In the past few decades, West Texas has established itself as a region capable of producing high quality wines. In fact, 66% of all Texas vineyards are located in West Texas, which is also home to the state’s two largest wineries. Officially recognized wine-growing regions are called American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and are distinguished by certain geographic features. There are eight AVAs in Texas, and four of them are in West Texas: the Texas High Plains AVA, Escondido Valley AVA, Texas Davis Mountains AVA, and Mesilla Valley AVA.
A recent study has analyzed the winegrowing conditions of these four regions by developing a GIS model that contains datasets describing climate, topography, geology, and soil. The study obtained their data from a variety of databases. For the climatic and topographic characteristics, a digital elevation model showing temperature and precipitation was used. For the geologic information, the researchers used a Geologic Map of Texas from 1992. The researchers digitized the map, then georeferenced it in order to associate the map with its specific coordinates. The data on soil was taken from a database of geographically associated phases of soil series
Common features of all four AVAs include relatively high elevation, warm to hot growing-season temperatures, mild winter temperatures, and low annual precipitation. These conditions contribute to fruitfulness and the development of color and tannin, reduce the spread of fungal diseases, and provide little risk of freeze injury. The soils of the regions varied widely.
Researchers measured temperatures in growing degree-days, an index of heat accumulation. They used this measurement to compare harvest times with other regions. Wine grapes in High the High Plains and Davis Mountains AVAs are harvested in late August to early September, about 400 degree-days earlier than what is considered standard for most winegrowing regions of the world.
However, the Escondido Valley and Mesilla Valley AVAs are drier and warmer than the High Plains and Davis Mountains AVAs, resulting in fruit ripening earlier and thus earlier harvest times. Although some consider these conditions of the Escondido Valley and Mesilla Valley AVAs to be too hot for wine production, the EV AVA has a successful history of wine production.
The success of high quality wine production in West Texas was found to be a combination of favorable conditions and good vineyard soils as well as the producers’ choice to plant “climate-appropriate grapes cultivars,” i.e. grapes that can take the heat.
Geology and Wine 13. Geographic Information System Characterization of Four Appellations in West Texas, USA. Edward W. Hellman, Elvis A. Takow, Maria D. Tchakerian, and Robert N. Coulson. EBSCOhost
I would have never though Texas as a wine producing state with it's "way to hot" summers. The fact it is being done is interesting and that they are now using GIS mapping to track it, Tells me that it is going to become more common as the years pass by. I've never been a wine person but I hear there is a great vineyard in Florence that produces some very nice wines. I guess all you need is to check the data against your area and you will know if you have the right climate to start one too.
ReplyDeleteGrapes do grow surprisingly well in Texas. The community garden is hoping to get a few plants of our own. I was wondering that the purpose or goal of the study was- why is it useful to map out the AVAs, georeference them and then create models? It seems that the GIS information was not really necessary since farmer's themselves cold probably tell you why grapes do so well.
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ReplyDeleteHaha good point. I think being able to quantify and map the data was useful for comparing to other regions.
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