Terroir Final
Who can petition the TTB for a new AVA?
Anyone, but all people involved in the production area must agree on terms of the AVA petition
Why are the yields so low in the vineyards of Condrieu?
Strong northerly winds that move up the Rhone and damage the crop, also very steep slopes that make harvesting difficult
As of 2012, what are the three principle tiers of classification for French wines?
-Vin de Frane - Replaced Vin de Table, allows consumer to know much more about the wine including grape variety and vintage. specifies grape type and grapes must be grown in france. -Indication Geographique Protegee - Used instead of Vin de Pays. No restrictions on grape varieties, estates are allowed to blend wines from AOCs. only geographic restrictions, no restrictions on varieties. -Appellation d'Origine Protegee (AOP) - replaces the AOC classification of Appellation d'Origine Controlee, but classification is relatively the same. so geographic restrictions and restrictions on production and processing.
How do average growing season temperatures today compare to those 100 years ago, 500 years ago, 1000 years ago, and to the long-term average for the last 2000 years?
100 - Warmer 500 - There was an ice age 1000 - Like today 2000 -
In what fundamental ways do the requirements for an AOC (AOP) differ from those for an AVA?
AOC can designate the terrain that the grapes can be grown on in a specific area. The allowed cultivars, the viticultural practices, minimum alcohol content, wine-making practices. An AVA simply talks about the difference that is already there.
what is Chaptalization?
Adding concentrated sugar solution to wines that do not have sufficient sugar content to produce desired alcohol content. It also augments the production of certain compounds in wine. It is typically illegal in regions or countries where warm growing conditions where this process is unnecessary but is usually permissable in cooler regions
Why do almost all winemakers add sulfur dioxide to their wine?
Adding sulfur dioxide minimizes unwanted bacterial/microbe growth and prevents oxidation of the wine. Because it kills off the bacteria, it retards malolactic fermentation. Thus for white wines with SO2 you can prevent malolactic fermentation and red wines you can later induce it.
Besides relocating vineyards to cooler areas, what are some of the ways that wine growers can adapt to the pressures of a warming climate?
Adjust vine management (less pruning so that more berries to dilute the sugar amount and more shade) Adjust harvest dates based on temperature changes/nighttime harvest Change the cultivar you are growing to one more suited for the changing growing degree days. Use drought resistant root stocks Adjust irrigation practices (drip irrigation for more effective water delivery), Filter out higher alcohol content Changing row orientation (east west instead of north south so each row shades the next)/trellising to protect grapes from increasing heat with canopy Add cover crop to reduce heat reflection from soil onto grapes Use integrated pest management techniques
How might the European Union be forced to change their rules to adapt to global climate change, and how would those rule changes affect the notion of terroir?
Also European growers are restricted by what varieties they can grow, these restrictions will have to be adjusted so that growers can choose cultivars that are better suited for that temperature. Adjust irrigation laws, emergency rules to allow irrigation when everyones vines are suffering. How will this change terroir? added manipulation (especially with irrigation) will reduce their terroir. May change the very idea of terroir.
When and where did the codification of wine regions and wine quality first occur? What prompted the desire for these new rules and regulations?
Around 1850s, there was a rising awareness (mostly in France) that legislation was needed to confirm and maintain wine quality (people were putting names on low quality wines that suggested higher quality, these laws and systems allowed for regulation of quality so people who produced high quality wine didn't get that stolen by lower quality producers). Also many deleterious practices such as using hybrids, overproducing grapes, adding sugar and water to leftovers to make more wine had become routine after phylloxera so these regulations were in attempts to "bring order to the chaos"
What and where was the first AVA?
Augusta, Missouri in the corner of St. Charles County.
Describe the geographic transition occupied by the Veneto, which lies between Venice and Rome in northern Italy.
Between venice and rome, it represents a transition between the alpine, German-slavic end of italy and the warmer drier, more roman lands to the south.
What does the word 'bordeaux" mean in French and how is that meaning fundamental to the terroir of this famous wine-growing region?
