China - Grape Growing environment

Question 1

What is the climate in China?
In terms of size?

Answer 1

Marked Continental Climate with very cold arid winters.
Vast country, 4,500 km between Heilongjiang in north east to Yunnan in the south = different climates

Question 2

How is climate dealt with?

Answer 2

Vines buried, as early as November, to survive cold (vines underground retain more water)

Question 3

What other weather affects vineyard?

Answer 3

In the summer heavy rain in some regions .

Question 4

Describe Heilongjiang and Jilin weather

Answer 4

Far North East of country, subject to extreme winter cold, winter burial essential

Question 5

describe Beijing and Hebei weather?
Rain?
Humidity?
Vineyard planting?

Answer 5

Coast Beijing and Hebei have a humid continental climate, warm humid summers and cold winters plus torrential rain in August/Sept.
20-30 cm of rain a year, cool pacific breezes reduce final disease, but still a challenge.
Older vineyards planted on flat land, poor drainage and fertile soil = hi yields poor fruit,
Newer vineyards on better sites
Closer to ocean don’t need burying, saving cost

Question 6

Describe Shandong

Answer 6

On East Coast, warm maritime climate, wettest at worst point of season in Aug/Sept before harvest. Humidity/Rot always a problem

Question 7

Describe Shanxi and Shaanxi

Answer 7

two, inland regions have dry, continental climate, 50 cm rainfall. humidity higher in more southernly Shaanxi = fungal risk

Question 8

Describe Ningxia, weather influence, best area?

Answer 8

Well inland, continental climate, 20 cm rainfall, monsoon rains
very windy = dryness = irrigation from Yellow River.
Best area Helan Shan (Helen Mountains) where mountains protect from north-west desert winds.

Question 9

Where is Xinjiang and Gansu, rain?
Snow?
Other weather influences
risk
altitude?
snow?
general conditions?
volume?
Gansu?

Answer 9

Far north-west, extremely dry 8cm rain
Snow can arrive in Oct = short growing season
Windy conditions
Frost - spring and autumn
1,100+ altitude = more frost risk
Dry conditions but have water from melted snow from Tian Shan (Heavenly Mountains)
very warm climate = hi volume production
Gansu v dry, slightly cooler.

Question 10

Describe Yunnan
where are plantings?
frost?

Answer 10

Far South, sub-tropical climate, vines planted at hi altitude (1,600-2,900m) including in foothills of Himalayas = moderate temperatures, reducing humidity
Long frost-free season, vines do not require burying.