Wset Level 3 Award - Factors Affecting Quality, Style And Price

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Vine Species

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For fruit - Vitis vinifera
For rootstocks (native to North America, resitant to Phyloxera) - Vitis riparia, Vitis rupestris, Vitis berlandieri

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Anatomy of vine - Shoots

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New growth a vine produces each year. Along the length of eah shoot are regularly spaced bumps called nodes. At each node there will be either a leaf and a flower or a leaf and a tendris. Buds form where leaf stems join the shoot.

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Anatomy of vine - Leaves

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Plant's engine, responsible for phtosynthesis (use of chlorophyll and sunlight energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugar glucose and oxygen (combine glucose into larger carbohydrates to make building blocks; store energy that can be released later; concentrates into fruit, making it attractive to animals to propagate seeds).

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Anatomy of vine - Tendrils

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Structures used to grip a supporting structure to stay upright.

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Anatomy of vine - Flowers and Berries

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Reproductive organs. Are hermaphrodite (both male and female). Group of flowers called inflorescences. Pollinated flowers becomes berry, and inflorescence becomes bunch of grapes. Grape is wind-pollinated, animal-dispersed, so fruits are sweet and brightly coloured, but flowers are small.

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Anatomy of vine - Buds

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Form where leaf and shoot join, and are embryonic shoots. Mature inside their casing, and end of year, contain miniature structures that will become shoot, leaves, flowers and tendrils following year.

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Anatomy of vine - One Year Old Wood

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Shoots turn woody during winter. Following spring, become one year wood and buds burst and grow into shoots. Vital because vines normally only produce fruit on shoots that grow from buds that developed the previous year. Vine pruned each year, and one year old wood will be called cane (long with eight to fifteen buds) or spur (short with two to three buds).

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Anatomy of vine - Permanent Wood

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Wood that is more than one year old. The amount is restricted by pruning. Sometime referred to as cordon. Stores some carbohydrate reserves during winter, used to fuel initial shoot growth, important in cool areas.

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Anatomy of vine - Roots

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Absorb water and nutrients from soil, anchor the vine, and store carbohydrates to allow the vine to survive the winter. In modern vineyards, most vitis vinifera is grafted on other species because of Phylloxera.

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Vine varieties

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Vines belong to the same variety if their origin can be followed back, through a series of cuttings, to the same parent plant. Varieties can only be reproduced by taking cuttings from existing plant . Cannot use pips (seeds) of grape.

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Vine varieties - Clones

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Selected specimen of a specific variety, propagated for favourable characteristics.

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Vine varieties - Crossing

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Any variety grown from seed whose parent vines were both vitis vinifera.

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Vine varieties - Hybrids

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Any variety grown from seeds whose parent vines came from different vine species.

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Rootstocks

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Phylloxera is fatal to vitis vinifera. Only known reliable solution is to graft vitis vinifera onto non-vinifera rootstock that can resist the pest.

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Key black varieties - Pinot Noir

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Originally planted in Burgundy.
Ripens early - well suited to moderate climate.
Tight bunches of small berries, giving sweet juice. Therefore prone to rot, managed through systematic sprays and canopy management.
Young Pinot Noir typically displays perfume of raspberries, strawberries or red cherries.
Due to thin skin, usually soft, light tannins and seldom deep in colour.
Ages unpredictably.
With age, vegetal and farmyard aromas develop.
Outside of Burgundy, needs moderate or cool conditions, otherwise get over-ripe, jammy flavours.
Classic Pinot Noir can be found in Carneros and Sonoma (California), Walker Bay (South Africa), Yarra Valley (Australia) and Martinborough, Marlborough, and Central Otago (New Zealand).
Also an important constituent of Champagne and many New World sparkling wines.

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Key black varieties - Cabernet Sauvignon

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Classic grape of Haut Medoc (Bordeaux).
Buds late, reducing possible damage from spring frost.
Bunches are loosely formed and grapes are thick skinned, with high skin-to-pulp ratio, and are resistant to rot and insects.
Low yields of full-bodied, high-acid, tannic wines, that respond well to oak ageing and develop complexity in bottle.
Classic flavours are of freshly picked blackcurrants (moderate climates), tending towards black cherry and blackcurrant jam (in warm and hot climates). Blackcurrant fruit can be accompanied by notes of green capsicum, mint, and cedarwood (cool regions), becoming more accented as wine ages. Blackcherry, even black olive, fruit character (hot climate).
Many Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, particularly from Coonawarra, have distinctive hints of mint, eucalyptus, or menthol.
Classic regions include Medoc and Graves; Napa; Coonawarra, and Margaret River; Hawke's Bay; and Colchagua.

