"Working the Land" (Viticulture)
- Vigor (low/high)
- Average to highly vigorous, and must be managed by rootstock selection, crop thinning, spacing and clone matching, as well as, where legal, managed irrigation. High yields equate to reduced color depth and flavor concentration, as well as reduced levels of acidity
- Adaptability
- Sensitive to wind and extreme drought. Prefers high altitude/slopes, thermal amplitude, and deeper soils of calcareous and/or sandy composition.
- Yield (potential)
- Medium to high yields. Yields require control for maximum quality.
- Growth cycle
- Early budding and ripening.
- Diseases
- Susceptible to powdery mildew, downy mildew, and Eutypa dieback
Growing and Making Tempranillo (in California)
As alluded to above, Tempranillo needs cool conditions to maintain acidity, but also sufficient heat to develop the sugars required for full flavor development and thick skins necessary for color and tannins. This is a tricky combination. Most California Tempranillo is planted in areas too warm for it. In Spain these two opposites are best reconciled in the continental climate but high-altitude areas of the Ribera del Duero and higher plots in Rioja’s Alta and Alavesa regions.
Working the Land
Does soil influence the flavor of the final wine?
Traditionalists answer unequivocally “Yes!” Soil is a key element of terroir, the natural environment in which the vines grow, along with climate (temperature, rainfall), topography (altitude, drainage, slope, aspect) and sunlight.
A more unorthodox view holds that the influence of soil on what you taste in the glass is a myth. Maynard Amerine and Ann Noble, two famous names at UC Davis, California’s premier wine school and wine research facility, conducted a study on the topic. Though the study is based on Chardonnay grapes, they concluded that the following holds true for all wine grapes: “no outstanding sensory differences were observed in wines produced from different soil type locations.” The key word is “sensory” (sight, smell, taste). They are not saying that the soil doesn’t affect vine behavior (yield, growth cycle, etc.).
The lower acidity associated with Tempranillo grown at lower-than-desirable altitudes is most often remedied by blending with higher acid grapes, as is the practice with Graciano in Rioja. Tempranillo’s substratal roots absorb potassium easily, facilitating pH levels of 3.6 in the pulp and 4.3 in the skins when maturity is reached. If too much potassium is absorbed, the must becomes salified (increased levels of salt), slowing the disappearance of malic acid, resulting in a higher pH. As noted in the chart above, Tempranillo is very susceptible to inclement weather, with grapes shrinking in size if there is drought, or swelling when there is too much humidity. The effects of the weather are decreased in places with limestone due to water retention; the effects are worse in sandy areas.
Tempranillo has had a proclivity to evolve, a fact reflected in the 24 unique selections available via Foundation Plant Services at UC Davis.
For information on Tempranillo and vine/canopy training see the “Response of Tempranillo to Four Training Systems” by UC Davis.
Sustainability and California
As an agricultural industry, the California wine community has a long history of adapting to change and demonstrating its commitment to sound environmental practices and social responsibility. Building on these efforts are the educational and certification programs of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA). Established by Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers, CSWA is the most comprehensive and widely adopted wine sustainability program in the world, and– together with other important sustainability programs in regions throughout the state– has made California wine a leader in addressing climate change.