Wine Viticulture

Front 1

What are nematodes?

Back 1

very small or microscopic wormlike parasites who feed on the roots of vines and gradually destroy the plant

Front 2

Name a problem of using only degree days to determine the growing season for grapes

Back 2

it does not consider the effects of wind on growing

Front 3

How are degree days calculated?

Back 3

The sum of the average daily temperature above 50 deg F (20 deg C) E.G. if each day in a month had temperature of 75 deg. F then that would represent 30 days X 25 degrees or 750 degree days

Front 4

Degree days are classified into how many zones? Which zone is the coolest/hottest?

Back 4

Five zones. Zone 1 is coldest (<2500 d-d), Zone 5 the hottest (>4000 d-d)

Front 5

What are the best degree-day zones for grape/wine production?

Back 5

Zones 2 and 3

Front 6

What degree-day zone is too warm for grape production?

Back 6

Zone 5

Front 7

What is the effects of sunshine on grapes?

Back 7

sunshine produces phenolic ripening. Polyphenols are those chemicals within grapes that result in specific flavors and tannins. Phenolic ripening is temperature dependent. So even after photosynthesis turns off for the night, phenolic ripening continues on as long as the ambient temperature remains above 50°.

Front 8

What is the effect of wind on grapes?

Back 8

wind drys the grapes making them less susceptible to molds and fungi and it blows away insect pests

Front 9

What is the ideal temperature for vine growth?

Back 9

73-77 deg F (23-25 deg C) is optimum

Front 10

What are the effects of rain on grapes?

Back 10

rain swells the grapes and dilutes the sugars and flavorings making a lower alcohol and less fruity wine

Front 11

What type of soil is best for grape growing?

Back 11

well drained overall, more basic (limestone) than acidic

Front 12

In terms of topography, what can influence mesoclimates?

Back 12

bodies of water, mountains, contours

Front 13

What does altitude help to do?

Back 13

preserve acidity

Front 14

What problem tends to affect sloping sites?

Back 14

soil erosion

Front 15

What is terroir?

Back 15

Natural influences that affect the plants grown there such as slope, aspect (direction facing), regional climate and site climate

Front 16

At what year does a vine start to produce grapes?

Back 16

after about 3 years of age

Front 17

When does a vines yield begin to decline?

Back 17

between 30-50 years many vines need to be removed, but there can be improved fruit quality even though yield is reduced

Front 18

How is phylloxera combated or corrected?

Back 18

by grafting vitus vinifera scions onto American phylloxera resistant rootstock such as vitus lambrusca, vitus reparia

Front 19

What are the two types of grafting? Which is most common?

Back 19

grafting can take place in the field or on the bench, bench grafting is the most common

Front 20

Name some types of grafting

Back 20

saw cut, omega (think shoulder joint), whip and tongue, centre "v", bud graft "Mayorquine", bud graft "Cadillac"

Front 21

Who was the father of canopy mgmt?

Back 21

Richard "Dick" Smart

Front 22

What is the main difference between cane and spur pruning, which is harder?

Back 22

cane pruning is harder because of the length (up to 15 buds)and the need to make sure it runs along the trellis whereas spurs are just 2 or 3 buds long and come off the cane with no need for extra support

Front 23

What negative factor does irrigation do?

Back 23

raises salt levels

Front 24

What is aspersion?

Back 24

spraying leaves to combat frost. The water freezes over the stem and buds protecting them from damage

Front 25

What is the most common type of irrigation

Back 25

Drip irrigation - it conserves water but sometimes can increase nematode infestation

Front 26

As sugars ripen, what decreases?

Back 26

Acidity.

Front 27

When is the best time to harvest?

Back 27

When Brix and Acidity cross or at about 19-26 deg Brix

Front 28

Ways to protect from frost

Back 28

Spraying water which turns to ice (aspersion), burning fuel pots, high trellissing in cool areas, wind machines, helicopters.

