Terrior
What is the best approach to scientific studies of terroir and what are the 3 quantifiable soil factors that affect terroir.
A combined approach includes geology, geomorphology, argonomy, microbiology Grain size, pH, and organic matter content
What did Swinchatt conclude about scale and terroir in CA
Climate and geology are important to terroir Climate provides opportunity and influences the choice of variety Climate affects ripeness more than flavor Geology is significant at a more local level Geology has greater impact on flavor and character
What are the five main study areas on terroir in the last 20 years?
-Influences on vine growth through the examination of climate-soil-water relationships -Influences on fruit composition and wine quality -Viticultural zoning (finding the best terroirs) -Precision viticulture (spatial technologies to manage and improve the crop) -Regional fingerprinting (chemical signature)
What is a notable achievement of Stags Leap Wine Cellars? What are the 2 main vineyards?
1973 Cabernet Sauvignon beat France's best in the famous Judgement of Paris tasting Fay and SLV
WHat are the 3 main groups of soil types in Napa? What is the fourth soil group? Which vineyard best illustrates this?
3 main groups of soil: residual, alluvial, fluvial The fourth type of soil that disrupts the symmetry is relic material. This material is from the once extensive Lake Hennessey fan along Conn Creek. The Groth sweet spot vineyards are here
What are the 3 main terroir valleys in Santa Barbara? In the most southern valley, describe how climate variations affect the main grape varieties. What grape variety and winery has Richard Sanford est. in this southern valley.
3 major valleys-Santa Maria, Los Alamos, Santa Ynez Southern most valley Santa Ynez, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay thrive in the western portion of the Santa Ynez valley, Eastward in Santa Ynez , temperatures, which is reflected by a presence of Bordeaux Varieties Richard Sanford est. Alma Rosa Winery: Produces primarily Pinot Noir
How does soil types dictate what grape variety is planted in Plumpjack Vineyard?
Alluvial soils with a rocky gravelly base is rich in volcanic nutrients. Cabernet Sauvignon is planted here
Comment on the connection between climate change and the relatively narrow climate niche for particular grape variety for optimum production and quality.
Because wine grapes have a relatively narrow climate zone for optimum production and quality, vineyards may have to change their locations for these quality conditions
4 debris flows. Differences in backhoe pits in the east vs west pits
Block 8 has highly weathered large boulders that extend to the surface Block 5 boulders and cobbles are fresh and hard, also have a layer of sandy silt Differences in east and west East has sandy silt, volcanic cobble and boulder layer, volcanic bedrock West is more fine grianed, less inter-bedded sand, less cobbles, clay rich sands, volcanic pebbles
What defined the shape of the "Hershey Kiss"? Based on the Hershey Kiss findings, what 2 variables influence the development of vines and grapes?
Block 8 is where the Hershey Kiss is. There are a lot of coarser sediments with little matrix in the "Hershey Kiss"Zone. As you move towards the edge of this zone the cobbles are a bit more spread out while the matrix becomes finer. Two variables that this controls is drainage and clay mineral content
Give two exampkes of deep well drained soils that are not very fertile?
Bourdon Ranch, Lodi CA Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Van Leeuwen believes that great wines can be grown in different soil types
Burgundy has clayey, limey grain size, a basic pH, and a lower organic matter Bordeaux has gravelly, clay grain size, acidic pH and higher organic matter
Identify some important terroirs based on Burn's review of world terroirs
Burgundy, Rhone Valley, Spain, Germany, Willamette Valley
What grape variety dominates Napa Valley? Explain how its character can vary in the valley?
Cabernet Sauvigon dominates Napa Valley Mountain vineyard on thin well drained soils produce a wine that is more structure, powerful, with harder tannins than those that characterize wines from the valley edge West side shows more fruit than those on the east East has more tannins
According to Simon Haynes, what are the five main groups of factors that influence terroir?
Climate: Temp man and min, hours of sunlight, wind Topography: type of land form, elevation, slop aspect Soil: composition and porosity of soil, soil mineralogy and chemistry Geological: geology of the subsoil and the geochemistry, petrology and texture of the individual strata Viticulture: Trellising methods, row spacing, fertilizing
How do wines from cool and warm weather regions differ in flavor profile?
