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What areas of North America have similar climates to what parts of wine-producing areas of Europe?
I read an article today about how the climate of upstate New York is similar to the climate of Burgundy. That surprised me.
So what other areas of Europe are comparable to what areas of the U.S., especially in terms of growing wine grapes?
Here's the post I read from Slashfood:
http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/new-york-pinot-noir-wine-of-the-week/
"On paper New York looks like a good growing region for Pinot Noir: Its climate and soil type is similar to Burgundy, where the world's best Pinot Noirs are made."
New York vinyard
So what other areas of Europe are comparable to what areas of the U.S., especially in terms of growing wine grapes?
Here's the post I read from Slashfood:
http://www.slashfood.com/2009/04/13/new-york-pinot-noir-wine-of-the-week/
"On paper New York looks like a good growing region for Pinot Noir: Its climate and soil type is similar to Burgundy, where the world's best Pinot Noirs are made."
New York vinyard
voted interesting: lwelch
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answers (2)
From;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napa_County,_California
"Napa is warmer in the summer than Sonoma County to the west or Santa Barbara County, a wine-producing county in southern California. Thus, the Napa wineries favor varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, while Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are more the specialty of Sonoma wineries and Santa Barbara wineries"
http://www.napanow.com/climate.html
"It can get hot in the summer, but usually not too hot. We can expect a week or two during the summer when the temperatures are around 100° F, usually in July or August, which are the hottest months."
"In the winter, it rains—but not a lot. The county's average annual rainfall for the entire year is less than 24 inches, with over half of that in December, January and February. And it's not unusual to have temperatures in the 70s and 80s (F) around Christmas time."
From;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabernet_Sauvignon
"Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon became internationally recognized through its prominence in Bordeaux wines where it is often blended with Merlot and Cabernet franc. From France, the grape spread across Europe and to the New World where it found new homes in places like California's Napa Valley, Australia's Coonawarra region and Chile's Maipo Valley."
So Bordeaux may be more like Napa
From;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinot_noir
Pinot noir thrives in France's Burgundy region, particularly on the Côte-d'Or which has produced some of the world's most celebrated wines for centuries.
So Sonoma must be more like Burgundy.
From;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chardonnay
"It is believed to have originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France"
Santa Barbara must be somewhat like Burgundy too.
From;
http://wine.about.com/od/winearoundtheworld/a/SpanishWines.htm
"Rioja Spanish Wine Region– The Rioja region is certainly the “sweetheart” region of Spanish red wines. There are actually three sub-regions or unique districts that compose the Rioja: the two cooler climates of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa and the balmier region of Rioja Baja."
Sounds like Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa is more like Sonoma and Santa Barbara and Rioja Baja is more like Napa.
From;
http://www.intowine.com/introduction-italian-wine-regions
About Veneto,
"The most appreciated wines in the region come from the provinces of Treviso, Verona, Padova, Venice, and Vicenza. The area around Verona, with its temperate climate, is believed to have cultivated grapes since the Bronze Age."
From;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneto
"The lowlands are often covered by thick fog."
This sounds like Napa to me. That valley is nice and green, but too foggy for me. Chilly a lot of the time, too. I lived in San Francisco and Napa was often cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer, than SF.
I guess that I should mention that we grow grapes and make wine here on Maui. As far as I can tell the only place in Europe that would be comparable might be Mt. Vesuvius or Mt Etna.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napa_County,_California
"Napa is warmer in the summer than Sonoma County to the west or Santa Barbara County, a wine-producing county in southern California. Thus, the Napa wineries favor varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, while Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are more the specialty of Sonoma wineries and Santa Barbara wineries"
http://www.napanow.com/climate.html
"It can get hot in the summer, but usually not too hot. We can expect a week or two during the summer when the temperatures are around 100° F, usually in July or August, which are the hottest months."
"In the winter, it rains—but not a lot. The county's average annual rainfall for the entire year is less than 24 inches, with over half of that in December, January and February. And it's not unusual to have temperatures in the 70s and 80s (F) around Christmas time."
From;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabernet_Sauvignon
"Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon became internationally recognized through its prominence in Bordeaux wines where it is often blended with Merlot and Cabernet franc. From France, the grape spread across Europe and to the New World where it found new homes in places like California's Napa Valley, Australia's Coonawarra region and Chile's Maipo Valley."
So Bordeaux may be more like Napa
From;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinot_noir
Pinot noir thrives in France's Burgundy region, particularly on the Côte-d'Or which has produced some of the world's most celebrated wines for centuries.
So Sonoma must be more like Burgundy.
From;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chardonnay
"It is believed to have originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France"
Santa Barbara must be somewhat like Burgundy too.
From;
http://wine.about.com/od/winearoundtheworld/a/SpanishWines.htm
"Rioja Spanish Wine Region– The Rioja region is certainly the “sweetheart” region of Spanish red wines. There are actually three sub-regions or unique districts that compose the Rioja: the two cooler climates of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa and the balmier region of Rioja Baja."
Sounds like Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa is more like Sonoma and Santa Barbara and Rioja Baja is more like Napa.
From;
http://www.intowine.com/introduction-italian-wine-regions
About Veneto,
"The most appreciated wines in the region come from the provinces of Treviso, Verona, Padova, Venice, and Vicenza. The area around Verona, with its temperate climate, is believed to have cultivated grapes since the Bronze Age."
From;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneto
"The lowlands are often covered by thick fog."
This sounds like Napa to me. That valley is nice and green, but too foggy for me. Chilly a lot of the time, too. I lived in San Francisco and Napa was often cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer, than SF.
I guess that I should mention that we grow grapes and make wine here on Maui. As far as I can tell the only place in Europe that would be comparable might be Mt. Vesuvius or Mt Etna.
source(s):
see the above
see the above
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Pretty good for California. I was really hoping for answers for wine-growing areas in different parts of the country, like Michigan, Missouri, Indiana, etc.
voted helpful: phillipluther, lwelch
If you read that Cornell viticulture article through, you will see that they aren't really talking similar climate the way most people would. And even then, they mention one big difference. It gets cold! Lots and lots colder than Burgundy or California.
Personally, I was born in NY and have always favored the native American varieties of grapes and wines from New York. Also the champagne and cold duck. I don't see why they should copy French wines.
Personally, I was born in NY and have always favored the native American varieties of grapes and wines from New York. Also the champagne and cold duck. I don't see why they should copy French wines.
voted helpful: tracebooks
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