Great highlands wine growing terroir: conditions and expressions

During 1982 started our wine growing project at the Puntalarga Hill, between 2500 and 2600 meters a.s.l.: 5.78 ºN, 72.98 ºW. Pinot noir, white Riesling and Riesling x Silvaner crossings are the most planted grapevines. Since 1984 research and development activities are carried out on pertinent subjects.
Low latitude, high altitude, relatively low rainfall, frequent atmospheric transparency, determines intensity and spectral composition of incident solar radiation, day/night temperature change extent and low night values that are the tropical highland’s climate features of the region.
Coexistence over the year of all grapevine developmental stages and the production of vintages with good sugar content and acidity levels, suitable for the production of wine remarkable in aroma and color intensity, are possible under those conditions.
Vine behavior and grape and wine characteristics indicate that at low respiratory losses, local climatic conditions could be considered thermally equivalent to those of temperate wine growing regions, with similar Huglin’s index values. At the localization of the project, the climatic conditions over the year are similar to those of autumnal ripening time in a temperate climate. At the same time acting solar radiation is UV-B rich. Both factors result in special features of local grapes that could be considered as being terroir expressions.