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Key black varieties - Merlot

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Other great grape of Bordeaux, often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Dominant in Saint Emilion and Pomerol.
Unblended, gives soft, undemanding, easy-to-drink wines with soft tannins.
Best Style 1. Grapes harvested as late as possible to generate maximum possible degree of intense purple colour, blackberry, and plum fruit, and soft, velvet-textured tannins, combined with rich/full body due to high alcohol and concentrated fruit. All this may be supported by toasty flavours of new oak. This style is the "international style", made in may New World countries, south of France and some Bordeaux estates.
Best Style 2. Harvest earlier, and make wine with medium body and alcohol, but higher acidity and more fresh fruit character (raspberries, ripe strawberries), and maybe even vegetal, leafy aromas. This latter approach is rarely found outside Bordeaux.

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Key black varieties - Syrah/Shiraz

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One of the oldest grape varieties.
Typically very deep in colour with black fruit and spice aromas.
Will not ripen in cool climates. Moderate to warm climates: tanning levels can be high, blackberry fruit note, can accompanied by blackpepper, and maybe mint notes. Hot climate: more full bodied with soft tannings and earthy, leathery flavours and spice notes are more like liquorice and anise.
Syrah wines can age well.
Great reds of Northern Rhone, and planting increased in Southern France to improve blends.
Most widely planted variety in Australia, where sometimes blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Grown in most Australian premium regions, with Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Hunter Valley, and Margaret River being known for distinctive styles.
Becoming increasingly important in South Africa, Hawke's Bay (New Zealand), Washington State, and Chile, where those labelled Syrah indicate more elegant style, and labelled Shiraz generally fruitier, fuller-bodied and higher in alcohol.

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Key black varieties - Grenache/Garnacha

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Originates from and most widely planted red grape in Spain.
Main grape of Navarra and important grape in Rioja, particularly in Rioja Baja. Instrumental role in Priorat's rise to intl fame where produces concentrated powerful wines.
France: grown in Southern Rhone and the Midi.
Also found in California and South Australia, particularly McLaren Vale.
Responsible for many great Rose wines, and a vital constituent of many blended wines (eg Chateauneuf-du-Pape). In this guise, benefits from oak-ageing.
The sweet, thin-skinned grapes give wines that are high in alcohol and are full-bodied with soft tannins. Unless made from low-yielding old vines, wines can be pale in colour, and tend to oxidise early (even young wines can show distinct browning at rim). Classic Grenache has red fruit flavours (strawberry and raspberry) and hints of white pepper, which develop into leather, tar, and tofffee as wine ages.
Grenache needs hot conditions to ripen fully, but is very tolerant of drought.

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Key black varieties - Sangiovese

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Produces greatest Chianti, Brunello di Montalcion, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, as well as many other non-DOC(G) Tuscan wines. Can be blended with other international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, to produce the "Super Tuscans".
Typical Sangiovese is not aromatic like Cabernet, Syrah, or Pinot Noir. Wines are high in acidity, with a sour red cherry fruit character, sometimes rather astringent tannins and earthy, dusty aromas reminiscent of tea leaves.
Widely grown throught central and southern Italy, but (except in Argentina) only recently grown in other countries.

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Key black varieties - Tempranillo

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Widely planted throughout northern Spain, considered to be country's leading quality red grape variety.
Appears under wide range of names: Ull de Llebre, Cencidel, and Tinto del Pais; Tinat Roriz and Aragonez in Portugal.
Major constituent of best Riojas, and wines of Ribera del Duero.
Ripens early and grows best on chalky soil. Because can be lacking in distinctive aromas, often best blended and aged in oak. Typically has fruity flavours of ripe strawberries or plums.
Outside Iberia, established in Argentina and New World producers beginning to experiment with it.