Front 29

2 tons/acre = ? hl/ha

Back 29

35 hl/ha

Front 30

Name two types of harvesting:

Back 30

hand or machine harvesting

Front 31

What are the costs and benefits of hand vs mechanical harvesting

Back 31

hand harvesting - higher expense, longer time to harvest but can select the better grapes to pick

Front 32

What is Phyloxera?

Back 32

a louse that feeds on vine roots, injecting a poison into the vine's vascular system.

Front 33

What is Pierce's disease and what is its treatment?

Back 33

Pierce's diease is a bacterial infection, spread by small insects called the glassy winged sharpshooter. The bacteria multiplies in the vines vascular system starving it. Vines will die within 5 years. There is no treatment.

Front 34

What is Botrytis Cinerea also known as and how is it treated?

Back 34

grey rot or noble rot - as grey rot the immature berries are attacked and it lowers yield as well as macereates the skins to produce off taste and loss of color. As noble rot it shrivels ripe grapes and microscopic filaments let water escape, concentrating flavor. It is treated with dusting or spraying sulfur.

Front 35

What is Bouley Bordolaise?

Back 35

Bordeaux mixture of copper sulfate, lime sulfur, and water

Front 36

What is Oidium?

Back 36

Oidium is powdery mildew. It attacks leaves so they do not develop and berries so they eventually split. It is treated with sulfur, Bordeaux mixture.

Front 37

Name some weather related problems

Back 37

frost, drought, hail, coulure

Front 38

What's millerandage?

Back 38

abnormal fruit set typically caused by poor weather at flowering

Front 39

What is selection massale?

Back 39

field selection of cuttings

Front 40

How can land selection for growing grapes protect against frost?

Back 40

Use southeast slopes, plant on mid slopes, select sites with dark soil

Front 41

What is Chlorosis and what are the causes of it for a grape vine?

Back 41

Chlorosis is a "yellowing" of the usually green leaves of a plant. It can be caused by excessive heat, drought, excessive fluid loss (transpiration) due to heat, wind, low humidity, or a lack of sufficient amounts of iron in the soil.

Front 42

What are the different scales used to measure "must weight", i.e., the juice density which determines alcohol content

Back 42

Brix/Balling (California and Australia)
Baume (France)
Oechsle (Germany)
KMW (Austria)

Front 43

What is colure?

Back 43

Colure is the French word for the result of a metabolic and weather condition that causes the failure of the grapes to develop after flowering. In English the word shatter is used.

Front 44

For fertile soils, what type of vineyard trellising system is recommended?

Back 44

Ruakura twin two tier, U-lyre sytem and Geneva double curtain system. Low density of vines is also recommended.

Front 45

What are some advantages and disadvantages of untrellised vines (bush, free standing)?

Back 45

Advantages - foliage offers bunch shade in very hot (Mediterranean) climates. Lost cost and maintenence.
Disadvantages - low yield (low density), disease prone, manual harvesting.

Front 46

What is the main advantage of vertical shoot positioning trellising systems?

Back 46

Vertical shoot positioning (VSP) trelllises lessen risks of fungal diseases and are easier to spray and prune.

Front 47

What are some of the disadvantages of the overhead Pergola/tendone trellis system?

Back 47

While used mostly for table grapes the high trellises are expensive and disease prone to due high shading.

Front 48

What are advantages and disadvantages of the two wire vertical trellising system?

Back 48

Advantages - simple, suitable for mechanical pruing and harvesting
Disadvantages - more wires required in high potential sites.

Front 49

Why would you plant low densities on a high vigor (very fertile) site.

Back 49

Low density of vines increases the number of fruiting buds per vine to spread the nutrients and carbohydrates further to decrease vigor.

Front 50

How many buds are typically left on the vine at pruning?

Back 50

6-15 buds per meter

Front 51

What are the main symptoms of powdery mildew (oidium) and how is it best controlled?

