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| Glossary (N) - ...a partial Dictionary of a work, an author, or of a science, explaining its
terms or words. -Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary |
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| Dictionary (N) - A malevolent literary device for cramping the growth
of a language and making it hard & inelastic. This dictionary,
however, is a most useful work! -Ambroce Bierce, | ||
| The Devil's Dictionary |
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| Terms & Expressions frequently used in Viticulture: |
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| ACRE - A
unit of land area. It was originally thought to be that area that a
yoke of oxen could plow in one day. It is roughly equal to 43,560
square feet (208.7 feet square) or 4,096 square meters (64 meters
square). AMERICAN HYBRID - A hybrid cultivar (either intra or interspecific) which was created, in America, in a direct effort to improve wine quality by minimizing the tendency of the American cultivars to produce grapes which yielded a distinctive "foxiness" to the resulting wine. These cultivars are the result of the intentional genetic combination of two or more other cultivars (initially, at least one of which was a native American cultivar), in an effort to squelch the foxiness of any American parentage. Later American hybrids (many of which were attempts to hybridize existing hybrids [both American & French/American]) were to focus on cultivar viability in extreme conditions (such as very short growing seasons & very cold climates) and at the same time maximize wine quality. An example of an early "first generation" American hybrid is T.V. Munson's Champanel (v. champinni X concord), while an example of a later American hybrid (which utilized other hybrids in parentage) is Cayuga White (release by Univ Cornell [Geneva] in 1947 as a cross of Schuyler X Seyval Blanc). AMPELOGRAPHY - The Science of identifying grape varieties by detailed description of the appearance of the vine, especially its leaves(shape & texture) , clusters (size & configuration) & berries (color & size). ANTHOCYANIN - The natural phenolic (q.v.) glycoside compounds found in the skins of red wine grapes which most strongly influence a red wine's color. These are the compounds which produce "reds" & "blues" of fruits and flowers. "AVORTON" (Fr. for "runt") - When a vine is planted with two buds exposed, one of the two resulting shoots will almost always dominate over the other. The lesser of the two shoots is the avorton. BALANCED PRUNING - Pruning a vine based on its growth in terms of the amount of one year old wood it produced the previous growing season. A method of determining the fruiting capacity of a vine this season by weighing the wood removed at pruning time after the past season. Common balanced pruning formulas include: Vitis Vinifera - 20 buds for the first lb.. of prunings + another 20 buds/for each additional Lbs. of prunings, up to a max of 60 buds. French/American hybrids - 20 buds (for the first pound) + another 10 buds/ additional lbs. of prunings, up to a max of 50 buds. Native American varieties -30 buds (for the first pound) + another 10 buds/ additional lbs. of prunings, up to a max of 60 buds. BASE (BASAL) SHOOT - A shoot arising from a bud located at the base of a cane. BLACK ROT - A fungal disease of the vine, usually found only in the eastern US. BRIX - A scale used to indicate soluble solids content. It is basically the percentage of sugar in a solution. Brix = grams of sugar per 100 grams of liquid at 68F. BOTRYTIS (BUNCH ROT) - A fungus which can either affect grapes benevolently (as in the 'Noble Rot' [q.v.] responsible for great sweet wines) or, more commonly, simply spoiling them with mould, depending on conditions. BUD - The compound eye in the axil of a leaf, located at a node. CALLUS - Parenchyma tissue that grows over a wound or graft and protects it from drying or injury. This material also forms at the base & nodes of cuttings being prepared for planting. In this case, the callus represents the primordial roots of the cutting. CALYPTRA - The petals of a grape flower. CANE -A mature woody, brown shoot as it develops after leaf fall. Canes were last year's fruiting or renewal shoots. The buds on the canes will produce this season's fruiting shoots. CANE TRAINING - A form of training the vine whereby the fruiting wood (q.v.) is pruned to long (4 nodes or longer) canes. CANOPY - The above-ground parts of the vine, especially its leaves. CANOPY MANAGEMENT - Viticultural techniques designed to manipulate the canopy to achieve a specific end, usually optimizing the quantity of grapes and quality of wine. CLONE - An example of a variety replicated using a cutting from a specific mother vine which is selected as a result of some particular attribute(s). Hence, the new vine will be