导读 小气候就像葡萄酒中的亚 AVA，Erica Stancliff 将其视为在葡萄栽培区 (AVA) 中大气条件作用的微妙表现。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，她将小气候定义为“与周边地区具有独特气候差异的一小部分地区”。这些小气候可能只影响几英亩，也可能跨越几平方英里。影响它们的环境因素包括与水体接近程度、土壤类型、地理特征、海拔和温度以及湿度。即使在一个葡萄园内，这些特征也会有所不同。“这不仅是酿酒师关于成熟度收获决定的重要考虑因素，而且也是使一些小型酿酒区和葡萄园如此独特的原因，”Stancliff 说。
Matt DiStefano, a winemaker in Santa Barbara, California, has a profound understanding of how small climate variations affect the different regions within his AVA. Just like in Sonoma County, he says the biggest determining factor is proximity to the ocean. Nearby vineyards will feel cooler ocean air and fog. In these two AVAs, a series of hills, valleys and plateaus make the microclimate even more nuanced, with all these factors determining whether vineyards are exposed to ocean influence or not.
For example, fog will settle into valleys creating a cool microclimate. Vineyards above the fog line get more direct sunlight resulting in higher daytime temperatures but may experience more extreme diurnal temperature swings due to elevation.
These details determine which grape varieties grow best where. "Santa Rita Hills gets what we like to call 'cool-cured sunlight'," DiStefano says. "It's very well-suited for planting Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah." Ballard Canyon [AVA] ... [has] warm days and much colder nights with limestone soils mixed with sand and clay. Syrah and Bordeaux varieties thrive there."
Moving further east towards Happy Valley vineyard managers face even more extreme diurnal temperature fluctuations which help maintain acidity in widely planted Bordeaux varieties.
"I hadn't considered Los Alamos," DiStefano adds while commenting on numerous sub-AVAs within the broader Santa Barbara County AVA each with their own unique environmental conditions.
Stancliff collaborates with several vineyards in Sonoma County where Pinot Noir is one of the most widely planted varieties. Grapes serve as case studies on how to break down larger AVAs into specific environmental conditions.
"In some areas such as Russian River Valley," she says "the ripening speed of Pinot Noir will be slightly faster than surrounding coastal areas leading to different flavor characteristics and tannin maturity levels." In Petaluma Gap due to its long growing season you'll see mature tannins develop alongside fresh acidity deep color & mature fruit flavors that harmonize together."
Wind plays an equally crucial role in Petaluma Gap AVA named after crevices along coastal mountains that funnel cool sea breezes inland.
"[It] defines our microclimate," Stancliff said.
"Grapes' response is forming thicker skins on berries."
Thicker skins produce more color singletons & flavor intensity concentration in wine produced from those grapes.
"For everything we do in our cellar it's important to remember that wine is defined by thousands of moments related to grape life – wind sun roots' depth certainly human intervention too,"
DiStefano said.
"Soil & terroir are driven by countless such moments."
The subtle nuances make each region distinct offering unique wines shaped by its individual environment
