Terroir 2016 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 International Terroir Conferences 9 Terroir 2016 9 Climates of Wine Regions Worldwide 9 Mapping climate and bioclimatic indices at high-resolution in vineyard regions

Mapping climate and bioclimatic indices at high-resolution in vineyard regions

Abstract

Many of the world’s vineyard regions are located in regions of complex terrain, with the result there is significant local climate variation. The range of climatic conditions provides the opportunity for wine producers to readily adapt to the increasing influence of global warming on wine production by adjusting grape varieties and management practices to suit local environmental conditions. However, to allow this to happen, knowledge of fine scale variations in climate in vineyard regions needs to be improved. Our recent research has demonstrated that mesoscale atmospheric numerical models can be used to provide a good representation of the small-scale variations of climate in such regions of complex terrain. They are particularly useful for mapping mean daily temperature, which is the main variable used to derive bioclimatic indices of relevance to grapevine growth (such as the Huglin, Winkler, Grapevine Flowering Véraison and cool nights indices).

This paper provides examples of recent research in which the Weather Research and Forecasting climate model has been used to improve our understanding of climate variability at high spatial (1 km and less) and temporal (hourly) resolution within vineyard regions of different terrain complexity (e.g. in South Africa, New Zealand and France). Model performance is evaluated through comparison with automatic weather stations. The model output is used to investigate the spatial variability of derived bioclimatic indices and climatic hazards such as the occurrence of late frost, at high resolution across vineyard regions. Further analysis has also provided useful insights into grapevine response to spatial variability of climate through the prediction and mapping of dates of the key phenological stages of flowering and véraison.”.

DOI:

Publication date: June 22, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2016

Type: Article

Authors

Andrew Sturman (1), Peyman Zawar-Reza (1), Iman Soltanzadeh (2), Marwan Katurji (1), Valérie Bonnardot (3), Amber Parker (4), Mike Trought (5), Hervé Quénol (3), Renan Le Roux (3), Eila Gendig (6) and Tobias Schulmann (7)

(1) Centre for Atmospheric Research, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
(2) MetService, Wellington, New Zealand
(3) LETG-Rennes COSTEL, UMR 6554 CNRS, Université Rennes 2, Rennes, France
(4) Department of Wine, Food and Molecular Biosciences, Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand
(5) Plant & Food Research Ltd., Marlborough Wine Research Centre, Blenheim, New Zealand
(6) Department of Conservation, Christchurch, New Zealand
(7) Catalyst, Christchurch, New Zealand

Contact the author

Keywords

Terroir, climate, bioclimatic indices, mapping, zoning

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2016

Citation

Related articles…

Identification of a stable epi-allele associated with flower development and low bunch compactness in a somatic variant of Tempranillo Tinto

Grapevine cultivars are vegetatively propagated to preserve their varietal characteristics. However, spontaneous somatic variations that occur and are maintained during cycles of vegetative growth offer opportunities for the natural improvement of traditional grape cultivars. One advantageous trait for winegrowing is reduced bunch compactness, which decreases the susceptibility to pests and fungal diseases and favor an even berry ripening.

Read More

Distinguishing of red wines from Northwest China by colour-flavour related physico-chemical indexes

Aim: Northwest China occupies an important position in China’s wine regions due to its superior geographical conditions with dry climate and sufficient sunlight. In this work, we aimed to investigate the physico-chemical colour and flavour characteristics of red wine in Northwest China.

Read More

The effect of ultrasounds in syrah wine quality is not dependent on the ripening or sanitary status of the grapes

Different studies have demonstrated that the application of ultrasounds (US) to crushed grapes improves chromatic characteristics of the wines (1,2), increases their polysaccharide content (3) and some aroma compounds are also favored (4,5)

Read More

IDENTIFICATION OF NEW RESVERATROL DERIVATIVES FORMED IN RED WINE AND THEIR BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

Stilbenes are natural bioactive polyphenols produced by grapevine. Recently, we have reviewed the na- tural presence of these compounds in wines [1]. This study showed that the resveratrol and its glycoside, the piceid, are the most abundant stilbenes in wines. Resveratrol is a well-known stilbene with a wide range of biological activities. Due to its specific structure, resveratrol can be oxidized in wines to form various derivatives including oligomers [2]. In this study, we investigate the resveratrol and piceid transformation in wines.

Read More

Amphora Wines: To Pitch Or Not To Pitch

Amphora wines are known in Portugal as Vinhos de Talha. In this technology, alcoholic fermentation takes place in clay vessels that traditionally were pitched inside using pine pitch. Vinhos de Talha has a distinctive sensorial profile, due to the ancestral technique of vinification. However nowadays, some clay vessels are impermeabilized with other materials than pitch, such as bee wax and mainly epoxy resins.

Read More