genetic identical to the parent. Due to the targeted nature of the clonal reproduction, the offspring vines will carry a specific designation identifying them as clones. Within certain cultivars (such as Pinot Noir) clonal variation tends to be very important. CORDON - An extension of the grapevine trunk, usually horizontally oriented and trained along the trellis wires. Cordons are considered permanent (or perennial) wood. COULURE - Deficient fruit set which may substantially reduce the size of the current year's crop. Just after flowering, an excessive proportion of the nascent berries fall off, often because of unsettled cold, wet weather or inadequate thinning of unfertilized berry clusters. CROSS: A cultivar which is the result of a crossing of two or more cultivars within the same species (may be intentional or unintentional). CROWN GALL - A bacteria disease of the vine (usually facilitated by freeze injury to the vine's tissue). CULTIVAR - The type of vine from which a variety of grape grows. CURTAIN - A portion of the canopy composed of the current season's shoot growth. It is normally oriented downward for Native American & Hybrid cultivars & upward for vitis vinifera. DORMANCY - That stage when the plant is not actively growing. For grapevines it is usually characterized by average air temperatures below 50F. Vines need a minimum of about 60 days of dormancy. (see "life cycle") DOWNY MILDEW - A fungal disease of the vine. EUTYPA DIEBACK - A fungal disease of the vine. FANLEAF - A viral disease of the vine. FIELD GRAFTING - grafting a new variety on to an established rootstock already growing in the vineyard. Increasingly common. FLORET - The individual flower of a cluster. FOXY - The distinctive taste of the grapes and wine of some Native American cultivars, especially Vitis labrusca and some of its hybrids. (Think of grape Kool-Aid) Methyl anthranilate is the (often) offending compound. FRENCH/AMERICAN HYBRID: An interspecific cultivar which was created, in Europe, as a result of the phylloxera devastation of the late 19th Century, in an effort to create a high-quality, pest resistant, cold hardy, direct producing (able to survive on its own roots), wine grape. These cultivars are the result of the intentional genetic combination of two or more other cultivars (at least one of which is a classic vitis vinifera wine cultivar & at least one of which is a native American cultivar), in an effort to promote the most desirable characteristics of each parent cultivar. The desirable characteristics of the vitis vinifera parent(s) being the high yield production of high quality wine grapes, and the desirable characteristics of the native American parent(s) including, phylloxera & nematode resistance, insect, fungus & virus resistance, early ripening & cold hardiness. These cultivars are often referred to by the genetic bench number assigned to them by the hybridizer (as in "Baco #1"), or by a "common" name (as in "Baco Noir"). Some of the most common, higher quality French/American cultivars are: Red - Baco Noir, Chambourcin, Chancellor, & Foch. White: Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, & Vignoles FRUIT (BERRY) SET [NOUAISON IN Fr.] - An early summer phenomenon which immediately follows flowering. As soon as the vine flowers, a proportion of them are fertilized, or 'set', to become berries, and eventually grapes. The higher the proportion, the bigger the crop is likely to be. FRUITING WOOD - The vine's one year old wood. This wood will produce the current season's crop. One year old wood is about the thickness of a pencil & the buds on this wood will grow into fruit bearing shoots throughout the upcoming growing season. Fruiting wood is usually pruned to either short spurs (1 to 3 nodes) or long ( 4+ nodes) canes. FRUITING ZONE - A horizontal band running down the row of vines, wherein all of the fruit clusters can be found. Many grape growers will often aim to create a tight or narrow fruiting zone so that certain vineyard operations (such as leaf removal around the clusters & harvesting) can be simplified. FUNGICIDE - A chemical or physical agent that kills fungi or inhibits its growth. GALL - An abnormal growth of plant tissue caused by stimuli external to the plant itself. Generally caused by insects (as in Phylloxera leaf galls), bacteria (as in Crown gall) or parasitic fungi. GRAFTING - broadly, inserting a section of one plant into another so that they unite and grow as one plant. In a viticultural context, usually grafting a European fruiting vine (or scion) on to a native or hybrid rootstock, often chosen for its resistance to phylloxera. GROWING SEASON - For grapevines, the growing season is defined as the number of days between Spring and Fall which have with a mean average temperature of 50F+ [10C+]). GROW TUBE (a.k.a. VINE SHELTER) - A hollow, cylindrically shaped, man-made tube (usually made of