In viticulture, the climates of wine regions are categorised based on the overall characteristics of the area's climate during the growing season. While variations in

macroclimate In viticulture, there are several levels of regional climates that are used to describe the ''terroir'' or immutable characteristics of an area. These levels can be as broad as a macroclimate which includes entire wine regions or as small as a mic ...

are acknowledged, the climates of most

wine regions This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant growing regions where vineyards are planted. Wine grapes mostly grow between the 30th and the 50th degree of latitude, in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Grapes will sometimes ...

are categorised (somewhat loosely based on the Köppen climate classification) as being part of a Mediterranean (for example Tuscany), maritime (ex:

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture ...

) or continental climate (ex:

Columbia Valley The Columbia Valley is the name used for a region in the Rocky Mountain Trench near the headwaters of the Columbia River between the town of Golden and the Canal Flats. The main hub of the valley is the town of Invermere. Other towns include Rad ...

A. Mumma '
The Washington wine difference: it's in the vineyard
'' Wines & Vines, November 2005). The majority of the world's premium wine production takes place in one of these three climate categories in locations between the 30th parallel and 50th parallel in both the

northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a r ...

and southern hemisphere.T. Stevenson ''"The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia"'' pg 14-15 Dorling Kindersley 2005 While

viticulture Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ra ...

does exist in some tropical climates, most notably Brazil, the amount of quality wine production in those areas is so small that the climate effect has not been as extensively studied as other categories.J. Robinson (ed) ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 179-195, 388, 428-434, 716-714 Oxford University Press 2006

Influence of climate on viticulture

Beyond establishing whether or not viticulture can even be sustained in an area, the climatic influences of a particular area goes a long way in influencing the type of grape varieties grown in a region and the type of viticultural practices that will be used. The presence of adequate sun, heat and water are all vital to the healthy growth and development of grapevines during the growing season. Additionally, continuing research has shed more light on the influence of dormancy that occurs after harvest when the grapevine essentially shuts down and reserves its energy for the beginning of the next year's growing cycle. In general, grapevines thrive in temperate climates which grant the vines long, warm periods during the crucial

flowering A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

fruit set The annual growth cycle of grapevines is the process that takes place in the vineyard each year, beginning with bud break in the spring and culminating in leaf fall in autumn followed by winter dormancy. From a winemaking perspective, each step i ...

and ripening periods.H. Johnson & J. Robinson ''The World Atlas of Wine'' pg 20-21 Mitchell Beazley Publishing 2005 The physiological processes of a lot of grapevines begin when temperatures reach around . Below this temperature, the vines are usually in a period of dormancy. Drastically below this temperature, such as the

freezing point The melting point (or, rarely, liquefaction point) of a substance is the temperature at which it changes state from solid to liquid. At the melting point the solid and liquid phase exist in equilibrium. The melting point of a substance depends ...

of the vines can be damaged by

frost Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above- freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a ga ...

. When the average daily temperature is between the vine will begin flowering. When temperatures rise up to many of the vine's physiological processes are in full stride as grape clusters begin to ripen on the vine. One of the characteristics that differentiates the various climate categories from one another is the occurrence and length of time that these optimal temperatures appear during the growing season.K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' pg 12-21 Workman Publishing 2001 In addition to temperature, the amount of rainfall (and the need for supplemental irrigation) is another defining characteristics. On average, a grapevine needs around of water for sustenance during the growing season, not all of which may be provided by natural rain fall. In Mediterranean and many continental climates, the climate during the growing season may be quite dry and require additional irrigation. In contrast, maritime climates often suffer the opposite extreme of having too much rainfall during the growing season which poses its own viticultural hazards. Other climate factors such as wind, humidity,

atmospheric pressure Atmospheric pressure, also known as barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1013.25 millibars, ...

, sunlight as well as diurnal temperature variations—which can define different climate categories—can also have pronounced influences on the viticulture of an area.