Bordeaux translates to "next to the waters" and this is fundamental to the terroir of the region because Bordeaux is a coastal region, in which the Atlantic acts as a major climate moderator (long warm summer days that never get too cold). A large pine forest protects the area from salty coast winds.
How are the boundaries of AVAs created? What criteria govern the placement of those boundaries?
Boundaries of the proposed AVA have a descriptive name that captures the distinctness of that location with boundaries that apply to the geographic region corresponding with that name. Boundaries of the AVA are distinct from the entire surrounding area and share distinct "geographical features" with the land within the AVA and they must be justified in their distinctness Boundary evidence: The petition must explain in detail the basis for defining the boundary of the proposed AVA as set forth in the petition. This explanation must have reference to the name evidence and other distinguishing features information required under this section. In support of the proposed boundaries, the petition must outline the commonalities or similarities Distinguishing features: describes similar features that make the area distinctive
What is a trockenbeerenauslese? Do they have to be produced in a particular region to be labeled as such?
Dry berries picked individually. Grapes are picked extremely selectively when they have reached a dry, raisiny stage.Not limited to a single region but is the method
What is the primary bedrock of Champagne and how does it influence the vines?
Cratacous Chalk. Chalk absorbs water, the grape roots go into the chalk. Provides excellent drainage, avoiding the risk of waterlogging that can happen in this region of France. The permeability also allows for access to deep water stores down below, encouraging strong root development
Vaud
Dont ever see swiss wines because they consume nearly their entire production, south facing slopes on the north side of lake geneva. large terraced vineyards, schist rock. Three suns, lake, sun and reflection from terraces. high clay content with large chunks of rock, all glacial till. no irrigation at all because it retains water very well but vines dont get too vigorous because its cold. chasila wine?
Global warming has had a more positive effect on the quality and price of European wine relative to New World wine. Why?
European vines have been planted at the northern limit of where they can be planted, so they can take the heat. Napa will always get ripe, and now is getting too ripe.
How are the vineyards of the Valais influenced by the fohn?
Fohn = a warm wind that keeps the area unusually warm and dry considering its altitude (just below the swiss alps). Allows the vineyards to be grown at higher altitude.
Veneto
Foothills of the alps near Venice, produces Prosecco. planting on literally every inch of soil
What is malolactic fermentation?
For mostly red wines, conversion of malic acid to lactate via certain bacterial species. Imparts smoother flavor.
How do pressed and free run wines differ?
Free run wines (the wine that immediately filters and does not require pressing for collection) are clearer and posses lower levels of suspended solids, phenolic contents, and flavorants derived from skins. The highest quality wine. Pressed wines contain increasing amounts of suspended solids, anthocyanins, tannins, and skin flavorants. They are more likey to oxidize, possess lower acidity. Most wines are a blend of free run and first press.
Outline the hierarchy of terroir classification within the French AOC (AOP) system. How many examples exist of terroirs that have been granted the highest level?
Going from lowest to highest quality, AOC can be granted to a region, a district (equivalent of american AVA), a commune (collection of villages) and a vineyard. As you get smaller, the regulations get tighter because theoretically, the soil is of greater quality and distinctiveness and will produce the best wine. Outside of the AOC system, there is also lower quality wines deemed "vins de consommation courante" (wines for early consumption), slightly higher "vins de pays" (country wines), and above "vins delimites de qualite superieure" (designated wines of superior quality).
What are some possible explanations for the warmest vintages being proclaimed as the best vintages for the last 20 years?
Good sugar and thus good alcohol content, mildew pressure goes down. People like riper style wines (scored well by critics), allow for good development of flavor compounds
Bordeaux
Gravelly alluvial floodplains above the gerand river. rains a lot in this region, so the need gravelly soils for god drainage so as to not have too much vigor. Climate is moderated strongly by the proximity to the atlantic ocean, very long growing season. Vintage quality is determined by whether or not they get rain during/around their harvest. Huge vintage variation here. Best wines come from the right (east) bank chardonnays, left bank merlots. classified by quality (1st growth, second growth ect.), very few first growth.
What is the principle grape of Chateauneuf du Pape? How were this region's soils derived?