plastic) which is sometimes placed over vines in an effort to enhance the growth environment of the vine. ha - hectare, or 2.47 acres hl - hectoliter, 100 liters, or 26.4 US gallons HEAD - The top of the vine, from which either spurs, canes or cordons may emanate. HEADING - To shorten or prune the trunk when it reaches the desired height. Done in an effort to focus growth on the lower shoots. (Note: this is properly done by cutting directly through a node). HEAT SUMMATION UNITS (HSU) - The "heat summation units" for any given growing site is calculated by totaling the number of day degrees above 50F (10C) for the entire growing season. For example, a day during the growing season with an average temperature of 62F contributes 12 HSU to the site. Viticulture is generally restricted to sites with a HSU rating of about 1500 - 5000, with 2500 - 3000 being about optimum. For more information see the faq, section V6. HYBRID - A cultivar bred from members of different species. A cultivar which was created by the intentional genetic combination of two or more other cultivars (either intra or interspecific), in an effort to promote the most desirable characteristics of each parent cultivar. INFLORESCENCE (fr) - The flower cluster of the grapevine. It consists of many tiny individual blossoms, each attached by a tiny individual stem to a larger stalk to form a compound flower. INSECT PESTS - The major insect pests of the grapevine are: The grape berry moth, the Japanese beetle, the grape flea beetle, the European red mite, the grape phylloxera (q.v.), the grape root borer & the blue-green sharpshooter (as a vector for Pierce's disease [q.v.]) INTERNODE - The portion of the cane or shoot between nodes. LATERAL - Side branches of a shoot or cane. LEAF - The primary source of green on the grapevine. Along with tendrils & clusters, the leaf is grown on the shoot and it is the vine's primary engine of photosynthesis. Although the grapes get some of their sugar from the carbohydrates stored in the perennial wood of the vine during the earliest stages of ripening, the vast majority of sugar production is performed by the vine's leaves during the middle and later stages of ripening. Also used in viticulture to refer to the age of a vine: as in: a vine in its "third leaf" is three years old. LEAFROLL - virus disease of the vine LESION - A wound or delimited disease area. LIFE CYCLE - The annual cycle of the vine. It includes: -dormancy - The period of rest for the vine. -activation: The vine waking from dormancy. Its buds begin to swell. This occurs in Spring at the approximate time that the air temperatures reaches 51F (11C). -Bud Swell - buds become engorged & shed their scaled sheaths. -Bud Break - buds begin to show green. Young, green shoots begin to grow from the buds. -Debourrement (Fr.) - The period between bud break & the appearance of the first inflorescence. Characterized by shoot growth of approximately 10" (25 cm) -Pre-Bloom - During this period all of the shoot's inflorescences are formed & the shoot continues to grow (to about 14" [36cm]). -Bloom - Occurring at about the time that the air temperature reaches 68F (20C), the many tiny individual blossoms on the inflorescences loose their caps & begin to self fertilize. During this period the inflorescences take on a very characteristic "Chia Pet" appearance. The period of bloom usually takes about 14-21 days (depending on weather). -Berry (Fruit) Set [Nouaison in Fr.] - The ovaries of the blossoms on each inflorescence which have properly self-fertilized become small, hard berries. The inflorescences are thusly transformed into grape clusters. -Shatter - Unfertilized berries fall from the new clusters. Usually occurs about 7 - 10 days after bloom. -First Cover - The vegetative growth which follows berry set. -Véraison - The beginning of the ripening of the berries. Characterized by a softening of the fruit & color change (to either translucent or red). -Aoutement (Fr. - augusting) - The slowing of the vegetative burst started during first cover. The shoots stop growing & begin to look woody. In many cultivars the leaves & shoots change color. -Harvest - Being suitable for the production of wine, the clusters are harvested. -Hardening off - The vine sheds it leaves, hardens its shoots further & prepares for its winter rest. -de-activation - The vine re-enters dormancy. MILLERANDAGE - Abnormal & uneven fruit set in which bunches contain berries of very different sizes because of poor fertilization, often caused by unfavorable weather or improper thinning of unfertilized clusters. MUSCADINE - A native American species of grape indigenous to the south Atlantic region of the US. With the scientific classification Vitis rotundifolia, the muscadine grapes have a very unique, intense, fruity aroma and are so genetically different from the other vitis species that they can only be crossed with the former