Cool climate are tarter and leaner. Have crisp acidity, lighter body and bright fruit flavors, low to moderate alcohol, less sugar Warmer climates are more lush, over ripe and sweet bold high alcohol flavors. More sugar.
How has the last 20 million years of the San Andreas Fault system affected the terroir of Napa Valley
Creation of the San Andreas Fault system by a triple junction moving up the west coast of North America This junction is located where the Farallon, Pacific and North American plates are in contact Separates CA into 2 parts: east and west of the NW trending San Andreas Fault About seven million years ago volcanism reached Napa with the eruption of the Sonoma volcanics
What 2 things do grapevines depend on soil to provide? How are nutrients divided into 2 main categories?
Depend in water and nutrients
How can vineyards side by side produce wines that are vastly different? What is the specific role of faults according to Meinert?
Different faults lead to different rocks, which then lead to different weathered materials in the soil followed lastly by different water holding capacities of soil
What 4 substrate conditions influences the relationship between soil moisture and vine roots?
Grain size Pore space size and shape clay mineral content discontinuities such as marked bedding planes that inhibit root growth
What are the seven factors that influence the character of wine according to Scott Burns?
Grape Bedrock geology climate soil hydrology physiography wine maker vineyard management techniques
How are carbon isotopes useful in determining whether a vineyard experiences water deficits?
Grapes that undergo water deficits are enriched in Carbon-13 (rather than C-12)
Give at least three examples of course clastic rocks/soils that host famous wine regions.
Gunz Gravel from Bordeaux, France; glacial outwash from the Pyrenees Mountain range. Washington US due to 90% of this area being affected by glaciation that produce gravelly pits and outwash. New Zealand gravels were placed by the extensive alpine glaciation of the Southern Alps which can be found throughout New Zealand. The Gimblett Gravels region are the first in the viticultural world to specifically define itself on the basis of gravel
Where does Greg Jones stand on the most important terroir factor and the less important factors?
He believes that climate is the most important factor when it comes to terroir. Climate controls what can be grown and where it can be grown. He also believes that geology, landscape, and soil are important in that they mediate interaction between the climate and the vine. Soil, water and nutrient supply
How is soil nitrogen related to vine vigor? How does nitrogen supply affect red and white wine differently? For red grapes, what effect does low nitrogen supply have?
In red wines wines, moderate nitrogen supply is desirable. A low nitrogen limits berry size, malic acid content, increases sugar production and phenolic content. High nitrogen supply is desired in white wine production because it promotes the synthesis of thiol precursors
How can GIS be used effectively to study terroir?
It can use specifically labeled maps to more easily depict numerous factors such as slope gradient, soil order, soil grain size, pH, nutrient content, local temperature
Describe how the use of term terroir has increased in the last few decades?
It is more common for people to understand some of the fundamental concepts within terroir. "everything from top of the sky to the bottom of the ground". Look at climate, geologic, soil, and viticulture But, if you ask ten people to define terroir, you'll probably get different answers.
What basic conclusion be drawn from our examination of Napa Valley that relates to the scale of terroir?
It tells us that hter can be many variations within a vineyard from block to block. You cannot generalize a vineyard as the geology and topography can vary dramatically within a small area
Main type of soil in Willamette
Jory Soils: red clay, low native fertility, wine that is light red in color and has fruit flavors of red cherries raspberries etc Willakenzie: second most cultivated soil, formed on marine seddiments of the Oregon Coast Range which is composed of mainly sandstones and shales. Produce wine that is dark red, strong finish, fruit flavors of dark cherries, blackberries Laurelwood: basalt bedrock, hybrid between jory and willakenzie
Hill of Corton
Limestone soils of Burgundy produce Commune wines (red) The Dalle Nacree of Burgundy produce Premier Crus (red) Argovian facies Pernand Mari of Burgundy produce Corton Charlemagne (white)
How does soil water deficit play a role in terroir especially thinking about berry size and berry phenolics. How does it affect grapes sugars?
Limited water supply leads to shoot growth cessation and restrains berry growth, reduces malic acid content, increases skin phenolics Mild H20 deficit- grape sugar is increased because of reduced carbon allocation to shoots Severe H20 deficit-sugar is reduced because of restrained photosynthesis
How do sensory abilities and physiological influences affect informed and less informed tasters when dealing with taste and/or aroma sourcing of wine?
