WSET DIPLOMA D1 - CHAPTER 9 QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS
What is the rule of thumb for timing of grape ripening? - Answers :100 days after the
beginning of flowering
How is readiness for harvest measured in European areas? - Answers :Potential alcohol
In cooler European regions, what is the desire potential alcohol? - Answers :9.5-11%
How can alcohol be adjusted upwards if permitted by law? - Answers :Chaptilization
What 3 natural and human factors have changed harvest dates? - Answers :Warming
climate making ripening easier in cooler areas
Better viticulture practices making ripening easier
Focus on aroma and tannin ripeness instead of sugar
How does style of wine influence harvest dates? - Answers :Early - sparkling to maintain
acidity
Mid-harvest - dry wines
Late - dessert or botrytised wines
What are 2 harvesting methods? - Answers :Machine
Hand
What wines typically use machine harvesting - Answers :Inexpensive to mid-prices
wines
Large scale
4 Steps to improve the quality of machine harvested grapes? - Answers :Remove
undesirable grapes prior to machine harvesting
Use a bow-rod shaking machine which is more gentle
Use machines with optical sorters and add SO2
Rigorous sorting after harvest to remove MOG & bad
4 advantages of machine harvesting - Answers :1.Significantly faster and substantially
cheaper (1/3 cost)
2.Avoids lack of availability of casual workers
3.Harvest at night and be kept up to 15°C / 59°F cooler
4.Timing of the harvest can wait until the desired level of ripeness has been achieved
and then carried out quickly.
7 Disadvantages of machine harvesting - Answers :Less gentle than hand-harvesting
(shaken off stems)
ANSWERS
What is the rule of thumb for timing of grape ripening? - Answers :100 days after the
beginning of flowering
How is readiness for harvest measured in European areas? - Answers :Potential alcohol
In cooler European regions, what is the desire potential alcohol? - Answers :9.5-11%
How can alcohol be adjusted upwards if permitted by law? - Answers :Chaptilization
What 3 natural and human factors have changed harvest dates? - Answers :Warming
climate making ripening easier in cooler areas
Better viticulture practices making ripening easier
Focus on aroma and tannin ripeness instead of sugar
How does style of wine influence harvest dates? - Answers :Early - sparkling to maintain
acidity
Mid-harvest - dry wines
Late - dessert or botrytised wines
What are 2 harvesting methods? - Answers :Machine
Hand
What wines typically use machine harvesting - Answers :Inexpensive to mid-prices
wines
Large scale
4 Steps to improve the quality of machine harvested grapes? - Answers :Remove
undesirable grapes prior to machine harvesting
Use a bow-rod shaking machine which is more gentle
Use machines with optical sorters and add SO2
Rigorous sorting after harvest to remove MOG & bad
4 advantages of machine harvesting - Answers :1.Significantly faster and substantially
cheaper (1/3 cost)
2.Avoids lack of availability of casual workers
3.Harvest at night and be kept up to 15°C / 59°F cooler
4.Timing of the harvest can wait until the desired level of ripeness has been achieved
and then carried out quickly.
7 Disadvantages of machine harvesting - Answers :Less gentle than hand-harvesting
(shaken off stems)