Back 51

Young leaves curl and develop dull gray cobweb patches that can be wiped off. Eventually black patches appear. Controlled by sufur sprays and canopy management to prevent leaf bunching.

Front 52

What are the main symptoms of downy mildew (plasmopara viticola) and how is it best controlled?

Back 52

Yellow oil spots on leaf surface with white downy patches on underside. Spots spread and go brown with leaf falloff. Bordeaux mixture (copper sulfate and hydrated lime).

Front 53

What are the main symptoms of grey rot (botrytis cinerea) and how is it best controlled?

Back 53

Leaves develop stains 2-3 cm with grey felting on underside and sometimes topside. Control is difficult with rotation of commercial botrytis fungicides being the best approach.

Front 54

What are the main symptoms of mite infestations of grapevines and how are they best controlled?

Back 54

Insects on underside of leaves visable by tapping leaves over a white sheet of paper. Bleached out and stippling areas on leaves. Sevin controls.

Front 55

What are the main symptoms of eutypa dieback and how is it best controlled?

Back 55

Stunted shoots with small yellow cupped leaves. Controlled by covering pruning wounds with a fungicide paste.

Front 56

What are the main symptoms of phylloxera and how is it best controlled?

Back 56

Vines die of drought in patches that increase in size year by year. Roots are covered with oval yellow-brown dot sized insects surrounded by yellow eggs. Only control is to plant grafted resistant rootstocks.

Front 57

What are the main symptoms of phomopsis and how is it best controlled?

Back 57

During winter pruning white canes break off easily. Spring leaves darkly spot after rainfall and become stunted and distorted. Control by fungicidal sprays in winter and at germination in spring.

Front 58

What are the main symptoms of Pierce's disease and how is it best controlled?

Back 58

Midsummer leaves discolor and die within two weeks.
No control currently effective.

Front 59

What are symptoms of fanleaf virus and how is it best controlled?

Back 59

Shoots malformed with double nodes, leaves look like fans, distorted and become yellow along veins. Grape bunches shotty and 80% fruit reduced. No cure once established.

Front 60

What are symptoms of leafroll virus and how is it best controlled?

Back 60

In fall, grape leaves become red (black grapes) or yellow (white grapes) with downward rolled edges. No cure once established.

Front 61

What type of damage do birds cause in the vineyard and how can they be controlled?

Back 61

Birds peck (damage) grapes or pluck full grapes which results in secondary fungal and bacterial infections. Control is noisemakers but not very effective.

Front 62

What are symptoms of grape moths and how are they best controlled?

Back 62

Larvae beging feeding on grape bunches in late summer causing the berries to web together. Natural enemies such as spiders, wasps and shield bug can be introduced.

Front 63

In what part of the grape, skins, pulp, juice or seeds (pips) are the most polyphenols found?

Back 63

Seeds (pips) - 60% mainly proanthocyanidins.
Skins - 30% mainly anthocyanins, resveratrol

Front 64

What are the characteristics that "vinifera amurensis" contributes as a pure or hybridized rootstock?

Back 64

Some phylloxera and nematode resistance.
Susceptible to early frost damage.

Front 65

What are the characteristics that "vinifera berlanderi" contributes as a pure or hybridized rootstock?

Back 65

Some phylloxera and nematode resistance.
Resistant to lime (no chlorosis) in soils. Cuttings do not root well.

Front 66

What are the characteristics that "vinifera riparia" contributes as a pure or hybridized rootstock?

Back 66

Some phylloxera and nematode resistance.
Develops chlorosis in chalky soils. Good for surface soils.
More tolerant of damp conditions. Low vigor.

Front 67

What are the characteristics that vinifera "rupestris"contributes as a pure or hybridized rootstock?

Back 67

Some phylloxera and nematode resistance. Develops chlorosis in chalky soils. More tolerant of drought conditions. High vigor. Good for deep soils.

Front 68

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Chardonnay grape?