through the use of very modern, sophisticated genetic technology. Botanists have given this unique group their own sub-genus (Muscadinia), unique from the "true" grapes (sub-genus Euvitis). Common varieties of Muscadines used for wine making include: Red: Burgaw, Eden, Hunt, James, Mish & Thomas. White: Scuppernong, Topsail & Willard. MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI - A type of fungus which is often applied to the roots of a vine at planting. The mycorrhizae forms a mutually beneficial relationship with the plants' roots. As such it acts as an extension of the root system, increasing the roots' ability to absorb nutrients and water. Some research indicates that the co-dependent symbiotic relationship between the fungi and the vine helps the vine to survive stress, absorb more water and nutrients, and increase its resistance to soilborne diseases. NATIVE AMERICAN VARIETY- A cultivar belonging to the many & diverse vitis species indigenous to the North American continent (the most extensive & common are vitis labrusca, vitis riparia & vitis rupestris). The most common Native American varieties used in winemaking include: White: Niagara Pink: Delaware (usually made as a white) Red: Concord Catawba Norton (Cynthiana) Steuben NOBLE ROT - The benevolent form of botrytis (q.v.). Usually caused by an early morning, high humidity, fog or dew, allowing for primary infection, which is followed by a windy, warm morning. NODE - The thickened portion of a shoot or cane where the leaf and its compound bud are attached. PERENNIAL WOOD - The permanent wood of a grapevine. It is the older, "woodier", thicker wood of the trunk & cordons of the vine. PHENOLICS - A varied group of compounds found mainly in skins, stems and seeds in the case of grapes. They include anthocyanin, tannins and many flavor compounds. Precipitated, they form an important part of wine's sediment and play a considerable role in wine ageing. Phenolics are known to have beneficial effects on human health. Red wines are much higher in phenolics than white, which is why red wine is better at protecting against heart disease. PHOMOPSIS CANE & LEAF SPOT - A fungal disease of the vine. PHOTOSYNTHESIS - The formation of carbohydrates (sugars [mainly glucose & fructose]) in the vine (mostly stored in the fruit) from water and carbon dioxide, by the action of sunlight on the chlorophyll in the vine (produced mostly in the leaves) PHYLLOXERA - Fatal vine pest which destroys the soft vine roots of vitis vinifera cultivars. The only remedy is to replant on phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. The roots of most Native American & hybrid vines are immune to the effects of the pest. Phylloxera will generally not inhabit soils which are 80+% sand. In all other soil textures, vinifera cultivars should be grafted onto phylloxera resistant rootstocks. PIERCE'S DISEASE - A bacterial infection of the vine that is spread by an insect called the blue-green sharpshooter. What is now called Pierce's Disease was known as Anaheim's Disease in the 1880s when it wiped out thousands of acres of vineyards in Southern California. In very warm climates, such a Florida, Pierce's Disease has rendered commercial vineyard development all but impossible. The name Pierce refers to Newton B. Pierce, California's first professionally trained plant pathologist, who was the first to attempt to isolated the cause of the disease. POWDERY MILDEW - A fungal disease of the vine. The major grape pest in California. PRIMORDIAL SHOOTS - The buds which develop on this year's fruiting wood. They will give rise to the fruiting shoots for next vintage. PRUNING - Aside from weed control, the single most important operation of the vineyard year in terms of wine quality. Simply put, Pruning is the removal of portions of the vine for the purpose of maintaining its size & productivity. The size and productivity is maintained by ensuring that the vine retains a proper number of fruiting buds. During either fall or winter the wood of the vine is cut back leaving a specific number of buds (usually from 20 to 40) on one year old wood (canes or spurs) which will produce the crop for the next vintage. Although many other factors come into play, low-yielding vines in general tend to produce more concentrated wine. RENEWAL ZONE - A zone established by some growers, whereby the buds which will produce next year's shoots are assured proper positioning. It is generally believed that placing these renewal buds (or primordial shoots [q.v.]) in a location of high sunlight will make them more fruitful next vintage. ROOTSTOCK - A cutting taken from a vine (usually Native American or hybrid) and cultivated to serve as a rootsystem for a grafted vine. Hence a grafted vine consists of a scion (the above ground growth) & a rootstock (the below ground growth). SCION - A cutting (or bud wood) taken from a vine (usually