导读，葡萄酒中的小气候犹如一个微型的AV区，Erica Stancliff在讨论这些大气条件如何影响葡萄栽培区（AV区）的作用时这样说。Stancliff既是加利福尼亚索诺玛山Trombetta Family Wines和Pfendler Vineyards的酿酒师，同时也是Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance的一员，她将小气候定义为“与周围地区具有独特气候差异的一小部分地区”。小气候可能只影响几英亩，也可能跨越几平方英里。影响小气候的环境因素包括与水体接近程度、土壤类型、地理特征、海拔和海拔高度，以及温度和湿度。在一个葡萄园内，这些特征都有所不同。“这不仅是酿酒师关于成熟度收获决定的重要考虑因素，而且这也是使一些小型酿酒区和葡萄园如此独特的原因，”Stancliff表示。
Matt Dils, a winemaker in Santa Barbara, California, has a profound understanding of how small climate variations affect different areas within his AVA. Just like in Sonoma County, he says the biggest deciding factor is the distance from the ocean. 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, with all of these determining whether grapevines are exposed to ocean influence or not.
For example, fog will settle in valleys creating cooler microclimates. Vineyards above the fog line are exposed to sunlight for longer periods during the day with higher temperatures but may experience more extreme diurnal changes due to altitude.
These details decide which varieties grow best where. "Sta Rita Hills gets what we like to call 'cool-cold sun,'” Dils said. “It's very suitable for planting Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah.” The Ballard Canyon [AVA]......[has] warm days and much colder nights with limestone soils mixed with sand and clay. Syrah and Bordeaux varieties grow best there.”
Further east towards Happy Canyon vineyards face even more extreme diurnal changes that help keep acidity levels high in widely planted Bordeaux varieties.
"I haven't even considered Los Alamos," Dils added when commenting on numerous sub-AVAs within wider 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 varieties. Grapes are an example case study on how to break down broader AVAs into specific environmental conditions.
"In some areas such as Russian River Valley," she said,” Pinot Noir maturity speeds up slightly compared to coastal regions around it resulting in different flavor profiles and tannin maturity levels.” “In Petaluma Gap due to long growing seasons you see mature tannins develop alongside fresh acidity and deep color fruit flavors."
Wind also plays an extremely important role in Petaluma Gap AVA named after crevices along coastal mountains that gather cool sea breeze inland.[1]
"[It] defines our microclimate," Stancliff said."Grapevines' response is forming thicker skins on berries."
Thicker skins will produce more color,tannins,and flavor intensity in wines produced from those grapes."For everything we do at our cellar,"Dils emphasized,"it's important to remember that wine is defined by thousands upon thousands of moments related life cycles — wind,sunlight roots depth — naturally human intervention." "Terroir" drives by tens of thousands such moments."
