导读，正如Erica Stancliff所言，小气候就像一个小型的AV区，它在葡萄栽培区域（AV区）中扮演着重要角色。Stancliff作为加利福尼亚索诺玛山Trombetta Family Wines和Pfendler Vineyards的酿酒师，以及Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance的一员，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”。这可能影响几英亩，也可能跨越几平方英里。环境因素，如与水体的接近程度、土壤类型、地理特征、海拔和温度，以及湿度，都会影响小气候。在一个葡萄园内部，这些特征都有所不同。这不仅是酿酒师决定收获成熟度的一个重要考虑因素，而且也是使一些较小的酿造区域和葡萄园如此独特的原因。

Matt Dis, a winemaker in Santa Barbara, California, has a deep understanding of how small climate variations affect different regions within his AVA. Just like in Sonoma County, the distance to the ocean is the biggest deciding factor. The nearby vineyards feel the cold ocean air and fog. In these two AVAs, a series of hills, valleys, and plateaus make the microclimate even more subtle. All these factors determine whether grapevines are exposed to marine influence or not.

For example, fog settles into valleys creating cooler microclimates. Vineyards above the fog line get more direct sunlight and have higher daytime temperatures but experience greater diurnal temperature fluctuations due to elevation. These details decide which varieties grow best where.

"Sta Rita Hills gets something we like to call 'cold-cured sunlight'," Matt says."It's perfect for growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah". Ballard Canyon [AVA]...[has] warm days and colder nights with limestone soils that have sand and clay mixed in. Syrah and Bordeaux varieties grow best there."

Moving east towards Happy Canyon grapevines face more extreme day-night changes which helps keep acidity high for widely planted Bordeaux varieties.

"I haven't even considered Los Alamos," Matt adds commenting on many sub-appellations within broader Santa Barbara County AVA each with its own unique environmental conditions.

Stancliff collaborates with several vineyards in Sonoma County where Pinot Noir is one of the most widely planted varieties. Grapes are a case study on how to break down broader AVAs into specific environmental conditions.

"In some areas such as Russian River black skin will mature faster than surrounding coastal areas resulting in different flavor characteristics", she said."In Petaluma Gap because of longer growing season you see developed tannins structure along with fresh acidity deep color fruit flavors".

Wind plays an equally crucial role at Petaluma Gap AVA named after coastal mountain gaps that funnel cool sea breezes inland.[It] "defines our microclimate," Stancliff says."The grapes' response is forming thicker skins."

Thicker skins produce more color singletons density flavors in wine produced from them."For everything we do in cellar it's important to remember that wine is defined by thousands moments related to life of grapes - wind sun roots depth human intervention", Matt said."Terroir is driven by tens thousand such moments."

因此，对于我们在酒窖中的所有事情来说，最重要的是记住，葡萄酒由数千个与葡萄藤生命相关的小时刻定义——风、阳光、根深度以及人为干预。