Your project scope is to investigate a specific grape variety with the following tasks:
Choose a grape variety from the Vitis International Variety Catalogue In this data base, choose ‘Database Search’ in the left menu. From this point, you can search for a variety/cultivar by name or you can search for an area/country and find out what varieties/cultivars are registered as under production. Or, you can just scroll through long lists of varieties in their database/collections (Full Vivc.de Lists). Also, under the Database search menu, if you follow the tab for important links, you can search regional data bases from all over the world that are more locally specific. An alternate database would be French Illustrated database which will take you to nicely illustrated registrations for France, listed alphabetically.
Describe the variety from a botanical standpoint –
Genus and species
Whether or not it is an interspecific hybrid (non-vinifera in the cross)
General ampelographic data – leaf, size, shape, cluster size and shape
Describe the region where this variety originated in its present usage form – Bordeaux or Dijon France, Geneva or Lockport NY, ancient Greece or Mesopotamia, etc. – and describe the probable climate of that region – monthly maximum and minimum, temperatures, monthly rainfall, etc. Be sure your weather data is for a specific site in that region, and includes amounts of rain, amounts of sunshine, not just probable days or rain or cloud. Also, make sure your data is for the whole year, not just the growing season.
Pick a new region where you would like to grow this variety, but be specific – not just California or Australia – but where in California, where in Australia – as they are very large areas and the climate varies a great deal depending on specific location – e.g. Napa versus Lodi, Western Australia versus Barossa, etc. Investigate your new location before making a decision.
Describe this new region using the same parameters as above (3). Make note if you are changing latitude since day length and the general climate category may change. Also make note if you are drastically changing elevation, because altitude could determine diurnal temperature range. And, make note if you are changing north/south hemispheres because the seasons are opposite – e.g. summer in South Africa is January/February, but July/August in Ontario.
Speculate, using the information regarding vine physiology from your course, how the variety will respond to your different climate zone – Hotter/colder? Wetter/drier? Shorter/longer growing season? Shorter/longer days? Will it thrive? Will it taste the same? Will it tolerate the new climate? Will it make the same product? Should you introduce another product instead?
You may have chosen an Old World or a New World variety. You may want to move it from the Old World to the New World, from the northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere, from the Mediterranean to a cool climate, from the Mediterranean to a tropical climate, etc. You should choose a location different from the traditional site of production or origin.
For example:
Perhaps you have chosen an ancient variety from Mesopotamia that has evolved under very high temperatures, very dry climatic conditions, very little seasonal variation in day length, a very long growing season, and an almost frost-free environment. You must decide where you want to grow it, out of its original context and so your questions may be:
How will this variety be affected by moving it to a higher latitude (further north or much further south) which may have a wetter climate, a shorter growing season, a colder winter or more disease pressure?
If the typical wine made from this cultivar in its original home is heavy, dry, high alcohol, red wine, how will it be affected by shorter day length? Cooler, wetter season? More disease pressure? Lower heat units?
With your knowledge of the physiology of the grapes vine and its compensatory mechanisms, how will a wine grower manipulate this variety to try and emulate the traditional wine type or should they create a new end product rather than try to imitate the original?
Your final paper should have the following structure:
1. The essay should be about10-12 pages in total, including photos and reference lists.
2. The essay should have the following sections:
a. Title page, including your name and student number
b. Table of contents
c. Text: Variety origin, history and location description
d. Text: Original growing conditions/climate
e. Text: New location and description
f. Text: New climate and growing conditions
g. Text: Adaptation and predicted changes, end product description
h. Text: Conclusion — was this a successful move or not?
i. Reference list including literature, photos and data sources (see detail below).
3. Use double spacing
4. Please use Arial, Calibri or other clear, plain font, set at 11 or 12 point
5. Photos, illustrations and graphs are welcome as long as there are at least 8-9 pages of text.
6. All photos need to be referenced as well as literature and other data sources.
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|