Vineyard Terminology Part 1

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. I often use wine terms and today I thought I would focus on some of the terms used in reference to grape growing.

Every field of study seems to have its’ own vocabulary, and the wine industry is no different. When it comes to growing grapes a great deal of effort is devoted to determining what type of grape would best be suited for the site upon which the grapes will be grown. This is where the term terroir comes into play. It is a French word which doesn’t really have a direct translation into American English. The word terroir encompasses the external influences of weather, soil, exposure to sun and wind, water table, types of rock; slope of the land and on and on. It references any aspect of the site influencing the grapes.  In addition the climate is considered and the term macroclimate refers to the climate of a large area and applies to the general regional climate the vineyard is in. As opposed to the term mesoclimate which refers to the area in which the individual vineyard sits. Now the term microclimate takes it right down to the individual vine and what influences it. This is developed through management of the growth of the vine itself and pruning practices of the canopy, which is the leafy part of the vine hanging over and shading the grape clusters from the sun. Tune in tomorrow as we explore more terms from the vineyards. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at ag info dot net, and thanks for joining me on todays

Vine to Wine.