Mediterranean climates

Wine regions with Mediterranean climates are characterised by their long growing seasons of moderate to warm temperatures. Throughout the year there is little

seasonal A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and ...

change, with temperatures in the winter generally warmer than those of maritime and continental climates. During the grapevine growing season, there is very little rainfall (with most precipitation occurring in the winter months) which increases the risk of the viticultural hazard of drought and may present the need for supplemental irrigation. The Mediterranean climate is most readily associated with the areas around the Mediterranean basin, where viticulture and

winemaking Winemaking or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over millennia. The science of wine and w ...

first flourished on a large scale due to the influence of the Phoenicians, Greeks, and

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

of the

ancient world Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient history cov ...

Wine regions with Mediterranean climates

* Tuscany and most other Central-Southern

Italian wine Italian wine is produced in every region of Italy. Italy is the world's largest producer of wine, with an area of under vineyard cultivation, and contributing a 2013–2017 annual average of 48.3 million hl of wine. In 2018 Italy accounted for ...

regions * Liguria * Marsala, Sicily * Pantelleria * Sardinia *Most

Greek wine Greece is one of the oldest wine- producing regions in the world and among the first wine-producing territories in Europe. The earliest evidence of Greek wine has been dated to 6,500 years ago

regions *

Cyprus wine The Cypriot wine industry ranks 50th in the world in terms of total production quantity (10,302 tonnes), and much higher on a per-capita basis. The wine industry is a significant contributor to the Cypriot economy through cultivation, production ...

regions *

Israeli wine Israeli wine is produced by hundreds of wineries, ranging in size from small boutique enterprises to large companies producing over ten million bottles per year. Wine has been produced in the Land of Israel since biblical times. Wine was exported ...

regions *

Jordanian wine Jordanian wine is produced by two wineries, with an annual production of nearly a million bottles a year. Jordan has a long tradition of wine making, dating as far back as Nabatean times. Archaeological digs near Petra have uncovered at least 82 ...

regions *

Lebanese wine Lebanon is among the oldest sites of wine production in the world. The Israelite prophet Hosea (780–725 BC) is said to have urged his followers to return to God so that "they will blossom as the vine and fame be like the wine of Lebanon, ndth ...

regions * Palestinian wine regions *Most Albanian wine regions *Most

Montenegrin wine Montenegrin wine is wine made in the Balkan country of Montenegro. Many Montenegrin vineyards are located in the southern and coastal regions of the country. Montenegrin wines are made from a wide range of grape varieties including Krstač, Cabern ...

regions *

Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast o ...

* Languedoc and Roussillon * Provence *Southern Rhone Valley *

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a "historical nationality". The ...

including Jerez de la Frontera *

Balearic Islands The Balearic Islands ( es, Islas Baleares ; or ca, Illes Balears ) are an archipelago in the Balearic Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital ...

* Canary Islands (bordering tropical) * Catalonia * Jumilla, Spain * Vinos de Madrid *Most Portuguese wine regions * Primorska

Slovenian wine Slovenian wine is wine from Slovenia. Viticulture and winemaking has existed in this region since the time of the Celts and Illyrians tribes, long before the Romans would introduce winemaking to the lands of France, Spain and Germany. J. Robinso ...

region (''Cfa'') *Coastal

Croatian wine Croatian wine (, pl. ) has a history dating back to the Ancient Greek settlers, and their wine production on the southern Dalmatian islands of Vis, Hvar and Korčula some 2,500 years ago. Like other old world wine producers, many traditional grap ...

regions (''Cfa'') *Some

Azerbaijani wine Azerbaijani wine is produced in several regions throughout Azerbaijan. Prior to 20th century communist rule, the region which makes up modern-day Azerbaijan had a thriving wine industry that dated back to the second millennium BC.J. Robinson (ed) ...

regions * Napa Valley and other coastal

California wine California wine production has a rich viticulture history since 1680 when Spanish Jesuit missionaries planted '' Vitis vinifera'' vines native to the Mediterranean region in their established missions to produce wine for religious servic ...

regions *

Southern Oregon AVA The Southern Oregon AVA is an American Viticultural Area which lies in Southern Oregon, United States. The Southern Oregon AVA was established in 2005 and was created to include the land of two smaller AVAs: the Rogue Valley AVA and the Umpq ...

