Mediterranean Climate Flashcards
Describe
Warm M: mild winters, hot dry summers, high levels of sunshine
France
● Southern France (Languedoc-Roussillon)
● Cornas: warm Medi bc natural south and east facing amphitheater with
some steep slopes - first Syrah to ripen in NR
● Southern Rhone
○ Provence: dry warm Mediterranean
Greece
except inland (continental)
○ Macedonia - plains: warm Mediterranean, rain shadow of
mountains drier
○ Nemea: most rainfall in fall (can dictate harvest times) & winter
but varies year on year (400~900mm) -> in dry years vineyards on
clay are better able to cope than those on more free-draining soils
Chile
warm long dry sunny growing season, cooler/wetter further south
○ low alt: intense sunlight
○ Rainfall: northern/inland drier, coastal/southern wetter
El Nino - rainfall; El Nina - drought
○ most vineyards within valleys east to west thus most of the climatic variation in Chile’s wine-growing regions also occur from
east to west
○ Pacific Ocean and Andes: cooling influence at either end -> longer growing season -> retain acidity and aromas
○ a significant stretch of the coast runs a range of low mountains forming a barrier against the ocean influence <-vineyard to the west of these mountains are fully exposed to
ocean influences
○ Humboldt Current flows up from Antarctica bringing cold water ->cool air, warm air rises from the land during the day, this cool air
is sucked inland -> morning fog that moderates temp,increases humidity
○ The coastal range and the Andes effectively merge to the north of Santiago (in Coquimbo and Aconcagua) but to the south they part
to create a large, dry, warm and sunny central valley for bulk wines
○ fogs and cool breezes can enter the valley via gaps in the coastalranges, moderating close vineyards
○ Planting on the slopes of the coastal ranges or on hills in the valleys: cooling influences by altitude or aspect: higher quality
○ east: a number of vineyards planted on/near the foothills of the Andes. Cool mountain air descend overnight -> high diurnal ranges, and altitude moderates temperatures
Spain
South/east of Spain faces onto Mediterranean close to sea, moderated climate, warm dry summers, mild winters
○ Rioja: northwest to southeast along River Ebro - Mediterranean influence on eastern side of Rioja
○ Navarra: influnces from Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Pyrenees to northeast
○ Catalunya - northeast Mediterranean coast + alt inland moderating influence
○ Penedes: warm M
■ Penedes Maritim
■ btw sea and coastal range of hills
■ low altitudes, close to sea: warm climate without temp extremesfull body reds from late ripening grapes eg Monastrell
■ some Xarel-lo Macabeo, Parellada for inexp wines
■ Penedes Central
■ flat plains “Pre-Coastal Depression” btw coastal range and inland mountains moderately high altitudes ~500m: some cooling influence
■ large plantings of Xarel-lo, Macabeo, Parellada, Merlot, CS,Tempranillo, Chardonnay
■ Penedes Superior
■ alt 500-800m - cooling inf, high diurnal range, spring frost - inland whites Chard, SB, (smaller amounts) Riesling and Gewurztraminer, PN
■ rainfall 500mm dried in summer - irrigation allowed with authorization from Consejo Regulador if vines suffer from water stress
■ loamy soils with calcareous components: can store enough water through ripening
■ many (large) vineyards trellised for mechanization but many bush vinestoo
○ Montsant: more Mediterranean than continental Priorat of high elevation plateau
○ Valencia: warm M with cooling inf from alt or close to coast,
rainfall low, irrigation widely used
->Moscatel de Alejandria and Merseguera [low intensity aroma if high vigor not controlled, oft blended with other
varieties]
■ wines made from dry farmed vines at high alt can show more concentration and texture esp matured in oak
California
much of coastal area
○ Central Valley: Lodi AVA
■ HOT M, moderated by cooling afternoon winds from SFB
and Sacramento-San Joaquin delta
Australia
South Eastern Australia
○ Fleurieu Zone, south of Adelaide, of warm Mediterranean climate
with a strong maritime influence
■ McLaren Vale
South Africa
○ most regions cooled by proximity to ocean
○ main cooling influence cold north flowing Benguela current from
South Pole plus warmer
○ Mozambique current from Indian Ocean: lower water temps
between Cape Town and Cape Agulhas
○ large diff temp diff btw ocean/land: regular beneficial coastal
fog/cooling breezes
○ Cape Doctor: south-easterly wind during spring/summer: extends
impact of Benguelacurrent, inhibit disease, bring rain to South
Coast, damage leaves, affect photosynthesis, ripeness, flowering
process, berry set, reduce yields
○ spring frost a problem esp in Breedekloof ward (not regular)
○ lack of winter breeze: vines failing to rest over winter
○ rains in May/August, normal years adequate for grape growing
>700mm but reduces in the north (Benguela current, mountain
rain shadow) thus irrigation or old vine essential
■ drought made water a priority
■ drip irrigation
■ Swartland dry farming dominant
Italy
● Central Italy
○ Tuscany - warm M
■ adequate rainfall most in autumn and winter, normally
during growing season too
■ summer drought and high temps (cessation of
photosynthesis -> incomplete ripeningof skins and seeds)
can be hazards in some years
○ Marche: hot summer, little rainfall
■ inland west of Ancona more continental with dry summers
○ Lazio: warm M
■ moderated by alt on low hills by cooling winds from sea:
thus grapes ripenregularly
■ hazards from climate: occasional spring frost, hail,
excessive heat in summer and rain duringharvest
■ rainfall normally adequate with little falling in summer
months, reducing threat from fungaldiseases
○ Abruzzo:
■ hillside continental
■ Coastal: maritime or Mediterranean, lower risk of spring
frost and rain at harvest,
● Southern Italy
○ Compania: warm M, inland sites at alt 600m
○ Basilicata: warm M cooling influences from alt ~600m: wide
diurnal range; breezes fromBalkans another cooling influence —
retain acid, extend growing season, high aromaticintensity
○ Puglia: HOT M moderating breezes from sea, suited for bulk
production as lowrainfall low risks of fungal fertile soils irrigation
permitted
○ Sicily, Sardinia: warm M
Portugal
○ Dao: overall Mediterranean climate: warm dry summer mild winters, high rainfall west and east, mainly in autumn and winter
○ Alentejo:
■ Mediterranean, hot summers, mild winters; inland parts with extreme temps;
■ rainfall 500mm south 800mm north mainly in autumn/winter-> long periods of dryweather, drip irrigation widely used;
■ plains and gentle slopes, some mountains in the north, south, east of the region;
■ wide range of soils: granite, schist, limestone textured from sand to clay;
■ double cordon with VSP mostly, replacement cane systems on decline due to greater skillsrequired during pruning
○ Peninsula de Setubal
■ Mediterranean: hot dry summers, mild wet winters: Mountains in the south provide cooler sites at higher altitudes on clay-limestone soils. Much of the land in the region is flat and sandy, with more clay and schist further
inland
○ Tejo: inland from Lisboa
■ M, 750mm
■ north higher rainfall with clay-limestone and schist soils -> red wines
■ around the river, fertile alluvial soils -> vine vigour carefully managed -> white wines
■ south - driest and hottest, poor sandy soils -> red and white wine