Grenache is the king in the vineyards here, but syrah and mourvedre are also highly used. The soils are pebbly and sandy, as is common in the southern half of the rhone valley. they are formed mostly of ancient riverbeds of various ages. the archetypal chateauneuf vineyard is strewn with large pebbles known as galets, whose soft rounded form stands in direct contrast to the gnarly, twisted vine trunks. There is clay 5 feet down, which allows for some water to be retained.
Describe the characteristic soil and climate of the Gigondas AOC
Hot, dry mediterranean climate and limestone soils (on eastern slopes) and rocky, sandy free-draining soils (on the flatter, lower-lying land to the north and west)
Tuscany
Is southernmost of major european wine regions, still farther north than walla walla. Is warm, full of hills. Produces lots of sangiovese Sedimentary rock with high clay content, fairly warm. dont have to have cover crop shere because the clay sets up into chunks that wont blow away and radiate some good heat. Grape of choice in tuscany is sangiovese, especially brunello.
Based on laboratory experiments, what is the predicted response of grapevines to increase concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide?
It increases vigor, and production. These results in combination with higher temperatures and moderate drought conditions showed higher yield variability, thus it might not be a great thing when you look at the whole picture
In terms of its effects on French agriculture, has the AOC (AOP) system generally regarded as a success or a failure?
It is a success in that it has forced the careful production of higher quality products. They have helped maintain agricultural profitability in zones that are considered difficult or marginal, thus they can be considered an important tool for rural agricultural development. They have also helped many traditional products remain on the market that would have otherwise disappeared.
What is the purpose of using reverse osmosis in winemaking?
It is the pulling out of water.It operates by forcing water out of the juice through a membrane that retains most of the sugars and flavor components but some aromatic components can be lost. To improve the character of wines of poor vintages, without adding sugar. It can offset problems such as juice dilution from preharvest rains in cooler climates that have to let their grapes hang longer for flavor development by concentrating the flavors in the juice. This process can also be used to remove excess alcohol from the wine.
What is the effect of on viticulture of the shallow granitic soils of the Hermitage AOC?
It keeps the hillside warm during the day, helping the grapes ripen more fully, especially the western facing slopes. Some erosion
why worried about climate change for wine over other crops?
Its hard to move vineyards (takes 5 years to get reliable grapes, don't plant fresh every year like you do other crops), also there is invested interest in being able to continue growing wine exactly how you've been growing it to maintain flavors. The brand of the place is of central importance. The regions, who hold name value, may have to change.
In Germany in the 1700's, what might happen to producers if they were caught adding water to their wines?
Killed
What geographic feature has a strong influence on the climate of the Vaud?
Large terraces that rise steeply above lake Geneva
What is the dominant type of bedrock in Burgundy?
Limestone, it is shallow
How does the process of maceration and fermentation differ when making white vs red wine?
Maceration facilitates the extraction of nutrients, flavorants, and other constituents from the pulp, skins, and seeds. In white wines, this is kept to a minimum, lasting no more than a few hours. Warmer maceration will produce deeper color and flavor whereas cooler maceration will produce a fresh, fruity wine. For red wines, maceration is prolonged (longer maceration = more tannins) and occurs simultaneously with alcoholic fermentation.
What is MOG?
Material other than grapes.
Some very expensive French wines of excellent quality display "Vin de France", the lowest level of classification, on their labels. Why is this?
Maybe you wan't want to follow those specific rules, you only do if you want the specific names.
Up until now, have the effects of global climate change been regarded as generally helpful or hurtful?
Mixed but not bad yet, as new areas are now able to grow wines. It has allow for higher yields and development of flavor compounds. but as temperature continues to increase it will in turn become detrimental,
What are some of the ways, geographically, that wine growers can respond to global climate change?
Move because of Altitude and latitude. Harvest sooner, cover crop, more canopy, change rows to shade one another, but water is the focus on all things
How might the governmental classification of terroirs promote "Disneyfication"?
Napa is now the most populous tourist attraction in California.
Cornas
Near hermitage on the other side of the rhone, faces mostly southeast, mistral cold wind avoided by the southeast slopes.
