Terroir 2010 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Texas terroir: gis characterization of the texas high plains ava

Texas terroir: gis characterization of the texas high plains ava

Abstract

The Texas High Plains AVA is one of eight officially recognized wine regions in Texas, established in 1993. Six local wineries, including the second-largest in Texas, are supported by approximately 50 vineyards, which are also major suppliers of grapes to Texas wineries outside the region. The distinctive characteristics of the Texas High Plains AVA have contributed to the region’s reputation for producing medal-winning red wines with excellent color and good tannins, primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The large region (3.6 million ha) is known for its semi-arid climate with hot summers and mild winters, and very deep, well-drained soils. However, little detailed information is available on the spatial variability of growing conditions within the region. The Texas AVA GIS was constructed with datasets describing soils, elevation, topography, and climatic variables of significance to grape production for all 8 winegrowing regions in the state. Growing degree-days (GDD) and ripening period mean temperature (RPMT) in the Texas High Plains AVA decrease from southeast to northwest as elevation increases. The range of GDD is 2028 to 2653. RPMT ranges from 23.8-26.7oC in August and 19.9-22.6oC in September. Precipitation ranges from 41.4-63.7 cm, increasing from west to east. High solar radiation contributes to vine fruitfulness and color development in red wine grapes. Vineyards are predominantly planted on the reddish-brown, deep fine sandy loam and sandy clay loam soils (Amarillo, Patricia, and the related Brownfield series). Patricia soils predominate in the southern portion of the AVA; Amarillo is overall more common and found primarily in central areas of the region. An interactive website was created for public access to the GIS – the Winegrowing Regions of Texas [txwineregions.tamu.edu]. Such data will be critical for vineyard site selection and matching grape cultivars to site as the region’s wine industry continues to expand and experiment with warm-climate cultivars.

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: October 6, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2010

Type: Article

Authors

E.W. Hellman (1,2), E.A. Takow (3), M.D. Tchakerian (3), and R.N. Coulson (3)

(1) Texas A&M University, AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 1102 East FM 1294, Lubbock, TX 79403 USA
(2) Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University
(3) Knowledge Engineering Laboratory, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843 USA

Contact the author

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2010

Citation

Related articles…

OTR determination of aged closures: Impact on aroma compounds composition of Sauvignon blanc wines

Oxygen transfer rate (OTR) is a technical property of closure, and it modulates the oxygen supply to the wine during its bottle aging. It’s an important parameter to take into account in the analysis of wine aroma evolution. OTR distribution is well documented for new closures, but little research has been published on its determination for aged closures. Initial oxygen release after bottling impacts the composition of wines during the first years of storage), but the link between OTR, sensory perception and aroma composition after many years of aging has not yet been clearly studied. 
Read More

Exploring the gene regulatory networks of WRKY family in grapevine (Vitis vinifera  L.) using DAP-Seq

The recent development of regulatory genomics has raised increasing interest in plant research since transcriptional regulation of genes plays a pivotal role in many biological processes. By shedding light on the target genes of the various transcription factors (TFs), it is therefore possible to infer the influence they exert on the different molecular mechanisms. In this regard, the attention was focused on WRKYs, a family of TFs almost exclusively found in plant species. In grapevine, WRKYs are involved in several biological processes, playing a key role in berry development, hormonal balance and signalling, biotic and abiotic stresses responses, and secondary metabolites biosynthesis.

Read More

REMEDIATION OF SMOKE TAINTED WINE USING MOLECULARLY IMPRINTED POLYMERS

In recent years, vineyards in Australia, the US, Canada, Chile, South Africa and Europe have been exposed to smoke from wildfires. Wines made from smoke-affected grapes often exhibit unpleasant smoky, ashy characters, attributed to the presence of smoke-derived volatile compounds, including volatile phenols (which occur in free and glycosylated forms). Various strategies for remediation of smoke tainted wine have been evaluated. The most effective strategies involve the removal of smoke taint compounds via the addition of adsorbent materials such as activated carbon, which can either be added directly or used in combination with nanofiltration. However, these treatments often simultaneously remove wine constituents responsible for desirable aroma, flavour and colour attributes.

Read More

Photo-oxidative stress and light-struck defect in Corvina rosé wines: influence of yeast nutritional strategies

Light exposure is one of the major factors affecting the sensory quality of rosé wines and resulting in the light-struck fault.

Read More

Effectiveness of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) on tartaric stabilization of cava base wine

Recent EU regulations allow the use of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) as a stabilization agent in wine. We tested CMC in bases for sparkling wines, which must be stabilized before the second fermentation that raises alcohol concentration by 1,5%.

Read More