Using a synoptic climatological approach to understand climate–viticulture relationships

✍ Scribed by Gregory V. Jones; Robert E. Davis

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 604 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0899-8418
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0088(20000630)20:8<813::aid-joc495>3.0.co;2-w

✦ Synopsis

Regional circulation and local air mass synoptic climatologies are developed for Bordeaux, France, to examine the relationship between climate and viticulture. Using a variation of the temporal synoptic index, days with similar weather (both throughout Western Europe and at Bordeaux) are grouped together. The annual relative frequencies of these groups are used as independent variables to investigate climate -viticulture relationships for the region. The viticulture data are divided annually into stages based on the region-wide mean phenology of the grapevines. Synoptic climate-phenology models are then developed using multiple linear regression analysis.

A high degree of spatial and temporal cohesiveness is found between the regional and the local synoptic climatologies. Circulation patterns identified in the regional circulation analyses are linked in a consistent fashion with corresponding thermal, moisture, wind and cloud cover conditions at the Bordeaux site.

A small number of synoptic clusters greatly affect viticultural potential throughout the year. In general, vintage quality and production are reduced by (i) increased frequencies of cold-and moisture-producing events that delay the plant's physiology, and (ii) increases in frontal incursions and the associated winds and rain that affect flowering and the setting of berries. Conversely, the relative occurrence of warm, stable events during maturation lead to full ripeness and higher vintage quality.