What are "oak alternatives"?
Oak chips, staves (a plank of the barrel), liquid oak extract can all be added to the process to give the oak flavor without the oak expense.
When did it become illegal to use the names of French wine-growing regions for wines made in Oregon, in Washington?
Oregon - 1977 Washington - 1999
What properties must agricultural products possess if they are to meet the criteria for the European Union's PDO and PGI designations?
PDO - Protected Designation of Origin -- products are produced, processed, and prepared in a given geographical area, using recognized know-how. . (This is AOP in France). PGI - Protected Geographical Indication --product is one closely linked to the geographical area in which it is produced, processed, or prepared, and which has specific qualities attributable to that geographical area.
what is the role of the winemaker in the expression of terroir: EXAM QUESTION. what are the steps along the way? negative or positive?
Picking: based on brixs, acidity, phenolic panels (pyrazines = not ripe) in the grapes. As you go through ripeness, sugar increases, pH increases (less acidic), and pyrazine phenolics decrease and fruity phenolics increase. Pick based on these levels that youre looking for. Good brix to pick at is 22-23, give you about 13% alcohol. Want natural acidity or it will taste flabby. too much sugar = too alcoholic, masks flavor, just tastes hot. Want a balance of sugar and pH for a good terroir wine, out of balance and certain factors will overwhelm others masking terroir of certain qualities. Crush: how hard do you crush, open every berry (complete maceration), only crush some and leave some whole, or whole berries? leaving in the stems, taking out some, taking out all? Cold Soak?: must stays cold before the addition of yeast. forces yeast to not work until it heats up, allows certain features of the skins to get into the juice before fermentation Add SO2: to sterilize anything alive in the must so that you can innoculate with your own yeast. some people take out some of it and add later to keep native yeasts but prevent other spoilage bacteria. dont add SO2 if you want complete native fermentation Fermentation: innoculate or native? some dont believe natural fermentation exists because the Saccromyces. Can pick your own type of yeast depending on what features you want in your wine and what type of wine you are making. control the temperature of the ferment. Colder or hotter ferment? control with glycol tanks, add dry ice, heating pads. Fermentation vessel: what type of tank they ferment in, barrel (oak) or stainless steel (supposed to be as inert as possible, adding as minimal effects as possible) or concrete (good at temperature stabilization) or picking bins (plastic)? Also vessel shape, egg (shape controls convection?), cylindrical. Oxygenation: Punch downs/pump over (run wine through a pump on top of fermenting wine) - both techniques of macrooxygenation. Press: when? stop fermentation with SO2. or have stuck fermentations (sugar left over because yeast could not survive the increasing alcohol concentration, can add genetically modified yeast to complete fermentation to take the wine to dryness). Can leave on skins after ferment to extract color better with the alcohol. Pressing must decide how hard and are you going to make a wine with just the free run or mix with the pressed juices as well. Pressing will introduce harsher tannins from stems an seeds (why free run is better because it has the most delicate and desired tannins). Free run is more terroir than pressed wine (tannins of pressed wine will overwhelm other terroir flavors) malolactic fermentation: red wine, want it to go through. if its white, maybe? if you want a crisp, minerally, acidic white wine no ML. if buttery white, then yes. can stop by adding SO2. european white wines do not go through ML. Storage: oak barrels? - they add oak flavor and allow for oxygenation. if your oak barrels are new or have been used previously (new -> neutral). Species of oak (french-subtle, american-strongest flavor additive, hungarian ect). Using oak alternatives like oak chips or sawdust, oak extract. Grain of the oak - permeability affects oxygenation. Top off barrels as wine evaporates to decrease headspace? Toasting barrels, cooking the inside of the barrel to liberate the compounds in the oak that add flavors to your wine (from light to heavy). If you are making a terroir wine dont use oak, use concrete or stainless steel. Racking: do you want to rack the wine (take the wine out of the barrels and clean out the sludge that was not filtered out via pressing) and how often? if you dont believe in racking do you do battonage (stirring the stuff that doesnt get strained out via pressing which can add more flavor from the yeast sludge - gives more earthy and funky flavors, not appreciated in the new world)? Battonage = less terroir. Do your wines have enough alcohol in them? - if not: chaptalization (adding sugar to make sure the yeast can create as much alcohol as you desire) usually for colder climates. Do you have too much alcohol? - in warmer climates you will have to let your grapes overripen in order to get your desired flavor profile that usually takes longer to develop so you use reverse osmosis or a spinning cone to remove the extra alcohol from your extremely high sugar content so that you have a desired alcohol content microoxygenation: put a small tube into the storage vessel and let oxygen slowly bubble up into the wine to allow for extremely slow and gentle oxidation, that acts as an artificial ageing of the wine How long in oak/storage? cabernet/tempernillo/merlot good with oak. syrah and pinot noir and white wines are not great with oak flavors (unless california chardonnay)
Cite some examples of how global climate change has already impacted European grape growing
Planting Rights will likely change, change the region boundaries, which affects marketing. Growing grapes in new areas, increase your latitude or your altitude (Italy). For latitude, Chardonnay is now being grown in the Netherlands and Southern England, not only Burgundy.
