A Sense of Place (Terroir)

Question 1

In winemaking, what is meant by the term terroir?

Answer 1

Terroir or “territory” describes the complete natural environment in which a wine is produced and includes variables such as climate, soil, and topography.

• Soil - soil composition, drainage, pH level, nutrients, etc.
• Climate - rainfall, temperature, sunshine hours, wind, etc.
• Topography - vineyard slope, drainage, proximity to rivers, mountains, oceans, etc.

All of these factors (and more) play integral roles in determining the precise fruit characteristics and flavor concentration of the grapes produced by a particular vineyard and vintage, which is why terroir is king of all considerations in winemaking.

Question 2

In winemaking, what is meant by the climate of a region?

Answer 2

Climate refers to the average weather conditions—received as temperature, sunlight, and water availability—experienced by a region.

In other words, it’s what you expect to experience for a particular time of year: the typical weather conditions.

Climate plays a crucial role in viticulture and winemaking because it largely controls the health of the vineyards and whether they receive sufficient water, sunlight, and warmth for optimal grape growth and fruit concentration.

For this reason, climate also determines which grape varieties are grown where. For example, Rías Baixas in Spain has a cool maritime climate, so you’d never grow Grenache there because it wouldn’t get the heat it needs to ripen properly. Also, the grapes’ thin skin would leave them vulnerable to rot.

Question 3

What is meant by the weather of a region?

Answer 3

“Weather” refers to the day-to-day fluctuations of atmospheric conditions, expressed in temperature, wind, and precipitation, etc.

Climate is what you expect; weather is what you get!

Question 4

What is the vine growing season for the northern hemisphere?

Answer 4

April to October

spring to autumn

Vines begin budding in April and shedding their leaves in October.

Question 5

What is the vine growing season for the southern hemisphere?

Answer 5

October to April

spring to autumn

Vines begin budding in October and shedding their leaves in April.

Question 6

In viticulture what are the 3 broad climate types?

These are used to describe the average temperatures experienced in the growing season of a region.

Answer 6

1. Cool
   
   • avg temp: 16.5°C (62°F) or below
2. Moderate
   
   • avg temp: 16.5° - 18.5°C (62° - 65°F)
3. Warm
   
   • avg temp: 18.5° - 21°C (65° - 70°F)

Examples of each include:
* Cool climate wine regions: Champagne, the Loire Valley, and Burgundy (France); Oregon and coastal areas of Sonoma (USA); Walker Bay, Elgin, and Constantia (South Africa)
* Moderate climate wine regions:: Bordeaux, France; Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy; and Willamette Valley, USA (which used to be cool but is now closer to moderate due to climate change).
* Warm climate wine regions:: Napa Valley (USA); Stellenbosch, Paarl, and Robertson (South Africa); Argentina (South America)

Question 7

Why is the temperature of a wine region such an important consideration?

Answer 7

It helps determine which grape varieties can grow and thrive in that region.

If the average temperature for a region’s growing season is very cool, such as Champagne, grapes that require lots of warmth and sunshine, such as Grenache, would be unable to ripen in that region.

Similarly, sensitive, cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir would perish in a hot climate like Paarl in South Africa, which is why most of the country’s Pinot Noir grapes are grown in cool pockets like Constantia and the Elgin Valley.

Question 8

What 6 weather conditions can affect a wine vintage?

for good or for bad

Answer 8

• Excessive rain
• Drought
• Hot vintages
• Cool vintages
• Hail
• Frost

Question 9

What does it mean when a region has a “cool vintage”?

Answer 9

A cool vintage means the average temperature of the growing season was lower, or cooler, than is historically the norm for that region.

Usually, cooler vintages yield grapes that are higher in acidity and tarter in fruit flavors (think: citrus) because the grapes struggled to ripen.

Question 10

What does it mean when a region has a “hot vintage”?

Answer 10

A hot vintage means the average temperature of the growing season was higher, or hotter, than is historically the norm for that region.

Hotter vintages can overripen grapes leading to dried-fruit flavors. If there is too much sun, the grapes can also get sunburned or scorched!

