Glossary

4-ethyl-gaiacol :

Molecule reminiscent of cloves. It is also produced by B. Bruxellensis but its content is generally 8 times lower than that of 4-ethyl-phenol. Detection threshold of 100 µg/L in wine.

4-ethyl-phenol :

Molecule with a distinct scent like that of a stable, horse sweat, and/or leather when present in wines. Produced by B. Bruxellensis. Detection threshold of 500 µg/L in wine.

Abiotic stress :

Any type of stress that is imposed on a plant as the direct result of an environmental change. Examples of an abiotic stress correspond to any of the following: mineral deficiency or excess, heavy rainfall, hail storms or heat waves.

Acids :

They are organic or mineral substances which clean by dissolving stains. They have a relatively low pH (<6).

Acrotony :

Actronony describes a plant's tendancy to direct the sap towards the shoot tip thereby encouraging the development of terminal buds.

active SO2 :

Molecular fraction of free SO2. This form is the most active and its value varies according to the temperature, the pH and the TAV.

Adventitious plant :

More commonly known as a 'weed', a plant which grows somewhere naturally without having been intentionally planted. Usually the winegrower does not desire its presence as it can compete with the vines.

Auger :

A tool with a spiral-shaped head making it possible to drill holes in the soil ranging from a few centimeters to a few dozen centimeters in depth. Generally used for soil analysis, but its also suitable in instances of planting / complantation.

Auxiliary population :

An auxiliary organism is defined by the AFPP as an animal, predator or parasite which, by its way of life, contributes to the destruction of pests potentially harmful to crops and play an important role in Integrated Pest Management.

AWC / SWS :

Acronym of the ratio which describes the relationship between the Available Water Capacity and the Soil Water Storage, also known as Field Capacity or Water Retention Capacity. The SWS refers to the volume or quantity of water held in the soil or soil horizon after the excess has drained away, in other words, it refers to the maximum amount of water the soil can hold, which may or may not be available to the plant. The buffering capacity of a soil depends on the soil's make up (particle size, texture, structure...), the finer the texture of the soil, greater is the surface area in contact with water: a clayey soil with have a higher buffering capacity than a sandy soil.

Baggiolini Scale :

This is an alphabetic scale which describes the different phenological stages of grapevines. The scale starts with the letter A for "winter bud" or "scaled bud" and finishes with the letter O for "leaf abscission". Other numerical scales also exist.

Basal Buds :

The bud(s) that develop at the base of a cane or spur. Often non-fruting in Vitis Vinifera, these buds are not counted.

Base :

A base or alkaline product is a substance which has a high to very high pH (>10) and gets rid of stains and dirt by breaking them down and making them soluble. Soda is a strong base and is generally used to clean the vats.

BDA :

Black Dead Arm is a wood disease that has been attributed to a fungi of the Botryosphaeriaceae family, it has long been confused with Esca because of the degree of similarity between their symptoms.

Bicarbonate of soda :

Bicarbonate of soda (also known as sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate) is a white powder with the chemical formula NaHCO3 and it is used as cleaning agent. It has antibacterial, antimicrobial and antifungal properties and is also a disinfectant.

Biotic stress :

A stress that is applied to the plant resulting from the actions of a living organism on a seperate living organism. For instance, biotic stress caused by a pathogenic organism's actions that lives on a vine.

Blanketing :

A technique whereby an inert gas - or mixture of gases (nitrogen, CO2, argon) - is used to fill the headspace of a given vessel (a tank for example) and displace the oxygen. Consequently, this decreases the risk of oxidisation of the must and limits the proliferation of spoilage microorganisms.

Bottling holding tank :

One of the components of the bottling apparatus. The tank volume can vary but still allows the wine to flow into the spouts. It should be noted that the volume of these tanks is increasingly smaller on the newer versions of such machines.

C:N ratio :

The carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio is a ratio of the mass of carbon to the mass of nitrogen in a substance. This indicator allows better understanding of decomposition rates regarding organic matter in the soil. When it is high, >14, nitrogen decomposes slowly, whereas when it is <8, the decomposition rate is too fast, suggesting high rates of activity of soil microorganisms.

C/N :

The C/N ratio (Carbon/Nitrogen mass ratio) is an indicator of the mineralization rate for organic matter. When this ratio is very high (>15), it means that mineralization is slow. This can be due to a lack of nitrogen and/or to a low degradation activity (soil lacking in vitality). When this ratio is between 12 and 15, it means that the mineralization of OM is correct When this ratio is lower than 12, it means that mineralization is very fast: soil vitality is very high and/or a likely excess of nitrogen and an organic matter deficit.

