Terroir 2014 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 International Terroir Conferences 9 Terroir 2014 9 Grape growing climates, climate variability 9 Harvest dates, climate, and viticultural region zoning in Greece

Harvest dates, climate, and viticultural region zoning in Greece

Abstract

Climate is clearly one of the most important factors in the success of all agricultural systems, influencing whether a crop is suitable to a given region, largely controlling crop production and quality, and ultimately driving economic sustainability. Today many assessments of a region’s climate comes from a combination of station and spatial climate data analyses that facilitate the evaluation of the general suitability for viticulture and potential wine styles, allows for comparisons between wine regions, and offers growers a measure of assessing appropriate cultivars and sites.

This research combines a spatial climate analysis in Greece with a temporal station and harvest date analysis in important Greek wine regions. The results show predominately warm to hot climate suitability in Greece, comparable to many other regions worldwide. While many viticulture regions have one primary class of suitability, variability of climate within regions can be significant, with some regions containing two to four climate classes, typically based on elevation or distance to the coast, making them suitable for a greater range of cultivars. For the temporal analysis the eight locations studied had marked differences in their general climatic characteristics, mainly between mainland and island areas. While trends varied for the regions, the general response was for greater increases in minimum temperatures compared to maximum temperatures, which resulted in significant trends in growing degree-days in most locations.

Harvest dates trended earlier in five out of the eight regions, and were mainly driven by changes in minimum temperatures. Significant trends in climate parameters and viticulture–climate relationships were more evident for island regions when compared to mainland locations. Moreover, areas with late ripening varieties were shown to be less sensitive to climate changes.

DOI:

Publication date: July 31, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2014

Type: Article

Authors

Jon Anderson (1), Paraskevi Dimou (2), Gregory V. Jones (1), Dionissios Kalivas (2), George Koufos (3), Theodoros Mavromatis (4), Stefanos Koundouras (5), and Nikolaos M. Fyllas (6)

(1) Department of Environmental Studies, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR, USA 
(2) Department of Land Resources and Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece 
(3) Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mitilini, Greece 
(4) Department of Meteorology-Climatology, School of Geology, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece 
(5) Laboratory of Viticulture, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece 
(6) Department of Ecology and Systematics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece 

Contact the author

Keywords

Greece, climate, viticulture, wine, harvest dates

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2014

Citation

Related articles…

Genotypic variability in root architectural traits and putative implications for water uptake in grafted grapevine

Root system architecture (RSA) is important for soil exploration and edaphic resources acquisition by the plant, and thus contributes largely to its productivity and adaptation to environmental stresses, particularly soil water deficit. In grafted grapevine, while the degree of drought tolerance induced by the rootstock has been well documented in the vineyard, information about the underlying physiological processes, particularly at the root level, is scarce, due to the inherent difficulties in observing large root systems in situ. The objectives of this study were to determine genetic differences in the root architectural traits and their relationships to water uptake in two Vitis rootstocks genotypes (RGM, 140Ru) differing in their adaptation to drought. Young rootstocks grafted upon the Riesling variety were transplanted into cylindrical tubes and in 2D rhizotrons under two conditions, well watered and moderate water stress. Root traits were analyzed by digital imaging and the amount of transpired water was measured gravimetrically twice a week. Root phenotyping after 30 days reveal substantial variation in RSA traits between genotypes despite similar total root mass; the drought-tolerant 140Ru showed higher root length density in the deep layer, while the drought-sensitive RGM was characterised by shallow-angled root system development with more basal roots and a larger proportion of fine roots in the upper half of the tube. Water deficit affected canopy size and shoot mass to a greater extent than root development and architectural-related traits for both 140Ru and RGM, suggesting vertical distribution of roots was controlled by genotype rather than plasticity to soil water regime. The deeper root system of 140Ru as compared to RGM correlated with greater daily water uptake and sustained stomata opening under water-limited conditions but had little effect on above-ground growth. Our results highlight that grapevine rootstocks have constitutively distinct RSA phenotypes and that, in the context of climate change, those that develop an extensive root network at depth may provide a desirable advantage to the plant in coping with reduced water resources.

PHOTO OXIDATION OF LUGANA WINES: INFLUENCE OF YEASTS AND RESIDUAL NITROGEN ON VSCS PROFILE

Lugana wines are made from Turbiana grapes. In recent times, many white and rosé wines are bottled and stored in flint glass bottles because of commercial appeal. However, this practice could worsen the aroma profile of the wine, especially as regards the development of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). This study aims to investigate the consequences of exposure to light in flint bottles on VSCs profile of Lugana wines fermented with two different yeasts and with different post-fermentation residual nitrogen.

Il Cabernet di Atina dal 1850 al giorni nostri: un esempio di valorizzazione del territorio

In the province of Frosinone from 1850 they are cultivated in some zones wine grape of French origin like Merlot, Cabernet franc Cabernet sauvignon, Sirah, Pinot noir. The insertion of these varieties was the work of Pasquale Visocchi in the great company of family “Fratelli Visocchi Proprietari” (F. V.P.).

WHITE WINES OXIDATIVE STABILITY: A 2-VINTAGE STUDY OF CHARDONNAY CHAMPAGNE BASE WINES AGED ON LEES IN BARRELS

Ultra-premium champagne wines are characterized by a long stay on laths. The goal of the winemaker is to use all possible oenological techniques to keep the aromatic freshness of the future products. To that purpose, some champagne base wines can be aged on lees in oak barrels. However, if it is now acknowledged that such ageing practices contribute to the oxidative stability of dry white wines, no study has been done on Chardonnay champagne base wines designed for a long ageing on laths [1].

Soil and topography effects on water status and must composition of chardonnay in burgundy & a mini meta‐analysis of the δ 13C/water potentials correlation

The measurement of carbon isotopic discrimination in grape sugars 13 at harvest (δ C) is an integrated assessment of water status during ripening.