Viticulture

Question 1

What are the factors of viticulture production?

Answer 1

1. Historical Background
2. Location/Geography
3. Climate
4. Topography/Aspect
5. Soil
6. Grape Varieties Planted
7. Viticultural Practices
8. Vinification Practices
9. Harvest
10. Yearly Weather/Vintage Variation
11. Terroir
12. Regional Wine Laws

Question 2

Define viticulture

Answer 2

The art and science of vine growing.

Question 3

What characterizes the location/geography of a vineyard?

Answer 3

1. Site selection
2. Goals Regional
3. Wine Laws
4. Financial Considerations

Question 4

What does climate determine?

Answer 4

The climate determines whether grapes can be grown at all and strongly influences which variety can thrive. Most importantly climate determines wine style.

Question 5

What are the latitudinal zones of wine growing?

Answer 5

30-50 degrees in both hemispheres (Northern and Southern).

Question 6

What is a Macroclimate?

Answer 6

The “big picture” climate of an entire wine region.

Question 7

What is a Mesoclimate?

Answer 7

The climate of a particular vineyard.

Question 8

What is a Microclimate?

Answer 8

The climate of a particular row of vines or even a specific vine within a vineyard.

Question 9

What are the four primary climates?

Answer 9

1. Continental (cool)
2. Maritime (moderate)
3. Mediterranean (warm)
4. High Desert (hot)

Question 10

What characterizes a Continental climate?

Answer 10

1. Strong annual variation in temperature due to lack of proximity to significant bodies of water.
2. Hotter summers than maritime.
3. Often cold winters that can be extreme.

Question 11

What characterizes a Maritime climate?

Answer 11

1. Influenced by a large body of water such as a sea or ocean.
2. Marked by mild temperatures.
3. Year to year temperature fluctuations causing vintage variation

Question 12

What characterizes a Mediterranean climate?

Answer 12

1. Summers are hot and dry (except for immediate coastal areas).
2. Along coasts, summers are mild due to proximity to cold water currents.
3. Storms can be consequence

Question 13

What characterizes a High Desert climate?

Answer 13

1. Hot and dry summers.
2. High daytime temperatures.
3. Dramatic drops in temperature overnight.

Question 14

What factors affect climate?

Answer 14

1. Diurnal Shifts - The difference between average daytime high and nighttime low temperatures. This can affect the ripening of grapes and the balancing of acidity and sugar.
2. Sunshine Hours - The number of sunshine hours a vineyard or wine region receives in a given vintage year or growing season.
3. Threats (frost or freeze, hail, strong winds)

Question 15

List the primary climate moderators. (4)

Answer 15

1. Bodies of water (rivers, lakes, oceans - can warm or cool a region)
2. Mountains (rain shadow can protect)
3. Altitude/Elevation (1 degree drop per 1 meter rise)
4. Wind (can cool or lend warmth/drier air)

Question 16

What is a Rain Shadow?

Answer 16

A dry area on one side of a mountain opposite the wind, rain, and generally poor weather. There are many important wine regions in the world that exist in rain shadows.

Question 17

What are the primary topographic elements?

Answer 17

1. Local Elevation/Altitude
2. Hillside Slope or Valley Floor
3. Aspect (Slopes facing the sun most of the day)
4. Proximity to Water

Question 18

What are the important properties of soil? (3)

Answer 18

1. Water Drainage
2. Water Retention
3. Sun Reflection

Question 19

Main types of soil? (8)

Answer 19

1. Granite
2. Limestone/Chalk
3. Marl
4. Schist
5. Clay
6. Sand
7. Silt
8. Gravel

Question 20

What do grape skins contribute to a wine?

Answer 20

1. Tannins
2. Color
3. Flavor

Question 21

What do grape pulps contribute to a wine?

Answer 21

1. Water
2. Sugar (increases as grape ripens)
3. Acids (decreases as grape ripes)
4. Seed/Pips (can give bitter flavors if pressed)

Question 22

What are the main species of vining plants that produce grapes?

Answer 22

1. Vitis vinifera (native to Mediterranean, Europe, Southwestern Asia) [Our Focus]
2. Vitis labrusca
3. Vitis riparia

Question 23

What should you consider when choosing a grape variety of planting?

Answer 23

1. Wine Laws
2. Climate Compatibility
3. Soil Compatibility

Question 24

What is viticultural propagation?

Answer 24

A fancy term for vine breeding.

Question 25

Name the three types of viticultural propagation.

Answer 25

1. Hybrids 2. Crosses 3. Clones

Question 26

What is hybrid propagation?

Answer 26

Combining two or more species to produce a new variety (Vitis Vinifera x Vitis Labrusca).

Question 27

What is cross propagation?

Answer 27

Combining vines of the same species to produce a new variety (Vitis Vinifera x Vitis Vinifera) Cabernet Sauvignon = Cabernet Franc (vinifera) X Sauvignon Blanc (vinifera)

Question 28

What is clone propagation?

Answer 28

Identical genetic reproduction of a single vine (common in Cabernet Sauvignon).

Question 29

Cause and Effect: How does a cool climate impact wine style?

Answer 29

1. Slow, moderate ripening 2. Less sugar 3. Higher acidity 4. Lower alcohol potential 5. More tart and lean; less ripe and juicy

Question 30

Cause and Effect: How does a warm climate impact wine style?

Answer 30

1. Full ripening 2. More sugar 3. Lower acidity 4. Higher alcohol potential 5. Ripe, lush, juicy

Question 31

Name four factors of viticultural practices.

Answer 31

1. Vineyard Architecture 2. Vine Spacing 3. Vine Training 4. Yield

Question 32

What is "Green Harvest"?

Answer 32

The dropping or cutting of grape bunches off of a vine before harvest to focus the vine's energy on fewer, higher quality bunches.

Question 33

Name five aspects of vineyard management.

Answer 33

1. Canopy Management 2. Irrigation 3. Pests and Diseases 4. Fertilizers 5. Anti-Fungal Treatments

Question 34

What is Phylloxera?

Answer 34

This is a vine louse that destroyed a third of the world’s vines beginning in the late 1800s. It was one of the greatest threats to wine production in history.

Question 35

What aspects of harvest determine wine style and quality?

Answer 35

1. Timing of Picking (grape maturity, sugar ripeness, physiological ripeness, tannin ripeness) 2. Number of Vineyard Passes 3. Method (hand vs mechanical; small bin vs large bin)

Question 36

Define terroir.

Answer 36

Terroir is the entire set of factors that influence the development of the vine's fruit and the characteristics the fruit will show once vinified.

Question 37

What can regional wine laws dictate?

Answer 37

1. Where grapes can be grown. 2. What grapes can be grown. 3. How grapes can be grown. 4. When grapes can be picked.