Canopy height-to-row spacing ratio :

The ratio of canopy height-to-row spacing (distance between two rows) should ideally be between 0.6 and 0.8. It is an indicator of the rate of photosynthesis for trellised vines.

CEC :

The Cation-Exchange Capacity is a measure of how many cations can be retained in the soil water. The CEC varies according to the type of soil : it is likely be higher in clay than in a sandy soil. The CEC can loosely be likened to the soil's "food store".

Chlorosis :

A vine leaf discoloration which can range from a pale green to a yellowish white. This discoloration is essentially due to a deficiency in one or more of the elements essential to the proper fonction of photosynthesis. Causes can be to due a lack of iron, magnesium, nitrogen or manganese.

Clay-Humus Complex :

A mixture of clay and humus (the stable part of organic matter) which binds cations and makes them available for the plant in the soil water.

Cleanability :

This assesses the ability of a material to be rid of dirt or stains. It depends on the surface condition of the material in question, for example a smooth surface like that of stainless steel is less likely to attract dirt than a coarse surface like rough concrete. However, the cleanability also depends on the material's state of wear and tear (scratches, the lining detaches...) and its set up - sharp angles and lack of access makes it more difficult to clean a vessel.

Clogging factor :

CC= K/Q0 Where Q0 = the initial flow rate (If Q0 is high then 1/Q_0 is low, the match between the wine and the filter media is good) And K = the increase of the filtered volume in time (If K is high, the clogging factor is more important)

Clogging index :

IC= (t400ml) - (2*t200ml) Where t400ml is the time needed for 400 ml of wine to flow through the membrane at constant pressure (2 bars) And t200ml is the time needed for 200 ml of wine to flow through the membrane at constant pressure

Cold Soaking :

Pre-fermentation cold soaking is a type of maceration which takes place at a low temperature before the alcoholic fermentation begins. It can be carried out on white or red grapes. The duration as well as the temperature (min 5°C) are variable.

Combined SO2 :

The fraction of sulfites bound to other wine molecules such as sugars or aldehydes.

Compensation mechanisms :

These are the plant's responses to one or several stressful situations (water shortage, drought, green pruning) and they may manifest themselves in a number of ways: for example, frequent topping may prompt a more vigorous growth of secondary shoots or green harvesting may result in heavier remaining berries. Usually this compenstation effect is limited to about 30% of the plant's activity.

Conicity :

Of conical shape/ when discussing vats of varying degrees of conicity, this means that according to the manufacturer, they can have a different angle.

CPI :

The Chlorosis Potency Index is a ratio of active limestone (%) to assimilable/feasibly extractable iron (mg/kg). It is an indicator of iron chlorosis risk. Below 10, the soil is considered to be weak on a chlorotic scale. When this indicator is over 60, the soil is highly chlorotic.

Cruciferae :

Also known as Brassicaceae. The most distinguishing feature of this plant family is its ability to assimilate large quantites of potassium and phosphorus. Consequently, they limit the loss by leaching of elements vital for the vine. Cruciferae also have a positive effect on soil structure at some depth.

Decompaction :

This is a type of semi-deep tillage. It can effectively break up hardpans that form in the upper soil horizons. It works best at a depth of 20-30 cm and this can be achieved with a cultivator.

Descaler :

This product is used to remove and get rid of limescale and chalky deposits which build up on a tank's inner surface.

Detergent :

It is a cleaning product with surfactant characteristics, which, like soap, removes dirt.

Drained soil :

The soil is drained when all the water (especially rainwater) that fills the empty spaces (gaps) and the soil's macropores has drained away by gravity. It is no longer saturated and is then retained in the form of a liquid film easily accessible by the roots.

Dry-farming :

Also called dryland farming or aridoculture, is the opposite of "wet-farming" where crops are irrigated in arid or semi-arid environments. A full spectrum of farming operations exists to facilitate moisture retention thereby achieving an optimal crop cultivation.

Ecological niche :

This concept is defined in many different ways by the scientific community but it usually is taken to mean the position or role of an organism, species or population in an ecosytem and how this species meets its survival needs within this environment. It also describes the ecological interactions between species and how in turn they alter and affect their ecosystem.

Ellagitanins :

A group of tannins commonly present in wood and notably oak used in the ageing of wine. This group includes, but is not limited to, castalagin, roburins and vescalagin. These tannins have a strong antioxidant properties.

Emergence :

A seedling has emerged when the cotyledons become visible on the soil surface.