Back 68

Chardonnay is prone to grey rot.

Front 69

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Pinot Gris. Pinot Grigio grape?

Back 69

Too many uninteresting, dilute neutral examples.

Front 70

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Pinot Blanc grape?

Back 70

Commercial sales are in the shadow of Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

Front 71

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Riesling grape?

Back 71

Thin skinned thus subjext to bee damage.
Still underappreciated by most wine consumers.

Front 72

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Gewurztraminer grape?

Back 72

Difficult to achieve flavor ripeness at moderate alcohol levels.
Low yields.

Front 73

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Muscat Blanc/Ottonel grape?

Back 73

Prone to mildew fungal diseases.
Attracts hungry insects.
Unless oxidatively aged, wines fade quickly.

Front 74

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Chenin Blanc grape?

Back 74

Ripens unevenly resulting in harvesting problems.
Underappreciated and unfashionable.

Front 75

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Sauvignon Blanc grape?

Back 75

Can be one dimensionable.
Can tend to excessive yields.
Susceptible to black rot and powdery mildew.

Front 76

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Semillon grape?

Back 76

Underappreciated and unfashionable.
Can lack aromas and acidity in some conditions.

Front 77

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Viognier grape?

Back 77

Delicate flavors are easily "burnt off" during ripening. Wines from overripe grapes can be too alcoholic and bitter.
The best, old, clones give irregular, low yields.

Front 78

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Pinot Noir grape?

Back 78

Low yields.
Prone to rot.
Hard to grow and vinify well.

Front 79

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Cabernet Sauvignon grape?

Back 79

Ripens late and can be difficult to ripen fully.
Low yields despite high vigor.

Front 80

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Cabernet Franc grape?

Back 80

In the shadow of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Front 81

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Merlot grape?

Back 81

Can be bland and lacking in structure.
Early budding so prone to spring frosts.
Prone to coulure (failure of grapes to develop after flowering.

Front 82

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Syrah/Shiraz grape?

Back 82

Prone to develop reductive flavors (mercaptan)

Front 83

For what grapes to grow in a vineyard, what are some of the negatives in choosing the Zinfandel/Primitivo grape?

Back 83

Uneven ripening.
Tendency to excessive alcohol.

Front 84

What are the essential ingredients for photosynthesis and what does it produce?

Back 84

Sunlight for energy (ADP-ATP)
Water
Carbondioxide

Output is sugar or organic compounds and oxygen

Front 85

What process determines the maximum number of grape bunches per shoot?

Back 85

Flowering in the current year initiates floral initiation in dormant buds which will set fruit the following year.

Front 86

In terms of yield, what are the 3 most important stages in the growth cycle of a grapevine?

Back 86

Budburst
Flowering
Floral initiation

Front 87

When preparing a vineyard site, why should trees be uprooted rather than just cut off at the base?

Back 87

Because tree roots harbor fungal diseases.

Front 88

What is triage?

Back 88

sorting of fruit into different quality levels

Front 89

At what low temperature will grape vines die off from frost?

Back 89

In genral, grapevines will not survive temperatures lower than -25 deg C (-13 deg F)

Front 90

Give a brief vineyard calendar of activities for October thru February (northern hemisphere)

Back 90

Oct - cellar work, clear land for new plants. Nov/Dec plow between rows, prune this years cane, mound earth around base of vine. Jan-Feb prune vines.

Front 91

Give a vineyard calendar of activities for the months of March - June (northern hemisphere)

Back 91

March - fertilize vines, graft new vines. April remove earth mounded at vine base, tie this years cane to trellis, spread herbicide, plant new plants. May spray against insects, remove suckers.

Front 92

Give a vineyard calendar of activities for the months of June - September (northern hemisphere)

Back 92

June positioning of shoots and spraying continues. July tips of vines removed, green harvest to restrict yield, spraying continues. August spraying discontinued, prepare for vinification. Sept test for ripeness, clean winery equipment, harvest.