Wine: The Impact of Geography and Climate 51
acceptable level of quality. The geography and climate impacts ripeness of wine grapes as
well as flavors and type of fruit aromas in red and white wines. For the purposes of wine
and food pairing, geography and climate can have a substantial impact on ripeness and
quality. The ripeness of the grape impacts sweetness levels, acidity levels, and alcohol levels.
These issues can greatly influence wine and food selections for proper matching.
While grapevines are adaptable to most well-drained soils, a number of factors impact
the ultimate wine characteristics and wine quality. The amount and timing of moisture is an
important factor, and the effects of wind and excessive sun can also be severe. Quality wine
grapes cannot be grown everywhere; generally they are grown between 30!and 50!latitude
either above or below the equator. Latitudes nearer the poles would provide a too-limited
growing season coupled with severe winter cold that would kill even dormant vines. Near
the equator, it never becomes cold enough for the vines to have the dormant period that is
needed for successful grape growing, and the high humidity can induce fungal diseases.
Other limitations to grape growing include the local geography, pest prevalence, and
the weather. In many cases, grape growing can be extended outside the normal range using
a variety of techniques.^9 In Quebec, Canada, the harsh winters can freeze the dormant vines,
so an approach known as ‘‘hilling’’ is used, in which earth is banked over the roots of the
grapevine to protect them during the winter. This technique is also used in Russia and parts
of China.^10
Climate is an important consideration in wine and food pairing. Climatic factors im-
pact fruit ripeness, acidity level, alcohol level, tannin, and flavors. One method used to
organize wine categories is to indicate whether a wine is from a cool, moderate, or warm
zone. White wines from cool growing regions can typically be described as having flavors
of apples and pears (cool-climate tree fruits). Red wines from cool climate zones have aromas
and flavors that can be described as like those of cranberries, red currants, or red cherries.
In moderate climate growing regions, the resulting flavors include citrus, peaches, apricots,
nectarines, or melons for white wines and black cherries, black currants, plums, or blueber-
ries for red wines. A warm climate area produces white wines with tropical fruit flavors such
as mangos, pineapple, papayas, guavas, or bananas. Warm-zone red wines can take on flavors
of dried and heavier fruits such as raisins, figs, or prunes.^11
The winemaker’s notes may provide hints to a wine’s climate and style characteristics.
These notes are often provided on the back of the wine label and may include a description
of aromas, flavor characteristics, body, whether or not it has been aged in oak, and food
pairing suggestions. A description of black fruits in the wine’s aroma or flavor indicates that
the wine was produced in a moderate climate zone; mention of red fruits indicates a cool
zone. The cooler region’s fruit flavors may also suggest higher acidity and lower alcohol
levels driven by less ripe fruits. Thus, all else being equal, wines from cool zones will have
a slightly tarter and lighter style than those from a warmer zone.
In terms of overall quality, cooler climates are generally preferred to hot climates.
Cool growing climates allow grapes to stay on the vines for a longer period while retaining
desirable levels of acidity. Cool climates also allow wine grapes to develop needed complexity,
which is further enhanced by aging the winessur lies. The termsur liesis French for ‘‘on
the lees,’’ which refers to the gooey deposit of dead yeast at the bottom of the fermentation
vessel. Aging new wine on the lees is thought to increase mouthfeel, texture, and complexity
in the finished product.
Warm-climate grapes have more definitive fruit flavors and are bolder in nature. The
weakness of warmer-climate grapes is that they develop more quickly. This situation creates
wines with less complexity and lower acidity.^12
The heat-summation method of classifying vineyard regions is a useful tool for com-
paring climate zones across different wine areas of the world. It is calculated on the basis of
the total number of days when the average temperature (based on ten-year data) is greater
than 50!F. If a region’s average daily temperature was 70!F, for instance, this would provide
20 heat summation units (also called degree days) per day during the growing season (70 –
50 !20). The coldest regions that generally grow wine grapes have about 1,700 degree
days, and the warmest have 5,200 degree days.^13