Esca :

A grapevine wood disease brought about by several fungal agents (P. chlamydospora, P. aleophilum and F. mediterranea), which, if it manifests itself in its slow-progessing form, can be treatable, whereas if the infection is acute it is incurable.

Etiology :

Etiology is the study of the causes and factors that make a disease. Etiology's application in viticulture allows a better understanding of contamination mechanisms regarding fungi, notably mildew or powdery mildew.

Eutypiosis :

A type of grapevine decline disease characterized by it's development within the vine's trunk by the lignicolous fungus Eutypa lata. It is incurable and considerably reduces the vine's production potential.

External Leaf Area (ELA) :

External Leaf Area refers to the surface area of leaves exposed to the sun and it is measured in square meters.

Flavescence dorée :

Characterized by the yellowing of the vine's leaves caused by phytoplasma, using the leafhopper, Scaphoideus titanus as its vector. The disease has drastic consequences leading to the overall wilting of the vineyard.

Flower shatter :

This refers to a natural hazard which occurs after flowering, when some flowers drop off or "shatter" and are not fertilised. If some flowers do not set fruit, there is a corresponding loss of production and yields are reduced. Climatic conditions can have an impact on the success of fruit set.

Flowering :

This corresponds to Baggiolini phase I and it is a crucial phenological stage, as the petal caps are shed revealing the stamen and the pistil.

Free Run :

An act of draining to separate the wine from the marc, specifically the wine that drains is called free run wine. Once removed from the vat it is placed in a separate vat or directly barreled. The marc will then be decanted and pressed.

Free SO2 :

Sulfites not bound to other molecules that are free to protect wine from the effects of oxygen and or microorganisms.

Fruit cane :

Also known as a rod or a lignified shoot, a long wood with 3 or more buds.

Fruit set :

Fruit set corresponds to stage J on the Baggiolini scale and follows the flowering. This phenological stage is associated with the swelling of the ovaries further to successful fertilisation.

Gramineae :

Gramineae or Poaceae is a family of plants known as grasses. They sprout inbetween the rows and have an impact on the surface soil structure yet do not compete with the vines.

Grape caterpillars :

Grape caterpillars, also known as grape berry moths, are the caterpillars of the Eudemis and Cochylis moths. Their larvae attack grapes, penetrating into the berries to eat their contents.

Grapevine Fanleaf Virus (GVFL) :

GVFL is a viral disease characterized by the progressive weakening of the vine. In the spring, vegetation languishes, the branches are deformed in a "zig-zag" pattern and the internodes become shorter. The shape of the leaves is altered, growing in often an asymetric form and their teeth are deformed.

Grease Remover :

This is a product which removes greasy stains. These products can give the impression that rinsing has been poorly carried out as foam forms on the rinsing water.

Green pruning :

Green pruning or summer pruning is comprised of different actions carried out in the vineyard during the active vegetative growth period, such as pinching back, topping, desuckering, de-stemming, as well as leaf thinning or cluster thinning.

Hoeing/Superfical Tilling :

This tillage action loosens the top few centimetres of the uppermost soil layer - known as the first horizon - to encourage deep root growth. A light superficial tilling is often carried out by machine when the soil is prepared for planting.

IBMP :

3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine is the most important compound of the pyrazine family responible for green pepper aromas in wines made from some grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Fer.

Impregnation front :

This is the limit in mm of impregnation of the wood by a wine.

Inclusion :

When pieces of the heating furnace fall into the liquid glass then solidifys creating a brittle area. It can cause a severe risk of breakage and is thus a major defect.

Insect vectors :

Some insects are vectors, carrying diseases or viruses from plant to plant (their life cycles coincide). Typically they are insects that feed on the vines using piercing-sucking mouthparts which transmit the pathogen and thereby infect the plant.

Lateral Shoot Removal :

This technique involves the removal of lateral shoots and it is frequently practiced at the same time as leaf-thinning.

Laterals :

Laterals are secondary shoots which grow off the current season's principal shoot. They can be fertile, producing grapes from a secondary flowering, and will develop further when the tip of the principal shoot is cut back. This is a summer pruning method known as topping, tipping or hedging.

Leaching :

This occurs when rainwater carries dissolved partciles, for example phytosanitary products or nitrates, downward into the underground water supply.

Lees stirring :

Traditionally, this involves stirring the lees with a stick, but it can also be carried out using a paddle or any type of object that creates a vortex or sets the lees into constant motion.

Leguminosae :

Leguminosae or Fabaceae are more commonly called leguminous plants. This family of plants is known for its ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and the soil. They are used in viticulture as secondary cover crops, which are mainly planted inbetween the rows. When the legume dies, it releases stored or 'fixed' nitrogen into the soil as it decomposes and this is taken up by the vine.

