You will often hear winemakers and vineyard management teams talk about the unique climate their region, or specific vineyard benefits from. They will usually refer to this using one of the following climate descriptors, macro, meso, or micro. Read on to understand the difference between the three and what a winemaker is actually telling you when they use either of these descriptors.
Macro, Meso, and Micro Climates Explained
Three primary levels of climate are relevant in viticulture, each describing a different spatial scale:
Macroclimate
Macroclimate refers to a large area's broad, regional climate, such as an entire wine region or appellation. It encompasses factors like average temperatures, precipitation patterns, and weather systems over a scale of tens to hundreds of kilometres.
Mesoclimate
A mesoclimate describes the climate of a specific vineyard site, influenced by factors like elevation, proximity to water, and land gaps. You may also hear this being referred to a Topoclimate.
Microclimate
Microclimate is the most localized level, referring to the unique climate within a small section of a vineyard, even down to the scale of individual rows or vines. Viticulturists have the most control over microclimate through canopy management techniques like shoot positioning, leaf removal, and trellis systems.
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