Vins Doux Naturels - Growing environment and grape growing
4 important questions on Vins Doux Naturels - Growing environment and grape growing
Climate for VDN (= in France)
- General climate Mediterranean
- Roussillon warmest and driest
- Tramontane wind
- 1 > greater transpiration from the grapes during end of ripening
- > greater concentration of sugar
- > less spirit is needed
- (high sugar > longer fermentation > producing more alcohol before reaching the desired level of residual sugar for the final wine)
- 2 > also reduces yield
Muscat à Petits Grains
- Most widely planted
- smaller grapes then Muscat of Alexandria
- greater intensity of aromas and flavour
- tolerant of dry weather > suited to Mediterranean climates in which rain during growing season is scarce
- > popular, mainly in dry unfortified wines > plantings increasing
- susceptible to
- powdery mildew
- botrytis bunch rot
- mites
How is the canopy for VDN and why
- A shady canopy is wanted in the warm climate to reduce the chances of sunburn and excessive grape shrivelling
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How big and when are the yields for VDN and when and how harvest
- Yields are small, generally 30 hl/ha
- by law grapes must be picked with a minimum of 14,8% abv potential alcohol
- producers generally want to retain as much acidity as possible to balance the residual sugar in the wines
- > not much longer than the 14,8% abv
- hand-harvest
- several passes depending on ripeness of the grapes
- late harvest - botrytized characters not desired
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