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Key white varieties - Chardonnay

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Named after village in Maconnais, but planted around world.
Wide range of climate and styles. In cool climates, eg Champagne and Chablis, gives very steely wines, medium to light in body, with high acidity and apple, pear, or green fruit notes. More favourable sites, and moderate-climate regions, result in more citrus, melon, and peach notes. Warm and hot climate give exotic flavours such as banana, mango, and fig. Ch. from very hot regions can be very full-bodied, high in alcohol, and low in acidity. Fruit character rarely very pronounced: could be described as non-aromatic. So vineyard character and winemaking technicques can contribute to much of flavour.
Common to use malolactic fermentation (softens fruit and acidity, and gives butter and hazelnut flavours).
Chardonnay be oaked, many fermented and/or aged in French or American oak. This gives more tannin and rich, toasty, nutty flavours to wine. Lee stirring can be used to give complexity and body.
Classic regions: Burgundy and Champagne; Russian River and Carneros; Adelaide Hills, Geelong, and Mornington Peningsula; Gisborne and Marlborough in New Zealand; but high quality in many other regions.

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Key white varieties - Sauvignon Blanc

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Planted widely in Bordeaux, Loire Valley, and New World, particularly Marlborough, New Zealand.\n\n
In cool or moderate climate regions on poor soils: high acidity and classic green, herbaceous flavours, often reminiscent of green pepper, grass or nettles. Herbaceous characteristics usually joined by some fruitiness - typically passion fruit or elderflower.
In warm or hot rgions, can fail to develop much aromatic character, and will have hints of peach and grapefruit.
Oak sometimes used to give wines more body and flavour character, especially in US, where often labelled "Fume Blanc". Most Sauvignon best while young and fruity.
Those that do not fade can develop aromas of asparagus and peas.
Classic regions include Sancerre, Puilly-Fume, and Marlborough. Good examples also in other parts of Loire and New Zealand, as well as South Africa, Chile, Bordeaux, the Midi, and California.

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Key white varieties - Riesling

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Widely planted around the world.\n\n
Fruity, aromatic grape variety that retains its high acidity. Ripens late, but is very hardy, therefore ideal for late-harvest wines.
Has range of styles. Cool climates: such as Mosel, can very fresh grape and apple fruit character, natural high acidity often balanced with some sugar. Late-harvested grapes from these regions, and vinies grown in warmer regions such as Alsace, Austria, and the Clare Valley, result in more citrus and peach fruit note. Some Australian Rieslings have a distinct lime fruit character.
Like Chardonnay, varies according to location. Unlike Chardonnay, does not benefit from malolactic fermentation or oak ageing. Exception are complex and elegant desert wines made with botrytis-affected Riesling grapes. With high acidity and intense flavour, can age well, developing notes of honey, smoke, and sometimes petrol.
Classic regions include the Mosel, Nahe, Rheingau, and Pfalz in Germany; the Wachau in Austria; Alsace in France; Clare and Eden Valleys in Australia.\n\n
Welschriesling is totally unrelated. To avoid confusion, it must be labelled Welschriesling (Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria), or Laski Rizling (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia), or Olasz Rizling (Hungary).

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Key white varieties - Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio

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Fines in Alsace, whose full-bodies, spicy style is copied in other regions, such as Tasmania, Marlborough, and Oregon.
In Alsace, even dry wines rich-textured and oily, rather than high in alcohol and moderate to low in acidity. Can have ripe, exotic fruit, such as melon, ripe banana and mango, and sometimes botrytis flavours can appear in the dry wines. Botrytis-affected desert wines are also made.
North-east Italy has a different approach with Pinot Grigio. Grapes tend to be harvested early to retain more acidity and avoid devpt of too much fruitiness. Result is generally light and failry netural in character, with medium acidity. This light, fresh, style is copied in many New World regions. Variety also grown in Germany (also known as Rulander or Grauburgunder, but frequently labelled Pinot Grigio and made in Italian style).

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Key white varieties - Viognier

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Offers some of the soft, full-bodied texture of Chardonnay, with more aromatic fruit character.
Needs warm to hot conditions to ripen. Has tendency to give low yields and rapidly builds up high sugar levels, often before its delicate peach, pear, and violet aromas have had a chance to develop. Can result in unbalanced, high-alcohol wines. Once flavours have appeared, careful handling is needed to retain them in the wine. Barrel fermentation sometimes used, but easy for contact with air to destroy the fruit.
Fines Viogniers come from tiny regions of Condrieu and Chateau Grillet in northern Rhone. Express delicate perfume, silky texture, and mineral flavours. Other fine examples in south of France, Australia, and California.
Generally, drink young, but small number can age.

