Assignment 6

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Basically, the word “climate” refers to the

general conditions in a given place over a

long period of time, while the term “weather”

refers to temporary conditions that might or

might not be unusual. For example, German

wine regions generally have a cool climate

but can still experience hot weather over the

course of days, weeks, or months.

NOT AT ALL.

Are climate and weather the same thing?

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It can be tough to remember that the beverage we pour

from a bottle is a farmed product, but the very success

or a harvest (getting into the winery and eventually into

that bottle) depends upon a well-balanced set of factors

– many of which vignerons and grape growers have little

to no control over.

WINEGROWING IS FARMING.

Why do we care about climate anyway?

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Grapes are very sensitive to

temperature so growers must

select the grapes that will

work where they live.

WINE CANNOT GROW

EVERYWHERE.

What do you notice?

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Think of the equator as a

mirror. the further you get

from it, whether north or

south, it gets cooler.

WHEN NORTH MEANS

WARM AND SOUTH

MEANS COOL

Northern vs Southern Hemispheres

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Ocean currents

Distance from large bodies of water

Shape of the land

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Distance from the equator

El Niño

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Cool Climates

DOES THIS MEAN THEY ALL MAKE ICEWINE?

No, but you definitely need to be in a cool climate if

you plan on making icewine.

Examples:

Northern France Oregon Washington State

Ontario New York Chile Hungary China

New Zealand Northern Italy South Africa

Austria Germany Northern Greece & Macedonia

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IT'S ALL ABOUT ACIDITY

Cool climate regions definitely get just as

hot as warm climates in the peak of the

season. That said, it is the fact that the

temperatures drop off so quickly towards

harvest that make the wines taste different.

Lower temperatures preserve the acidity

but they also make it difficult for grapes to

ripen. You can generally assume that cool

climate wine regions tend to produce tart

fruit flavors and have more acidity.

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11COOL CLIMATE WINE REGIONS

Warm Climates

CONSISTENCY IS THEIR CALLING CARD

It can be easier without the extremes of winter in

effect, but these regions are not without their

challenges. Climate change is hitting them first.

Examples:

California Argentina Australia Southern Italy

Greek Islands Central & Southern Spain

Central & Southern Portugal Most of South Africa

Southern France Southern Italy

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Does anyone know where this is?

w ik

ip ed

ia C

om m

on s

IT'S ALL ABOUT RIPENESS

Warm climate regions tend to have

more consistent temperatures

throughout the season. The slow drop

off from summer into fall gives grapes

ample opportunity to become fully ripe.

.

The negative is that more natural

acidity in the grapes is lost. You can

generally assume that warm climates

produce grapes with more ripe fruit

flavors and less acidity..

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13WARM CLIMATE WINE REGIONS

Mediterranean

Tuscany, Provence, Sardinia, Madeira

Maritime Bordeaux, Galicia, Champagne, Tasmania

Continental

Ontario, Burgenland, Finger Lakes, Ningxia

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Are there other ways wine

climates are described

throughout the world?

More specific ways we describe climate

WEATHER AND ITS EFFECTS

HAIL

Hail can causes significant damage to leaves,

stems, shoots, flower clusters and fruits. Leaves,

flowers or fruits can be ether damaged or

knocked to the ground, leaves can be bruised,

torn, or holed; while shoots and trunk can be

broken or have cracks.

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WEATHER AND ITS EFFECTS 16

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FROST

During the growing season, all green parts of the

grapevine are susceptible to frost. Spring is a

particularly delicate period for the vines, since

spring frost often damages opening buds and

young shoots, and hazards the crop load. Not all

vine varieties are equally susceptible to frost, and

susceptibility depends on bud development

stages.

WEATHER AND ITS EFFECTS 17

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DROUGHT

Drought might wreak havoc on some crops, but for

some winemakers, a drought could be a good

thing. In fact, some winemakers enjoy minimal

irrigation for their crops; it is known as dry farming.

While it can be useful in some situations, a drought

makes it hard for some vines to reserve

carbohydrates, especially in areas where the vines

are used to more water, which means less bud

break and weak growth overall. This will result in

fewer grapes at harvest time.

WEATHER AND ITS EFFECTS 18

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FOG

Frequent bouts of fog can affect grape growth too.

Fog makes the area stay cooler, and the sunlight

cannot penetrate through to help ripen grapes

during the day.

At the same time, fog at night helps grapes keep

their acidity and freshness, which is a positive

thing, because it balances the flavour of the grape.

HOW DOES ALL OF THIS COME ACROSS IN WINE?

Acidity Levels

Balance is key in wine. Acidity is one of the factors that creates

balance. The same is true for food.

Ripeness Levels

Green or jammy flavours can be undesirable and make for

uninteresting wines. Riper fruit in wine can trick you into

thinking the wines are sweeter.

Alcohol Levels

Too much alcohol can throw off the balance and enjoyment of

a wine, creating a burning sensation in the throat.

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The wine map is expanding

Winemakers are

growing grapes in

places once considered

too cold for fine wines.

Like Norway. Yes.

AND WHAT EFFECT IS CLIMATE CHANGE HAVING?

Winemakers are seeking higher ground

Producers are now

planting vineyards at

altitudes once

considered

inhospitable to growing

wine grapes. There are

grapes at 3000-4000

feet above sea level.

Growers are curtailing sunlight

As the climate has

changed, the problem

for wine producers is

no longer how to ripen

grapes fully but how to

prevent overripening.

This has caused many

growers to reorient

their thinking.

Regions are considering different grapes

For many producers,

particularly small family

estates or those in

historic appellations,

new vineyards in cooler

environments are not

an option.

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Have a look at this article from Eric Asimov of The New York TImes

Weather is no longer as predictable

While weather always

surprises, experienced

farmers generally knew

what to expect. With

climate change, that is

no longer true.

VILLA MARIA | MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND 2019 PRIVATE BIN SAUVIGNON BLANC

LCBO # 424360 (HALF-BOTTLE) Pale straw colour; intense aromas of gooseberry, lime, grass and asparagus;

dry, medium bodied, crisp acidity, and flavours of bell pepper, gooseberry

citrus; clean, crisp finish.

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FRANÇOIS LURTON | BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2018 SAUVIGNON BLANC BORDEAUX AOC

LCBO # 250381 Very pale straw; forward aromas of grapefruit, gooseberry, lemon zest;

medium body with crisp acidity.

SAUVIGNON BLANC WHERE ELSE DOES IT GROW? WHAT OTHER KINDS

OF WINES ARE MADE FROM IT?

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FOR NEXT CLASS:

REVIEW NEXT WEEK'S SLIDES BEFORE CLASS

Next week is Week 2A.

FINISH YOUR DISCUSSION BOARD ASSIGNMENT

See Blackboard for details - this is due before Class 2A.

DECIDE WITH YOUR PARTNER ON A GRAPE VARIETY

This is for your final assignment - review that on Blackboard.

Email me your pair's selection - one person on the team should

send the email and cc the other member.

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Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, French gastronome (1755–1826)

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