Lenticel :

A type of pore which forms from the vine's bark and crosses into the cork with a "trench" like shape, which adds roughnesses. This allows gas exchanges between the tree, for example, the cork oak, and the atmosphere.

Lessivage :

This is a type of leaching and occurs when rainfall carries solid, non soluble substances from the soil towards the underground water tables. These substances are numerous and varied. Sometimes we refer to leaching from clay or silt particles.

Lignin :

It is one of the principal components of wood which secures the plant's stability and impermeability. Lignin is mainly broken down by funghi, but as it is quite resistant it decays slowly, making it an ideal material for mulch (RCW is rich in lignin).

Malolactic Fermentation :

Malolactic fermentation: the transformation of malic acid into lactic acid by lactic bacteria. The outcome of this transformation correlates to a lower acidity and increases the aromatic complexity of the wine.

Millerandage :

A ripening defect where the already fertilized grapes abort. The result is clusters with normal sized berries and much smaller berries. The millerandage can be distributed in a scattered way within the cluster or can be present in the whole cluster.

Miroir tip :

This is an expression that defines the absence of lenticels on one or both ends of the cork. They are thus smooth and without defect allowing a better legibility of the marking, ensuring the absence of dust.

Mixed vines :

Generally old vines of a different grape variety from the one that is predominantly planted on one plot. For example, the instance of a few older Merlot vines on a Cabernet Sauvignon plot.

MND :

3-Methyl-2,4-nonanedione is an aromatic molecule responsible for aromatic notes such as prune, stone fruits or aniseed depending on its concentration. It is a marker for red wines that have undergone premature oxidation.

NDVI :

This acronym stands for "Normalized Difference Vegetative Index". It is an indicator which varies between -1 and 1 and is obtained by remote sensing. It can be used to map vineyards and monitor the vines active growth and productivity.

Nematodes :

Small parasitic worms that are vectors of the Grapevine fanleaf virus.

Nitrogen Deficiency :

This phenomenon occurs when soil microorganisms, finding their own nitrogen supply to be insufficent, use nitrogen in the soil to break down organic matter, which is richer in carbon than nitrogen (especially when mulched with RCW). Consequently, there is a nitrogen shortage in the soil and this can be dangerous for some crops such as the grapevine, should they also be deficient in this element.

NTZ :

No-Treatment Zone: When the plot is located in a riparian zone, near a school, a public place and health or homes, a minimum safety distances of 10 meters must be respected when any vine treatments are being applied in a non-enclosed area over aerial parts of the plants.

OM :

Organic Matter (OM) usually sits between 0.5 - 3%. It is made up of carbon-based compounds of animal or plant origin that come from decaying vegetation and humus. Sufficent organic matter is essential for maintaining healthy soil and structure.

Optical Sorting :

Sorting line automation of the cellar grape reception area is increasingly being developed for manually or mechanically harvested grapes. Such equipment allows visual sorting, specifically using cameras, lighting and electronic systems to visualize the entire harvest to make a qualitative selection (leaf rejection, pink berries...).

Ovoid :

An ovoid tank is an egg-shaped tank with no corners.

Passivating agent :

It is a product which coats the surface of stainless steel tanks protecting their exterior from corrosion and wear and tear.

Penetrometry :

Penetrometry measurement is one of the two criteria used to evaluate skin maturation. As a grape ripens the skin becomes thinner and the wall structure begins to break down little by little which makes the skins more prone to tearing. The thickness of the skin can be measured with a penetrometer, the data can range from 1.2 kg for thick skin to 0.4 for a thin skin which would therefore be more sensitive to Botrytis.

pH :

The hydrogen potential also refered to as pH measures the hydrogen ion quantity in a must solution. More simply, the pH measures the acidity of a solution. At full maturity, the pH is between 3 and 4, sometimes more depending on the grape varietal and the climatic conditions.

Phylloxera :

A microscopic aphid originally from the eastern United States which attacks the roots of grapevines. In the late 19th century it arrived in Europe devestating vineyards.

Phytoplasma :

They are parasites without cell walls that multiply in the plant, specifically in the phloem.

Prophylaxis :

All the measures taken for disease prevention. The prophylactic methods available to viticulturists are many and varied, ranging from the removal of dead wood and roots to avoid grapevine trunk diseases, to leaf-thinning, as the removal of excess leaves can reduce fungal disease pressure.

Racking :

Racking consists of transfering the wine from one storage container (barrel or tank) to another. The objective is to eliminate any lees that have accumulated on the bottom as well as oxygenate the wine.