What steps are required to create a new AOC (AOP) in France?
Producers union formulates request request submitted to INAO regional office request forwarded to regional committee for review regional review of request forwarded to national committee national committee names review commission review commission prepares report of request advising acceptance, postponement or refusal report returned to national committee if accepted, expert commission named to establish geographical delimitation national committee approves delimitation and draft text of legal decision legal decision signed by ministry of agriculture and published in the official journal (becomes apart of french law) Requirements: explain the rationale behind the request, provide evidence that the name is historically representative, establish the wines ties to terroir based on natural and human factors, provide evidence of the distinguishing characteristics of the wine, describe area of production and procedures involved in cultivation and production, conduct economic study of the product (markets, prices, distribution)
What is the purpose of racking wine?
Racking (moving wine from one barrel to another) separates the wine from solids that settle out during spontaneous or induced clarification. This step can cause a large exposure of oxygen to the wine
What led, in the 1800's, to the domination of west-coast wines over midwestern wines wines in the US domestic marketplace?
Railroads, easy to ship, and they were better. Less effected by prohibition.
What is the primary grape of Chianti? What part of Chianti was given DOCG status, the highest level of Italian wine?
Sangiovese. Chianti classico zone was awarded DOCG
Southern rhone
Southern rhone = limestone. Gigondas grape of choice is grenache, bush trained. chateuneuf de pape on alluvial terraces, gravel that was flushed out of the alps during the last ice ages, mostly quarzite cobblestones, but rocks arent that deep with a lot of clay under the surface so not great drainage, hold a lot of water which is good because this area is very hot and dry, helps vines get through the dry season
What is the principle type of wine produced in the beautiful hill country of Prosecco?
Sparkling white wine, uses glera grape variety. It used to be considered the "poor mans champagne"
Northern rhone
Syrah, bedrock is granite, gneiss and schist, vinyeards are planted on steep slopes above the rhone river. granite bedrock in condrieu, terraced. cote rotie = steep slopes , southwest facing slopes, all head trained, roasted slopes because they get a lot of sun. cote blonde has light colored graphitic gneiss, cote brune has graphitic schist. hermitage is granite slopes with head trained and terraced vines, very susceptible to erosion.
The price of Bordeaux wines has been closely correlated with what particularly aspects of climate?
Temperature increase, 1 degree is $61 per wine
What is the purpose of microoxygenation?
The deliberate exposure of developing wine to low levels of oxygen. It allows winemakers to simulate the slow controlled oxidation that occurs during barrel aging for wines that are kept in stainless steel tanks. It also is supposed to build optimum structure, round out the wine.Popularly known to make red wines drink well earlier. Also saves costs of buying barrels
with a viticulture area appellation or origin
The labeled area is an AVA approved under US regulations Not less than 85% of the volume of the wine is derived from grapes grown in the labeled viticultural area The wine is fully finished (except for cellar treatment and/or blending which does not alter) in the state or one of the estates where the viticulture area is located
How are wines affected by aging in oak barrels?
