Underpinning Terroir with Data: Integrating Vineyard Performance Metrics with Soil and Climate Data to Better Understand Within-Region Variation in Marlborough, New Zealand
Background and Aims. Previous work in Australia has demonstrated the value of data-driven approaches to terroir analysis but, like other terroir research, focussed predominantly on the natural resources (soils, topography, and climate) on which winegrowing depends. In only very few cases have metric...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/8811402 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849764842908418048 |
|---|---|
| author | R. G. V. Bramley J. Ouzman A. P. Sturman G. J. Grealish C. E. M. Ratcliff M. C. T. Trought |
| author_facet | R. G. V. Bramley J. Ouzman A. P. Sturman G. J. Grealish C. E. M. Ratcliff M. C. T. Trought |
| author_sort | R. G. V. Bramley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background and Aims. Previous work in Australia has demonstrated the value of data-driven approaches to terroir analysis but, like other terroir research, focussed predominantly on the natural resources (soils, topography, and climate) on which winegrowing depends. In only very few cases have metrics of production performance also been considered. In this study, focussed on the Marlborough region of New Zealand, we integrated data pertaining to vineyard performance with biophysical data (soils and climate) describing the conditions under which grapes are grown to give a more holistic indication of regional-scale variation in the terroir of the Marlborough production system. Methods and Results. Digital map layers describing variation in climate, soil properties, and the yield and harvest date of Sauvignon Blanc (Vitis vinifera L.) were assembled and analysed for similarity in their patterns of spatial variation over six vintages (2014–2019) using k-means clustering. The results suggest that the Marlborough region has a characteristically variable Sauvignon Blanc production with crop phenology and harvest date strongly influenced by variation in temperature, and yield variation impacted by soil properties. Spatial variation in seasonal rainfall did not appear to impact on vineyard performance. Importantly, the Wairau and Awatere valleys which, hitherto, have been considered together as parts of a single Marlborough region, are shown to be distinct. Conclusions. This analysis is strongly suggestive of the Marlborough terroir being variable at the within-region scale. It also lends weight to the idea that estimates of vineyard performance in some parts of the region may be used to predict performance in others. Significance of the Study. The results have potentially important implications for the management of both vineyard operations and winery logistics, for wine marketing and for whole-of-industry planning around expansion or contraction. The methods used are free of any bias introduced to many previous studies of terroir zoning through adherence to historical or geopolitical boundaries, expert opinion of wines, and other heuristics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c1e01260b8584354b2e46aa102e3dc38 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1755-0238 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-c1e01260b8584354b2e46aa102e3dc382025-08-20T03:05:02ZengWileyAustralian Journal of Grape and Wine Research1755-02382023-01-01202310.1155/2023/8811402Underpinning Terroir with Data: Integrating Vineyard Performance Metrics with Soil and Climate Data to Better Understand Within-Region Variation in Marlborough, New ZealandR. G. V. Bramley0J. Ouzman1A. P. Sturman2G. J. Grealish3C. E. M. Ratcliff4M. C. T. Trought5CSIROCSIROSchool of Earth and EnvironmentManaaki Whenua-Landcare ResearchCSIROInnovative WinegrowingBackground and Aims. Previous work in Australia has demonstrated the value of data-driven approaches to terroir analysis but, like other terroir research, focussed predominantly on the natural resources (soils, topography, and climate) on which winegrowing depends. In only very few cases have metrics of production performance also been considered. In this study, focussed on the Marlborough region of New Zealand, we integrated data pertaining to vineyard performance with biophysical data (soils and climate) describing the conditions under which grapes are grown to give a more holistic indication of regional-scale variation in the terroir of the Marlborough production system. Methods and Results. Digital map layers describing variation in climate, soil properties, and the yield and harvest date of Sauvignon Blanc (Vitis vinifera L.) were assembled and analysed for similarity in their patterns of spatial variation over six vintages (2014–2019) using k-means clustering. The results suggest that the Marlborough region has a characteristically variable Sauvignon Blanc production with crop phenology and harvest date strongly influenced by variation in temperature, and yield variation impacted by soil properties. Spatial variation in seasonal rainfall did not appear to impact on vineyard performance. Importantly, the Wairau and Awatere valleys which, hitherto, have been considered together as parts of a single Marlborough region, are shown to be distinct. Conclusions. This analysis is strongly suggestive of the Marlborough terroir being variable at the within-region scale. It also lends weight to the idea that estimates of vineyard performance in some parts of the region may be used to predict performance in others. Significance of the Study. The results have potentially important implications for the management of both vineyard operations and winery logistics, for wine marketing and for whole-of-industry planning around expansion or contraction. The methods used are free of any bias introduced to many previous studies of terroir zoning through adherence to historical or geopolitical boundaries, expert opinion of wines, and other heuristics.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/8811402 |
| spellingShingle | R. G. V. Bramley J. Ouzman A. P. Sturman G. J. Grealish C. E. M. Ratcliff M. C. T. Trought Underpinning Terroir with Data: Integrating Vineyard Performance Metrics with Soil and Climate Data to Better Understand Within-Region Variation in Marlborough, New Zealand Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research |
| title | Underpinning Terroir with Data: Integrating Vineyard Performance Metrics with Soil and Climate Data to Better Understand Within-Region Variation in Marlborough, New Zealand |
| title_full | Underpinning Terroir with Data: Integrating Vineyard Performance Metrics with Soil and Climate Data to Better Understand Within-Region Variation in Marlborough, New Zealand |
| title_fullStr | Underpinning Terroir with Data: Integrating Vineyard Performance Metrics with Soil and Climate Data to Better Understand Within-Region Variation in Marlborough, New Zealand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Underpinning Terroir with Data: Integrating Vineyard Performance Metrics with Soil and Climate Data to Better Understand Within-Region Variation in Marlborough, New Zealand |
| title_short | Underpinning Terroir with Data: Integrating Vineyard Performance Metrics with Soil and Climate Data to Better Understand Within-Region Variation in Marlborough, New Zealand |
| title_sort | underpinning terroir with data integrating vineyard performance metrics with soil and climate data to better understand within region variation in marlborough new zealand |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/8811402 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rgvbramley underpinningterroirwithdataintegratingvineyardperformancemetricswithsoilandclimatedatatobetterunderstandwithinregionvariationinmarlboroughnewzealand AT jouzman underpinningterroirwithdataintegratingvineyardperformancemetricswithsoilandclimatedatatobetterunderstandwithinregionvariationinmarlboroughnewzealand AT apsturman underpinningterroirwithdataintegratingvineyardperformancemetricswithsoilandclimatedatatobetterunderstandwithinregionvariationinmarlboroughnewzealand AT gjgrealish underpinningterroirwithdataintegratingvineyardperformancemetricswithsoilandclimatedatatobetterunderstandwithinregionvariationinmarlboroughnewzealand AT cemratcliff underpinningterroirwithdataintegratingvineyardperformancemetricswithsoilandclimatedatatobetterunderstandwithinregionvariationinmarlboroughnewzealand AT mcttrought underpinningterroirwithdataintegratingvineyardperformancemetricswithsoilandclimatedatatobetterunderstandwithinregionvariationinmarlboroughnewzealand |