A fine scale study of temperature variability in the Saint-Emilion area (Bordeaux, France)

As the quality and typicity of wine are influenced by the climate, it is essential to have a good knowledge of climate variability, especially with regard to temperature, which has a great impact on vine behavior and grape ripening. Accurately zoning the early and late ripening areas, particularly in a context of climate change, will allow the winegrower to adapt his plant material and viticultural techniques to the specifications of his terroir. The general models of circulation used by meteorologists are not precise enough to study the spatial distribution of temperatures at a fine scale. A network of 90 temperature sensors was established in the Saint-Emilion wine area to study this parameter at a local scale. The initial results show high variability of temperatures in this area especially for minimum temperatures, and also of bioclimatic indices. The ensuing differences in terms of precocity vary from around fifty days for veraison and more for maturity.