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Key white varieties - Muscat

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Prolific family that needs warm, dry conditions to ripen.
Wines (often sparkling or fortified) all have intense grappey flavour.
Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains: used for Asti, certain Vins Doux Naturels, and a version is used for Rutherglen Muscats. It gives most complex, full spectrum of aromatic notes. Unaged wines are full of grape, peach, rose, and citrus aromas. Those with oxidative oak-ageing become very dark in colour, and develop aromas of raisins, fruit cake, toffee and coffee, yet retain characteristic Muscat perfume.\n\n
Muscat of Alexandrai: more common, used for a few French Vins Doux Naturels, Spanish Moscatels, and as component in mainly medium-dry wines in California, Australia, and South Africa. Less aromatically complex, tends to smell simply of grapes.
Muscat Ottonel: attractively perfumed dry white wines in Alsace and Central Europe.
With exception of oak-aged fortified wines, these do not last long once bottled, and should be consumed when youthful, fruity and fresh.

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Growing environment

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To grow, vine needs carbon dioxyde, water, sunlight, heat, and nutrients.

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Growing environment - climate

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Climate is the annual patterns averaged over several years.

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Growing environment - weather

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Weather is the variation that happens within these patterns on an annual basis.

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Temperature - what a vine needs

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A wine needs average temperatures in the growing season between 16-22 degrees celsius to grow and photosynthesise. Different varieties require different amounts of heat to thrive.

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Factors associated with temperature

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latitude, altitude, ocean currents, fog (can cool area), soil, aspect (direction a slope faces), continentality (diff between winter and summer temperature), diurnal range (diff between day and night temperature).

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Hazards linked to temperature

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winter freeze (below -20c), frost (air below 0c), mild winters (vine does not become dormant, life will be shortened, and crop will suffer; larger insect pest population survives), excessive summer heat (accelerate ripening, alters composition, changes wine style; if not not enough water, vine may stop ripening the grape, shed leaves, and die).

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Sunlight - why needed

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Wine needs sunlight to photosynthesise, convert water and carbon dioxyde into glucose for growth and ripening grapes.
More sunlight = more sugar production.

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Factors associated with sunlight

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Seas and lakes, latitude (summer day length the further from equator - important for ripening Riesling in Germany and Cabernet Sauvignon in Washington State), aspect (more if facing equator).

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Hazards associated with sunlight

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Too little sunlight can give under ripe grapes with tart flavours.
Too much sunlight can cause sunburn and give rapes a bitter taste.

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Water - why needed

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Sufficient water is required to support photosynthesis and mild water stress to promote ripening. Amount of water depends on the vine's needs, which rise with the temperature.

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Sources of water

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rain, irrigation (drip, sprinkler, flood)

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Hazards associated with water

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Too little water = drought, poor ripening and vine death.
Too much water = excessive growth, shading and poor ripening, fungal disease, disrupts flowering and fruit set. Hail.

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Climate classification (based on average growing season temp)

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Cool: 16.5c or below.
Moderate: 16.5 to 18.5c.
Warm: 18.5 to 21c
Hot: above 21c (usually unsuitable).

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Continental climate

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Continentality: High
Rainfall: Usually low
Growing season temp: Can be cool, moderate, warm, or hot.
Growing season sunlight: Usually very sunny.

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Maritime climate

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Continentality: Low to medium.
Rainfall: Usually medium to high, spread throughout the year.
Growing season temp: Usually cool or moderate.
Growing season sunlight: Usually cloudy.

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Mediterranean climate

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Continentality: Low to medium.
Rainfall: Usually low to medium mostly medium mostly falling in the winter.
Growing season temp: usually moderate or warm.
Growing season sunlight: Usually sunny (unless other local effects, such as fogs).

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Cool continental climates

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Champagne, Mosel.

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Moderate continental climates

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Burgundy, Central Otago, Barolo.

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Warm continental climates

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Ribera del Duero, Mendoza.

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Hot continental climates

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La Mancha, Port.

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Cool maritime climates

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Muscadet.

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Moderate maritime climates

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Bordeaux, Rias Baixas.

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Warm continental climates

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Auckland.

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Moderate Mediterranean climates

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Chianti, Carneros.

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Warm Mediterranean climates

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Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Napa Valley.

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Hot Mediterranean climates

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Murray-Darling.

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Composition of soil

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Soil particles, stones and rocks, humus, plant nutrients.

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Soil and water.

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Water is held in the soil and underlying rock. The amount of water available to the vine affects its growth. The best soils retain only enough water to sustain the vine's needs.

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Soil and nutrients.

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Vine only needs very small amounts of nutrients. Too much and the vine will grow vigorously, too little and the vine is unable to grow properly.