of a complex of fungi, rather than a single organism. Affects the wood, causing the interior of the trunk and arms to soften and rot from the inside—a condition that led ancient Romans to use Esca-infected tree trunks for firewood, as its spongy interior quickly caught fire.

Question 38

Black Rot

Answer 38

Caused by the Guignardia bidwelli fungus, originating as a black spot on the vine’s shoots, leaves, and berries. Controlled through fungicide sprays.

Question 39

Bunch Rot

Answer 39

Grouping of similar diseases caused by a number of fungi species. Botrytis most well known.

Question 40

Pierce's Disease

Answer 40

Caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa and most commonly transmitted by the glassy-winged sharpshooter—a leafhopping insect found near citrus orchards and oleander plants— a scourge, rendering vines incapable of producing chlorophyll and killing it within one to five years.

Question 41

Crown Gall

Answer 41

Black knot: The Agrobacterium tumefaciens bacterium causes the Crown Gall disease in a wide variety of plant species. Vine develops tumors (galls) on its trunk, which girdle and essentially strangle the vine

Question 42

Bacterial Blight

Answer 42

Caused by the Xanthomonas ampelina bacterium, Bacterial Blight often kills young grapevine shoots. They develop dark brown streaks in early spring, and eventually wither and die. Controlled by hot water treatments and Bordeaux mixture sprays

Question 43

Leafroll Virus

Answer 43

Caused by a complex of at least nine different viruses, may be responsible for as much as 60% of the world’s grape production losses. Display radiant shades of red and gold in the autumn, combined with a characteristic downward curling of the leaves, signal reduced yields and delayed ripening. Spread through propagation of infected vines or by an insect vector like the mealy bug, is currently incurable but it will not kill the vine

Question 44

Fanleaf Degeneration

Answer 44

Nepovirus spread by soil nematodes feeding on infected roots, severely curtails yields and affected vineyards must be removed. A complex of similar diseases, deforms shoot growth, and leads to poor fruit set and shot (seedless) berries. The leaves on an infected vine are malformed, resembling fans in appearances

Question 45

Flavescence Dorée

Answer 45

Leafhopper insects and propagation of infected vines spread the disease, which will initially delay budbreak and slow shoot growth, eventually causing bunches to fall off the vine and berries to shrivel. The disease will discolor leaves, cause pustules and cracks to form, and may kill young vines. No cure exists

Question 46

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Answer 46

Sustainable approach to weed, insect, and disease problems. Utilized as a vineyard transitions from conventional to organic viticulture, or it may be a part of a separate sustainability philosophy.

Question 47

VINEA

Answer 47

voluntary group of Walla Walla Valley winegrowers who promote a holistic, socially- and environmentally-responsible methodology

Question 48

Oregon Sustainable Certified Wine (OSCW)

Answer 48

97% of fruit is certified by Salmon-Safe. Another approved organization, such as LIVE or USDA Organic, must certify both the fruit and the winery

Question 49

California Certified Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW)

Answer 49

provides incremental certification for wineries and vineyards based on a concept of continual improvement. While less than 10% of California’s wineries use any amount of organically grown grapes, over 60% of the state’s vineyard acreage has been assessed (if not certified) for CCSW compatibility

Question 50

What is yeast's primary role in the winemaking process

Answer 50

To convert sugar to alcohol; more specifically into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide

Question 51

What is Sulfur, or SO2, primarily used for in winemaking

Answer 51

While a small amount of sulfur dioxide (SO2) is also naturally produced as a byproduct of fermentation, SO2 is generally added to the fermenting must or to the juice beforehand to prevent oxidation and bacterial contamination, and to ensure rapid fermentation.