RCD :

Rinsing / Cleaning / Disinfection

RCW :

This acronym stands for 'Ramial chipped wood', woodchips that are made from the young growth of vines (branches and shoots) which are ground up and then used on the soil surface as mulch. Generally, it is best to use wood from these young growths that measures no more than 7-8cm in diamater as it will better humificate the soil once applied. This type of wood is rich in lignin, a polymer which is slowly decomposed by fungi. It can also cause a nitrogen deficency.

Red-Stain Remover :

This product removes red stains as well as limescale that builds up inside tanks.

Scalding :

The berries are burnt by the sun's rays. This can occur naturally during episodes of intense heat and sunlight and can be exacerbated if the leaves are thinned out late in the season.

scoring :

A decision-making tool using a criteron-based rating system to help a company resolve multiple issues. In viticulture, for example, for a given plot of land, a score is assigned to every criterion (heterogeneity, vigor, disease, etc.) on a previously defined scale. The score (or total sum) obtained for this plot under study is compared to a threshold or average value and/or to the scores of the other plots in order to establish the final classification.

Sequestering :

A product that captures ions and metals, to prevent them from precipitating and forming deposits on tank walls.

Soil crusting :

This describes the tendancy of a soil to form a crust on its surface after rainfall. This surface crust limits water permability and drainage thereby increasing risks of water erosion.

Soil water reserves :

The water retained by the soil, which forms a film on the dry soil in turn used by the vine.

SPI :

The Skin Permeability Index, also defined by the acronym SPI, is one of the two methods to evaluate skin maturity evolution. As the grape ripens, the skin becomes thinner and the wall structure degrades little by little making skin tearing more likely. The permeability is measured in Aw units and ranges from 0.96 for a film with little or no degradation to 0.86 for a degraded film that dilates easily.

Spur :

A renewal spur or short shoot on which there are two free buds maximum.

Stave :

A wooden board obtained by cutting a log in the direction of the medullary rays. Staves used together form the framework of a future barrel.

Stump :

The area on the shoot between the last bud and the cut.

Subsoiling :

A deep decompacting operation using the fissuring principle. Carried out with the subsoiler (straight tooth gear attachement) or with the Ripper (curved tooth gear attachment), it is also possible to work with curved blades. Subsoiling will be efficient to break deep massive horizons, up to 60cm approximately.

Suckers :

These are non-fruiting shoots that grow on the grapevine trunks. These shoots are unwanted and frequently removed as they drain energy and divert the sap flow from the developing fruit. However, if well-positioned, they can be used as replacement shoots to correct grapevine spacing.

Supply tanks :

A tank generally located in the vat house or outside, which contains the wine to be filtered and then bottled. When bottling occurs far from the vat house, these tanks provide the suitable volume containers to hold the wine to be connected to the bottling system.

TCA :

TCA (2,4,6 trichloroanisole): is the molecule responsible for a corked wine. The molecule is characterized by a cork odor, wet cardboard or damp cellars. TCA is synthesized from chlorophenols and requires certain chlorinated molecules to be present, often caused by poor hygiene practices or cleaning products that contain chlorine.

Teleomorph :

A fungus can be designated by its perfect or sexual form (teleomorph) or by its imperfect form (asexual or anamorph). It is also possible that one of the two forms is no longer found in nature.

Thermal inertia :

A measure of the responsiveness of a material to temperature variations. For example, wood and concrete have a better thermal inertia than stainless steel

TMCA :

Temperature, Mechanical action, Concentration, Action or contact time. These are the four elements crucial to maintain proper hygiene.

Total SO2 :

The sum of the free SO2 and combined SO2.

Trellising :

The purpose of trellising is to support the grapevine and enable the vine-grower to shape its growth trajectory. It is achieved by attaching the trunks and possibly the canes using several wires and ties. Trellising aims to improve production quality as well as yields by maximising leaf exposure to sunlight.

Vmax :

Vmax = (t2-t1)/(t2/V2-t1/V1) Where t1 and t2 are two units of time defined by the user, usually 2 and 5 minutes respectively And V1 and V2 are the volumes respectively flowed during the times t1 and t2

Volatile Acidity :

Corresponds to the sum of all free and salified acids. In wine, the predominant acid present is acetic acid.

Water Supply :

This refers to the absorption of water by the plant's roots. When the plant is very deep-rooted, or if there is clay which stores water so the vine can assimilate it over a long period of time, there will be a steady water supply. On the contrary, the water supply is likely to be more irregular in shallow soils without deep roots and if the soil structure does not have a good buffering capacity.