Minerality is the term used to describe the wine. The presence or spike of a particular chemical within the wine will make the taster believe they are tasting cherries, citrus. tobacco, etc Well informed tasters can identify wines based on locality. Not or less informed tasters... good luck, it is based of of experience
Explain using two example the advantage being close to a large body of water provides to a vineyard
Nova Scotia Canada has Bay of Fundy which provides a warming effect that it has on Annapolis Valley. Fingers Lake region in New York integrates with both climate and bodies of water and it helps promote the growth of Vitis Vinifera grapes. Bodies of water control the local temperature
Can you give two examples of shallow soils that stress the vines and produce high quality wines?
Organic rich shallow soil on limestone in Cote d'Or Burgundy, France Schistose soil in the Coteaux du Languedoc, France
What are the 3 types of vineyard substrates in Napa Valley and describe or sketch their distribution?
Residual: covers most of the upland topography; developed directly on the bedrock and have moved little if at all Alluvial: line the west side of the valley and a bit sporadic in the east; represents deposition over only the past 15,000 years Fluvial: borders the Napa River
According to Greg Jones, what role does science play in terroir studies?
Scientists are expected to identify the "Goldilocks Zone" for producing the best grapes for the best wine _Combination of water and soil types -Which nutrients be the best nutrients
What are soil horizons? What are the typical soil horizons from the surface down to bedrocks and what characterizes each horizon?
Soil horizons: profile change as a result of different chemical and biological processes that occur in the same material O-surface litter A-topsoil (contains organic matter, living organisms) E-zone of leaching (dissolved or suspended materials are removed or carried downward into lower horizons) B-subsoil (iron, aluminium and clay accumulate here) C- (weathered parent material contains partially broken down bedrock) Bedrock
What is a soil profile? What 3 processes separate the soil into distinct layers?
Soil profile- a vertical exposure of soil in a pit or road 3 processes: organic activity in the uppermost layer, leaching and precipitation, transport of clays and dissolved ions
How are soil classified based on texture? What is loam?
Soil texture is based on percent sand, silt, clay content. Loam is near equal mixture of sand and silt with about 20% clay
How does Burns define terroir?
Terroir is more than just soil. It is a complex interaction of all the physical aspects of the vineyard: geology, soils, climate, geomorphology, and grapes
In Hayne's paper, how does the age of the vine affect whether soil or subsoil is the most important terroir factor?
The soil may primarily affect younger vines in the early growth stages, but once the vines are established, its roots probe deeper and then the roots are affected mainly by geological conditions of the subsoil
What are the three broad categories of soil profiles? How do soil layers differ from soil horizons?
Uniform:little change in texture with depth Gradational: a gradual increase in clay content with depth Duplex or texture contrast: a change in a "light" textured A horizon to a "heavy" textured B horizon, usually with an abrupt boundary between the two
What two mountains define the valley where the Napa wine region exists?
Vaca Mt (east side) Mayacama Mt (west side)
What is the age difference between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mt. Describe the distribution of fans and watersheds.
Vaca: 2-3 mya; 5 alluvial fans, 5 watersheds Mayacama: 1 mya; 2 large watersheds, 3 small alluvial fans
Contrast the terroirs west and east of the river in Paso Robles. What grape varieties thrive in east sector
West of the river are hills; include Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache East of the river is a rolling plain; Cabernet sauvignon and merlot
Biggest difference in making red versus white
White is fermented immediately after pressing (skins are removed) and are destemmed. Red is fermented with the skins to add tannins and is filtered several times through the fermenting process.
Outline the great debate regarding Oregon Pinot. What is the difference between wines from the two main soils
Willakenzie soils produce wine that is dark red in color, has strong finish, and has fruit flavors of dark cherries, blackberries, and black plums Jory produces a wine that is light red in color, has a strong bouquet and has fruit flavors of red cherries, raspberries, red plums, and red currents
How far does wine making date back and what did those early wineries look like based on archaeological findings?
Wine interests predate written records. Wine production tools and materials have been dated to 9,00 years ago. Have been found in China, Greece, Iran. A fully functioning winery was discovered in Armenia that is dated at 6000 years old