Question 11

What is the biggest threat to a vine during a hot vintage?

Answer 11

Shortage of water

When it’s hotter than usual, vines get thirsty and need more water. If the underlying soils are too dry and the vine cannot find water, it will go dormant so as to survive the heat. In the process, however, the grapes will go unripened and eventually fall off the vine.

Question 12

What is the worst-case scenario for a vine in a drought?

Answer 12

The vine will die from lack of water.

Back-to-back years of below-average rainfall can be made worse if the region also experiences above-average temperatures, e.g. Australia between 2016-2019.

Question 13

For what 2 reasons would excessive rain be problematic for vines?

Answer 13

• Fungal diseases can develop and spread
• The extra rain can bloat the grapes and dilute their flavors

Question 14

Name 3 reasons hail is so damaging to vineyards

Answer 14

Hail:
* Perforates the leaves, compromising their ability to photosynthesize
* Creates open wounds in the vine trunk, creating risk for diseases
* Damages the berries making them unusable for wine-making

Question 15

At what time of year is a vine at the greatest risk of frost?

Answer 15

Springtime

The risk frost poses to vines—or any fruit really—is that when water freezes, it expands. So when temperatures dip to below freezing, the water in the grape vine’s leaves shoots, and fruits expand, rupturing their inner cellular structures and networks, turning them to pulp.

Go ahead and put an orange in the freezer. Then, once it’s frozen, pull it out and allow it to defrost. Peel it and you’ll see what we’re talking about!

Frost threatens flowering, fruit set, and new growth, and it can deliver a powerful blow to the yield for any particular year.

Question 16

There are many factors that influence the climate of a region, or even a particular vineyard. What are they?

try list 8!

Answer 16

• Latitude
• Elevation
• Size/proximity of water bodies
• Air’s aerosol content
• Mountains
• Valleys
• Slope and aspect
• Soil

• Latitude: the further away from the equator you get, the cooler the climate.
• Elevation: the greater the height above sea level, the cooler the climate.
• Large bodies of water, like oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers, have a moderating effect on climate and also provide a source of humidity / water vapor.
• Aerosols: particulates in the air—from pollution or smoke—tend to increase the frequency of precipitation.
• Mountains affect air flow and therefore temperatures, wind, and precipitation.
• Valleys (and other depressions) are natural sinks for cool, dense air, making them prone to fogs and mists.
• Slope and aspect affects sun exposure and therefore temperature, but also, because of gravity, drives wind circulations.

Question 17

Why is latitude among the most important climate influencers?

Answer 17

The latitude of a region determines how close or far it is to the equator and, therefore, how much direct sunlight it receives.

Question 18

Between which two lines of latitude are the majority of the world’s vineyards located?

Answer 18

30° - 50° north and south of the equator.

Consider this the “Goldilocks zone” for viticulture! Anything further north or south of these lines of latittude are likely too cold / hostile for grapes to do well.

Question 19

How does altitude affect temperature?

Answer 19

The higher up you go, the colder it gets! That’s why the tops of tall mountains are so often snow-capped!

The cooler temperatures of a higher altitude vineyard generally allow for a longer growing season.

Question 20

What effect do large bodies of water, such as oceans and lakes, have on grape-growing regions?

Answer 20

Large bodies of water have a moderating effect on the temperature of a region.

During the day, large bodies of water absorb the sun’s radiation, which cools the air above them. Then, at night, they re-radiate that heat, which helps to warm the air.

In this way, large bodies of water regulate temperature, which is why, in coastal regions, there isn’t typically a very big difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures.

Another way they moderate temperatures is through the presence and proximity of warm and cool currents.

For example, South Africa’s wine regions benefit from cool air that flows off the nearby Benguela current that flows along the western periphery of the subcontinent.

Northern Europe, on the other hand, benefits from the warm ocean currents of the Gulf Stream.

Question 21

What are some ways that rivers can affect a region?