Question 52

Sulfites

Answer 52

Sulfur Dioxide SO2

Question 53

Sulfides

Answer 53

Hydrogen Sulfide HS2, mercaptans and other foul-smelling compounds produced under reductive conditions, formed when there are low levels of nitrogen in the must (yeasts need nitrogen to work)

Question 54

Acetaldehyde

Answer 54

Last link on the chain of intermediate compounds between sugar and alcohol, and will remain in the new wine in trace amounts. A small amount is converted to acetic acid

Question 55

Acetic acid

Answer 55

Reacts with alcohol to produce ethyl acetate, a culprit of volatile acidity in wine. When volatile acidity is encountered as a fault, excessive acetic acid has been produced by the activity of acetobacter, the group of bacteria responsible for turning wine to vinegar in the presence of oxygen

Question 56

What is the temperature range in which yeasts can survive and function

Answer 56

50 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit

Question 57

Reverse Osmosis

Answer 57

Separates wine into two constituent parts, permeate and retentate. The permeate, which contains water and ethanol, is then distilled to a proper level before being recombined with the retentate—the wine’s aromatic compounds—at a lower percentage of alcohol.

Question 58

What are two acids allowed to be used for acidification

Answer 58

Tartaric and Malic (they are the two principal acids in grapes)

Question 59

Diacetyl

Answer 59

Byproduct of malolactic fermentation, its the compound responsible for buttery aromas in wine

Question 60

Carbonic maceration

Answer 60

Alcoholic fermentation used for some red wines, whole grapes in an anaerobic environment under a blanket of CO2, initiate an intracellular fermentation. Attempting to sustain itself, a berry will release enzymes to transform its own sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide without the action of yeasts. However, such fermentations cannot produce more than a couple of degrees of alcohol, as the berry ceases activity in the presence of enough ethanol. Must be combined with standard fermentation

Question 61

Anthocyanins

Answer 61

Color compounds

Question 62

Chapeau

Answer 62

Cap

Question 63

Pigeage

Answer 63

Punchdown

Question 64

Remontage

Answer 64

Pumpover

Question 65

Delestage

Answer 65

Third technique of breaking up the cap; allows the winemaker to fully drain the fermentation vessel. The wine is racked into a separate vessel while the cap drains fully, and is then pumped back over the cap in the fermentation vessel.

Question 66

Vin de goutte

Answer 66

Free run wine

Question 67

Vin de presse

Answer 67

Press wine, coarser and more tannic

Question 68

Soutirage

Answer 68

Racking; movement of wine from one vessel to another, providing aeration and clarification as the wine is removed from its lees, or sediment

Question 69

Collage

Answer 69

Fining; precipitates solids out of the wine: bentonite (clay) can be vegan. Casein, egg white, gelatin and Isinglass (a material obtained from sturgeon bladders) may create a dilemma for vegans and vegetarians. Bentonite, a type of clay, escapes criticism

Question 70

Filtration

Answer 70

Use pads or a membrane with microscopic openings, promotes stability in the bottle

Question 71

Cold stabilization

Answer 71

Sometimes used in white wine production; causes tartrate crystals to precipitate out of the wine at a temperature of approximately 25°F. In white wines that are not cold-stabilized, crystals may later form in the bottle.

Question 72

Flavor contributed by oak comes in the form of what

Answer 72

Lactones and phenolic aldehydes such as vanillin—and wood tannin

Question 73

Microbullage

Answer 73

Microoxygenation, Aeration technique whereby small amounts of oxygen are allowed to enter the stainless steel tank during fermentation or maturation

Question 74

Quercus robur and Quercus petraea

Answer 74

The two trees that go into producing French Oak barrels | characterized by tight wood grain developed through slow growth. Air dried to soften harsh tannins and flavors

Question 75

Quercus alba

Answer 75

American white oak species that makes wood barrels; display wider grain than French oak, is less porous and can be sawn without fear of leakage, but this method releases more vanillin and lactones, resulting in the coconut character of American oak. quickly kiln-dried, and lactones are concentrated.e stages:

Question 76

Chauffage

Answer 76

Warming, first stage of barrel making

Question 77

Cintrage

Answer 77

Shaping, second stage of barrel making

Question 78

Bousinage

Answer 78

Toasting, last stage of barrel making, has significant effect on the wine. Light toasting promotes the most extraction of wood tannin, heavy toast sees spicier, smokier aromas overtake vanilla