Climatic potential for summer and winter wine production

Area of Science:

• Viticulture and Climate Science
• Geographic Information Systems
• Agricultural Climatology

Background:

• The geoviticultural multicriteria climatic classification (MCC) system aids in evaluating climate's impact on grapevines.
• Paraná, Brazil, shows significant potential for wine production expansion, offering conditions for two annual harvests.
• Previous research has not fully explored the application of the MCC system across different harvest seasons in Paraná.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply the geoviticultural MCC system to assess Paraná's climate suitability for viticulture.
• To identify suitable grapevine cultivation areas for both summer and winter harvests.
• To determine distinct geoviticultural climate zones within Paraná.

Main Methods:

• Utilized historical climate data (1990-2015) including temperature and precipitation for Paraná.
• Calculated evapotranspiration and water balance using air temperature and precipitation data.
• Applied the geoviticultural MCC system to classify climate suitability for different harvest seasons.

Main Results:

• Paraná exhibits favorable viticultural climates for both summer and winter fine wine production.
• Winter harvest conditions in Paraná yielded wines with superior coloration and aromatic profiles.
• The study identified specific geoviticultural climate zones across Paraná suitable for viticulture.

Conclusions:

• Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Blanc, and Müller-Thurgau are well-suited to Paraná's cooler, drier regions.
• Pinot Blanc and Müller-Thurgau demonstrated particular suitability for southern Paraná's climate.
• The findings support the expansion of fine wine production in Paraná, leveraging its diverse climate zones.