Level 3 wine exam practice ยท Learning outcome 1

Human factors in the vineyard: practice questions

31 original multiple-choice questions on this chapter, each with an explanation. Five are below; the rest, plus timed mocks and written-answer drills with mark schemes, are in the app.

Sample questions

Why do most vineyards in cool or damp climates use trellises and wires rather than untrellised bush vines?
  1. A trellis holds the canopy open and off the ground, improving sunlight exposure and air flow, which aids ripening, reduces disease and allows machine work
  2. Trellises make the grapes sweeter by themselves
  3. Bush vines are illegal in Europe
  4. Trellises are only used for table grapes
Answer: A trellis holds the canopy open and off the ground, improving sunlight exposure and air flow, which aids ripening, reduces disease and allows machine work. Bush vines suit hot, dry, windy places where their low, shady shape protects the fruit; in a damp climate the same shape would trap humidity and rot. Vertical shoot positioning and other trellis systems let the grower manage the canopy precisely.
Which situation most increases the risk of fungal disease in a vineyard?
  1. A dense, shaded canopy in a humid climate
  2. Leaf removal around the bunches after fruit set
  3. A site on a windy hillside
  4. Wide spacing between rows
Answer: A dense, shaded canopy in a humid climate. Fungi such as downy mildew, powdery mildew and grey rot thrive where the canopy stays damp and still. A dense canopy traps humidity and blocks the sun and wind that dry the bunches. Leaf removal, wind exposure and wider spacing all improve air flow and lower the risk.
Why are viral and bacterial diseases of the vine so difficult to deal with?
  1. There is no cure once a vine is infected, so the only remedies are to remove and replace the vine and sanitise the land, and to plant certified virus-free material in the first place
  2. They can be sprayed away like fungal diseases
  3. They only affect the leaves and do no harm
  4. They disappear after one season
Answer: There is no cure once a vine is infected, so the only remedies are to remove and replace the vine and sanitise the land, and to plant certified virus-free material in the first place. Leafroll and fanleaf viruses, spread by insects, nematodes or infected cuttings, reduce yield and ripening year after year, and bacterial diseases such as Pierce's disease can kill vines outright. Prevention through clean planting material and vector control is the only real defence.
What are the aims of canopy management?
  1. To control the amount and position of leaves and shoots so that the fruit gets the right exposure to sun and air, vigour is balanced, disease risk falls and machines can operate
  2. To maximise the number of leaves at all costs
  3. To remove all leaves so the grapes get full sun
  4. To make the vine grow taller every year
Answer: To control the amount and position of leaves and shoots so that the fruit gets the right exposure to sun and air, vigour is balanced, disease risk falls and machines can operate. Shoot thinning, leaf removal, tucking shoots into wires and trimming are all canopy management; the right amount depends on climate. Too much shade gives green flavours and rot, too little gives sunburn, so the grower aims for balance.
A grower in a region prone to summer hailstorms wants to protect the crop. Which measures are effective?
  1. Netting over the vine rows, and owning vineyards in several separate locations so that one storm cannot destroy the whole crop
  2. Irrigating heavily before a storm
  3. Picking all the grapes in early summer
  4. Spraying fungicide
Answer: Netting over the vine rows, and owning vineyards in several separate locations so that one storm cannot destroy the whole crop. Hail is local and sudden; nets, as in Mendoza, stop the stones, and spreading holdings across sites, as in Burgundy, spreads the risk. Nothing else works once the storm arrives, and hail can strip leaves and fruit in minutes.
Drill all 31 in the app