vitis Vinifera) and grafted onto a rootsystem from another vine (usually native American or a hybrid thereof). Hence a grafted vine consists of a scion (the above ground growth) & a rootstock (the below ground growth). SHATTER - The physiological stage following bloom when impotent flowers and small green berries begin to fall from the cluster (see life cycle). Also used to refer to the annoying habit of some cultivars to have their over-ripe grapes simply fall from the vine. SHOOT - The green, leafy growth developing from a bud on a cane, spur, cordon, or trunk. The developing growth of the shoot is the source of all of the vine's leaves, stems, tendrils, flowers & fruit. SPUR - A cane pruned to 3 or fewer nodes, generally on a cordon. A "Renewal Spur" - is a spur whose primary purpose is to position a cane for fruiting the following season (see renewal zone). STEM/STALK - woody attachment of grape to bunch, high in often harsh tannins. All or most are usually deliberately eliminated by a mechanical destemmer prior to fermentation. SUCKER - A shoot arising from a bud below ground. Can be used to create multiple trunks. (Note: MUST be removed from a grafted vine as the sucker is originating from the rootstock & not the scion) TENDRIL - A curled structure arising from some nodes of the shoot and capable of attaching itself to other portions of the vine & non-vine structures (like trees or a trellis). They give the vine the ability to climb. TERROIR (Fr "soil") - The ecology of a wine. The total, inter-related environment wherein a grapevine is cultivated for the purpose of making wine. Key factors include, but are not limited to, cultivar type, soil, climate, vineyard location, planting density, training system, pruning philosophy & the cultural and social milieu wherein the whole enterprise takes place. TRAINING - In its simplest terms: Placing the fruiting buds of a vine so as to maximize the effective production of that vine. Effectively shaping a vine into a specific shape, usually to effect some form of canopy management. Training systems are often referred to by indicating the location of the fruiting wood in terms of it relation to the vine's perennial wood (trunk, head or cordon) & by indicating the length of the fruiting wood (spur or cane). Hence, one might use a "cordon/cane" system or a "head/spur" system. TRUNK - The main upright structure of the vine from which cordons, shoots, & canes may arise. Vines may have more than 1 trunk. VERAISON (Véraison in Fr.) - The physiological stage in the development of a grape berry when it begins to ripen as indicated by a softening of the fruit & a change in color (red for dark varieties & translucent for white varieties.) VIEILLES VIGNES - (Fr. "'old vines"). Mature, established vines, which generally produce more concentrated wine than young ones. Studies show that stored carbohydrates in very old vines can give the vine an early start to fruit ripening. VIGOR - a vine's natural tendency to sprout forth leaves & other green growth (often at the expense of quality fruit production). VINE DENSITY - Important vineyard parameter, the number of vines planted per unit of area (usually acre). New World plantings tend to be relatively low density (less than 800 vines per acre), while Old World plantings tend to be very high density (1000+ vines per acre). Density is directly determined by vine spacing (the distance between the rows of vines & the distance between the vines in the rows). VINE SHELTER - See GROW TUBE VINIFERA (ALSO VITIS VINIFERA)- Vine species of European origin. Members of this species are known for their ability to produce the finest grapes for wine. The most "Noble" examples are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay & Riesling. VINTAGE - Can mean either the particular year in which the crop was harvested, or the actual process of the annual crop's growth & harvesting. VITIS - The vine genus. VSP - Common abbreviation for "Vertical Shoot Positioning". Describes the common training technique of forcing the growing shoots of a vine into a vertical (up & down) position perpendicular to the ground. Note that with low-wire trained systems the shoots are trained "up", while with high-wire trained systems they are trained down. This practice facilitates easy canopy management (q.v.) WATER SPROUT - A shoot arising from a bud located on wood which is older than one year old (usually the trunk). Generally; it will not be fruitful & is unwanted. WEED - Any unwanted plant. YIELD - The amount of wine or grapes produced per unit area, usually measured either as ton/acre, tons/ha or, in much of Europe, hl/ha. Many factors such as planting density, pressing regime, grape variety, and style of wine affect the conversion of weight of grapes into volume of wine but 1 ton/acre is very approximately equivalent to 17.5 hl/ha. |
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