Definition - What does Mediterranean Climate mean?
In the context of viticulture, a Mediterranean Climate, is a geographical climate category. While the characteristics of the geographical Mediterranean Climate are moderate temperatures and long growing seasons, the term Mediterranean Climate, is applied to other growing regions with similar climate characteristics.
WineFrog explains Mediterranean Climate
As the Mediterranean is such a well-known region and has a long history of wine grape growing and wine making on a large scale, in the wine industry, it has become easy to refer to the climate of other geographical wine growing regions with similar climates as having a Mediterranean Climate.
The moderate temperatures and long growing season of Mediterranean Climate wine growing regions have very few seasonal changes, combined little rain fall during the growing season. The lack of rainfall increases the risk of drought, and vineyards in these areas use irrigation systems the to ensure a good harvest.
Wine growing regions that are known to have Mediterranean Climates include most wine growing regions in:
- Napa Valley
- California Coastal Regions
- Central and Southern Italian Regions
- Provence and Southern Rhone Valley of France
- Western and Southern Australian Regions
- Central Valley Regions of Chile