Best Wine Varieties for a Wine Region - Part 1 of 2
The best wines for a wine region
The best wine styles for a wine region is largely determined by the climate of that wine region. So, the wineries will tend to choose wine varieties that are best suited to their region's climate.
If the wine region is too cold and lacking in sunshine for the particular variety, then the resulting grape sugars (formed during photosynthesis) will be too low to produce the required alcohol content during fermentation. And, red grapes will lack skin clour and flavour.
If the wine region is too hot, the vines will become stressed and shed their leaves, preventing photosynthesis. The resulting grapes lack sugar content for sufficient alcohol production. And, grapes will burn due to a lack of leaf cover on the vineyards.
Different grape varieties require different amounts of heat to ripen. Too much heat for a cool-climate variety can be detrimental for the grapes. In the same way, too little heat for a warmer variety can also be detrimental.
So, here is a general rule of thumb for determining the best wine varieties for a wine region...
Hot climate wines are usually low in acid and tannins; high in sugar/alcohol and colour; short lived; and "drink-now" style wines.
Cool/Cold climate wines are usually high in acid and tannins; lower in sugar/alcohol and colour; and often need cellaring time for acids and tannins to soften.
So, armed with this knowledge, you can use the numbers below as a comparison of climate conditions for some of Australia's wine regions...
(MJT = mean January temperature, HDD = heat degree days)
Heat degree days (HDD) = ((Mean daily temperature for the months during the growing season ) minus 10 oC) multiplied by the number of days in the months of the growing season. In Australia, the grape growing season is October through to April.
Hunter Valley (NSW): MJT = 22.7 oC, HDD = 2,050 oC
Clare Valley (SA): MJT = 21.9 oC, HDD = 1,770 oC
Barossa Valley (SA): MJT = 21.4 oC, HDD = 1,710 oC
Margaret River (WA): MJT = 20.4 oC, HDD = 1,690 oC
Canberra (ACT): MJT = 20.2 oC, HDD = 1,410 oC
Coonawarra (SA): MJT = 19.6 oC, HDD = 1,430 oC
Adelaide Hills (SA): MJT = 19.1 oC, HDD = 1,270 oC
North Tasmania: MJT = 17.2 oC, HDD = 1,020 oC
South Tasmania: MJT = 16.8 oC, HDD = 1,000 oC
Continued in "Best Wine Varieties for a Wine Region - Part 2 of 2"
The best wine styles for a wine region is largely determined by the climate of that wine region. So, the wineries will tend to choose wine varieties that are best suited to their region's climate.
If the wine region is too cold and lacking in sunshine for the particular variety, then the resulting grape sugars (formed during photosynthesis) will be too low to produce the required alcohol content during fermentation. And, red grapes will lack skin clour and flavour.
If the wine region is too hot, the vines will become stressed and shed their leaves, preventing photosynthesis. The resulting grapes lack sugar content for sufficient alcohol production. And, grapes will burn due to a lack of leaf cover on the vineyards.
Different grape varieties require different amounts of heat to ripen. Too much heat for a cool-climate variety can be detrimental for the grapes. In the same way, too little heat for a warmer variety can also be detrimental.
So, here is a general rule of thumb for determining the best wine varieties for a wine region...
Hot climate wines are usually low in acid and tannins; high in sugar/alcohol and colour; short lived; and "drink-now" style wines.
Cool/Cold climate wines are usually high in acid and tannins; lower in sugar/alcohol and colour; and often need cellaring time for acids and tannins to soften.
So, armed with this knowledge, you can use the numbers below as a comparison of climate conditions for some of Australia's wine regions...
(MJT = mean January temperature, HDD = heat degree days)
Heat degree days (HDD) = ((Mean daily temperature for the months during the growing season ) minus 10 oC) multiplied by the number of days in the months of the growing season. In Australia, the grape growing season is October through to April.
Hunter Valley (NSW): MJT = 22.7 oC, HDD = 2,050 oC
Clare Valley (SA): MJT = 21.9 oC, HDD = 1,770 oC
Barossa Valley (SA): MJT = 21.4 oC, HDD = 1,710 oC
Margaret River (WA): MJT = 20.4 oC, HDD = 1,690 oC
Canberra (ACT): MJT = 20.2 oC, HDD = 1,410 oC
Coonawarra (SA): MJT = 19.6 oC, HDD = 1,430 oC
Adelaide Hills (SA): MJT = 19.1 oC, HDD = 1,270 oC
North Tasmania: MJT = 17.2 oC, HDD = 1,020 oC
South Tasmania: MJT = 16.8 oC, HDD = 1,000 oC
Continued in "Best Wine Varieties for a Wine Region - Part 2 of 2"
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