They allow for the exposure to small amounts of oxygen over long periods of time. Thus, color is intensified, tannins are softened, structure is built up, it is rounded out. New oak, depending on the toasting will impart more oak/vanilla flavor into the wine, often in chardonnay.
Why are Brunello vineyards restricted to elevations below 600m?
This limit is intended to ensure the grapes reach optimal ripeness and flavor before being harvested; any higher and the mesoclimate becomes cooler to the point of unreliability.
What is the main difference between the ways that wines are classified in the specific wine classification systems of Burgundy and Bordeaux?
Thus Burgundy classifies on a vineyard scale because of the unique terroir of each vineyard, and Bordeaux classifies by the winery. The main ideal that differentiates the classifications of Burgundy from that of Bordeaux is that in Bordeaux, with the exception of St. Emilion (chateau in Bordeaux that is classified at a further level), it is the chateau or producer that is classified, whereas in Burgundy, it is the terroir.
What is the "dumb farmer" scenario and why must it be taken into account when predicting the economic impacts of global climate change?
Thus while you are predicting the economic impacts of global climate change you may be able to attribute some of the economic losses of to "dumb farmers" who aren't treating their crop with the dynamic adjustments necessary that could actually benefit their crop with increasing temperature, drought, and CO2 levels
What four biological organisms are crucial to wine production?
Two microbes and two woody plants. Microbes are Saccharomyces yeast and lactic acid bacterium Oenococcus. Plants are Vitis Vinifera and the oak tree Quercus.
What is the expected impact of global climate change on the distribution of the viticultural areas of North America?
Viticulture areas will shift north, to the Northwest and Northeast out of California areas and by the end of the 21st century are predicted to shrink by up to 14-81% good regions for growing wine. The west coast will be more effected than the east. While wine regions will move north, the wetter north climate will still pose a threat of pests and molds
How is global warming expected to influence the incidence of problems related to pests and diseases?
Warming temperatures are likely to increase disease and pest pressure on grapevines. As temperatures warm, pests and diseases can inhabit increasingly warming higher latitudes. Warmer conditions will also promote greater fungal infection like black rot, downy mildew, powdery mildew, but dryer growing conditions may partially or fully curb this effect.
Which wine regions are predicted to be the winners and which the losers, as the climate continues to warm?
Winner - Pacific Northwest, The West US, England, Mosel, Losers - California (Central Valley), Spain, Southern France, Parts of Italy
why wouldn't you want a high pH wine?
You need acidity to make wine age well. High pH wines don't age well and taste flabby, the sulfur in them doesn't help as it does in other more acidic wines. Question??
Outline the hierarchy of US wine terroir classification.
a. United states wine - produced by grapes grown entirely in the US b. state wine - wine from grapes of one state c. multi state wine - with grapes coming from two or more contiguous states d. county wine - at least 85% of the grapes used were from the specified county e. multi-county wine - grapes growth within the named and adjacent counties f. viticulture area - originating entirely in the area described by the AVA on the label.
What is the principle difference between the côte brune and the côte blonde in the Côte Rôtie AOC? What is the meaning of Côte Rôtie and why was that name applied?
cote blonde = hillside covered with lighter colored sandy soils and a granite gneiss base cote brune = reddish brown soils enriched with iron cote rotie = roasted slope, south facing vineyards that get maximum sun exposure
Champagne
farthest north region, grape of choice is pinot noir and chardonnay. grapes dont get as ripe up here but thats okay because you want acidity when making champagne. most of the vineyards on sides of hills. 1 foot of soil sits on top of cretaceous chalk, chalk absorbs water so roots go into the chalk layer.
Burgundy
on large slopes that are limestone, east facing, warm up early which is necessary because they are farther inland so have more continentality, have trouble with frost and freeze and hail damage. red, shallow, moderate clay content soils, gentle hillsides. mid hillsides are best because not too windy but not on the valley floor. cant plant very high because soils are too thin. very rocky soils, helps the vines struggle because limit the uptake of water. classification system is based on "cru's", grand and premier cru wines are best. grape of choice in pinot noir and chardonnay