Answer 21

Rivers:

• Reflect sunlight, which can prevent frost from forming
• Drive air circulation, which can prevent disease
• Extend the growing season due to the heat it stores over the summertime and then re-radiates during the cooler autumnal months.

Wait… how do rivers drive air circulation?

Land heats up faster during the day than water. This causes the air to rise (because hot air rises), which then creates a bit of a “vacuum” at the surface, creating a localized low pressure zone over the land.

Water, on the other hand, absorbs heat during the day, which cools the air, which then becomes dense, creating a localized HIGH pressure zone over the water.

Since air flows from high pressure to low pressure (#gravity), large rivers actually drive on-shore air circulations during the day that we feel as a lovely, cool wind. This keeps vineyards nice and cool.

Since many fungal diseases thrive in warm, moist conditions, these circulations go a long way in keeping vineyards healthy!

Question 22

How does cool/cold air affect grape-growing areas?

Answer 22

Cool/cold air reduces temperatures in hot vineyards, allowing grapes to ripen more slowly.

Heat and sunlight ripen fruit a lot quicker. That’s why the apples in your fruit bowl ripen/rot so much quicker than the ones you keep in your fridge.

Question 23

Vineyards that are exposed to cool breezes can yield much better quality fruit. What would the sources of such cool/cold air be?

Answer 23

Cool/cold air can blow off of nearby oceans, seas, and large lakes or rivers (as on-shore breezes) or down mountains (as downdrafts).

Question 24

How do clouds affect a vineyard?

Answer 24

Clouds block sunlight, which impedes vines’ ability to photosynthesize.

If photosynthesis is slowed, ripening is delayed.

Question 25

What sort of influence does fog have on a vineyard?

To qualify as “fog”, visibility must be less than 1,000 metres (or 3,280 feet). I.e. you’re unable to see further than that.

Answer 25

Fog, which blankets the air right above the ground, cools down vineyards and moderates heat.

Areas known for fog include Barolo, coastal California, and coastal Chile.

In fact, the grape variety Nebbiolo was named after fog (think: “nebulous”, which means hazy) because the grape seemed to thrive in certain foggy areas!

Question 26

How can mist influence a vineyard?

To quality as “mist”, visibility is greater than 1,000 meters (or 3,280 feet). I.e. you can see further than that.

Answer 26

Mist encourages Botrytis/noble rot.

You may be wondering, why does mist cause “Botrytis/noble rot” but fog doesn’t? Well, both occur at ground level (in the vineyard itself), where they increase humidity and, therefore, the occurrence of fungal disease.

BUT where mist easily burns off in the afternoon sun, fog, which is much denser, tends to stick around a little too long. This obstructs the sunshine the vines need to ripen their grapes, which negatively affects grape growth and development.

And so mist is perfect for noble rot, which what some winemakers want, while fog takes things a little too far.

Question 27

How do mountains affect grape-growing regions?

Answer 27

Mountains:

• Act as a barrier to cool air, which might otherwise flow inland from nearby bodies of water.
• Drive local air circulations, like strong up and down drafts, which can have a heating or cooling effect on temperatures.
• Increase/decrease precipitation, depending on whether a vineyard is on the rainward or leeward (sheltered) side of the mountain.
• Hasten soil drainage (if the vineyard is planted on a slope) because gravity causes the water to flow downhill.

Let’s expound a bit on point # 3: increase/decrease precipitation…

When air flows up a mountain, it cools and condenses, forming clouds and precipitation. This is the “rainward” side of the mountain and it’s typically much wetter and greener.

The air then flows down the other side of the mountain, heating up as it goes, creating warm, dry conditions. This is the “leeward” or sheltered side of the mountain and it casts a rain shadow over the land.

This rain shadow effect creates a sunny/dry microclimate for vineyards on the leeward side of mountains, examples of which include Alsace, France and Mendoza, Argentina.

Question 28

True or false:

Vineyards closer to the equator receive less heat and sunlight, while vineyards farther away receive more heat and sunlight.

Answer 28

FALSE

The closer a vineyard is to the equator, the more heat and sunlight it receives.

