小气候，正如酿酒师Erica Stancliff所言，就像一个微型的葡萄酒产区（AVAs）。Stancliff既是加利福尼亚索诺玛山Trombetta Family Wines和Pfendler Vineyards的酿酒师，也是Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance 的成员，他将小气候定义为“与周围地区具有独特气候差异的一小部分地区”。这些区域可能只影响几英亩土地，也可能跨越数平方英里。环境因素，如距离水体、土壤类型、地理特征、海拔高度以及温度和湿度，都会影响小气候。在同一个葡萄园内，这些因素都会有所不同。"这不仅是酿酒师在收获时关于成熟度的重要考虑因素，而且也是使一些较小规模的酿造区和葡萄园如此独特的原因，”Stancliff说。
Matt Davis, a winemaker in Santa Barbara, California, has a deep understanding of how small climate variations affect the different areas within his AVA. Just like in Sonoma County, Davis says the biggest factor is proximity to the ocean. Vineyards nearby will experience cooler marine air and fog. In these two AVAs, the series of hills, valleys and plateaus make microclimates even more nuanced, with all these factors determining whether vineyards are exposed to oceanic influence or not.
For example, fog settles in valleys creating cool microclimates. Vineyards above the fog line get more direct sunlight resulting in warmer daytime temperatures but also experiencing more extreme diurnal temperature fluctuations due to higher elevation.
These details determine which grape varieties grow best where. "We've got something we call 'cold-cured sunshine' on Rita's Hill," Davis said. "It's perfect for growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah." Ballard Canyon [AVA]...[has] warm days and colder nights with gravelly soils that have sand and clay. Syrah and Bordeaux varieties thrive there.
Moving eastward towards Happy Canyon vineyard faces even more extreme diurnal changes that help widely planted Bordeaux varieties maintain acidity.
"I didn't even consider Los Olivos," Davis added while commenting on numerous sub-regions within broader Santa Barbara County AVA each having its own unique environmental conditions.
Stancliff collaborates with several vineyards in Sonoma County where Pinot Noir is one of the most widely planted grape varieties. Grapes serve as case studies on how to break down a larger AVA into specific environmental conditions.
"In some areas like Russian River Valley," she said., "the ripening speed of Pinot Noir will be slightly faster than surrounding coastal regions resulting in different flavor characteristics."
In Petaluma Gap AVA winds play an equally important role named after a gap between coastal mountains where cool sea breezes converge inland.[It] defines our microclimate," Stancliff said., "Grapes react by forming thicker skins."
Thicker skins result in greater color intensity single-nipper tannin concentration flavors concentrated wines produced from those grapes.. For everything we do at our winery it's important to remember that wine is defined by thousands of moments related to life - wind sun roots depth plus human intervention,”Davis said., “Terroir is driven by countless such moments.”
The article highlights various aspects about small climates affecting wine production across different regions such as Sonoma County and Santa Barbara County providing insights into what makes them unique when it comes to cultivating certain types of grapes or producing distinct wines based on their terroir (environment).