Think about how hot and tropical it is in equatorial climates and how, the further away you go—the closer to the poles—the cooler it becomes.

Question 29

Why are slopes and vineyard aspect important?

Aspect refers to the direction a vineyard faces (like, south-west, for example)

Answer 29

• Slopes facing the equator will receive more direct heat and sunlight than vineyards facing away from the equator.
• A vineyard’s aspect affects the angle at which the sunlight strikes the vineyard, which therefore controls total heat balance and grape ripening.

Question 30

How can soil affect the temperature of a vineyard?

Answer 30

The dark soils and the presence of larger rocks and stones cause the ground to aborb more heat, raising the temperature in a vineyard, which then encourages ripening.

The color of the soil plays a major role in vineyard temperature. For example, the white, chalky Albariza soil in Jerez (Spain) reflects sunlight, keeping the vineyard cooler, while the dark granitic soils of Cornas (France) and the dark schistous soils of Douro (Portugal) absorb heat, leading to robust wines.

Then, on the subject of stones, these are especially important in vineyards planted at cooler, more northern latitudes—e.g. Mosel, Germany—where ripening can be held hostage by unfavorable conditions.

Question 31

What are the 4 major soil types used in viticulture?

Answer 31

1. Sandy soils
2. Clay-based soils
3. Silt soils
4. Loam soils

It’s important to note that these categories are not mutually exclusive. In fact, most soils are a blend of two or more of these individual types.

So, when we describe a vineyard as having clay-based soils, it just means that clay is the dominant soil type but that one or more of the others—like loam or silt—are very likely present.

Question 32

What are some characteristics of sandy soils and how do these impact the wine?

Answer 32

Sandy soils are well-drained and retain heat more effectively. They’re also slightly more resistant to pests.

Wines tend to be highly aromatic with a pale color, soft tannins, and lighter acidity.

Wine regions that are famous for their sandy soils include:

• Swartland, South Africa
• Northern Médoc, France
• Fleurie, Chianti Classico, and Fiano di Avellino, Italy

Question 33

What are some characteristics of clay-based soils and how do these impact the wine?

Answer 33

Clay-based soils effectively retain water and remain cool.

Wines tend to be bold and muscular with high tannins and intense color

Wine regions (and particular varieties) that are famous for their clay-based soils include:

• Rioja and Ribera del Duero, Spain (Tempranillo)
• Barossa Valley, Australia (Shiraz)
• Right Bank Bordeaux, France

Question 34

What are some characteristics of silty soils and how do these impact the wine?

Answer 34

Silt soils are fine-grained which helps them to retain water and heat but can make root growth tricky.

Wines tend to be smooth and round with lower acidity.

Wine regions that are famous for their silt soils include:

• Eastern Washington, USA
• North Fork, Long Island, USA
• Bierzo, Spain
• The river valleys of Chile

Question 35

What are some characteristics of loamy soils and how do these impact the wine?

Answer 35

Loam soils are a nearly equal blend of silt, clay and sand, as well as organic matter, making it very fertile.

If vines aren’t rigorously pruned, wines grown in loamy soils can risk being bland on color and flavor. If they are pruned properly, there is great potential to produce extraordinary wines!

Wine regions that are famous for their loamy soils include:

• Sonoma Valley, USA
• Coonawarra, South Australia
• Rheingau, Germany
• Penedès, Spain
• Okanagan Valley, Canada

Question 36

What type of soil is the best for growing grape vines?

Answer 36

Loamy soil

Loamy soils are a fertile blend of sand, silt, and clay, striking a perfect balance between nutrients and drainage.

Having said this, one of the challenges of loamy soil is that, because it’s so fertile, it can cause vineyards to become over-productive, which can result in wine that doesn’t pack a lot of color or flavor.

To counteract this, farmers have to be strict with their pruning regimes so that the grapes get decent sun exposure, which leads to optimal ripening and the development of those sugars, aromatics, and fruit flavors.

Done correctly, loamy soils can yield truly excellent wines!