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

wine regions * Western Australian and

South Australian wine The South Australian wine industry is responsible for more than half the production of all Australian wine. South Australia has a vast diversity in Geography of South Australia, geography and climate which allows the state to be able to produce a ...

regions * Chilean Central Valley *Western coastal

South African wine South African wine has a history dating back to 1659 with the first bottle being produced in Cape Town by its founder and gouverner Jan van Riebeeck. Access to international markets led to new investment in the South African wine market. Produc ...

regions *Western and southern coastal

Turkish wine Turkish wine is wine made in the transcontinental Eurasian country Turkey. The Caucasus region, where Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Iran are located, played a pivotal role in the early history of wine and is likely to have been one of the ea ...

regions: **

Aegean Region The Aegean Region () is one of the 7 geographical regions of Turkey. The largest city in the region is İzmir. Other big cities are Manisa, Aydın, Denizli, Muğla, Afyonkarahisar and Kütahya. Located in western Turkey, it is bordered b ...

** Marmara Region (bordering maritime) ** Mediterranean Region * Thracian Lowlands, Southern

Bulgarian wine Grape growing and wine production have a long history in Bulgaria, dating back to the times of the Thracians. There is evidence of Bulgarian winemaking since 4000 B.C. Wine is, together with beer and grape rakia, among the most popular alcoholic be ...

region (''Cfa'') *Upper Struma Valley, Southwestern

region (''Cfa'') *

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

(bordering maritime) * Madeira *

Algerian wine Algerian wine is wine cultivated and bottled in Algeria. It has played an important role in the history of wine. Algeria's viticultural history dates back to its settlement by the Phoenicians and continued under the Roman empire. Just prior to t ...

regions * Egyptian wine regions (irrigated by the

Nile The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered the longest ri ...

system) * Moroccan wine regions * Tunisian wine regions *

Shiraz wine Shiraz wine refers to two different wines. Historically, the name refers to the wine produced around the city of Shiraz in present-day Iran.Entry on ''"Persia"'' in J. Robinson (ed), ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'', Third Edition, p. 512-513, ...

region, Iran (until

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

, since largely grown in Australia and South Africa)

Continental climates

Wine regions with continental climates are characterised by the very marked seasonal changes that occur throughout the growing season, with hot temperatures during the summer season and winters cold enough for periodic ice and snow. This is generally described as having a high degree of

continentality Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing som ...

. Regions with this type of climate are often found inland on continents without a significant body of water (such as an inland sea) that can moderate their temperatures. Often during the growing season continental climates will have wide diurnal temperature variations, with very warm temperatures during the day that drop drastically at night. During the winter and early spring months,

and

hail Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailstone. Ice pellets generally fal ...

can be viticultural hazards. Depending on the particular macroclimate of the region, irrigation may be needed to supplement seasonal rainfall. These many climatic influences contribute to the wide

vintage Vintage, in winemaking, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product—wine (see Harvest (wine)). A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certa ...

variation that is often typical of continental climates such as

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former Regions of France, administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Duke of Burgundy, Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11 ...

. There are more wine regions with continental climates in the northern hemisphere than there are in the southern hemisphere. This is due, in part, to small land mass size of southern hemisphere continents relative to the large oceans nearby. This difference means that the oceans exert a more direct influence on the climate of the southern hemisphere wine regions (making them maritime or possibly Mediterranean) than they would on the larger northern hemisphere continents. There are also several wine regions (such as Spain) that have areas that exhibit a

continental Mediterranean climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezin ...

due to their altitude or distance from the sea. These regions will have more distinct seasonal change than Mediterranean climates, but still retain some characteristics like a long growing season that is very dry during the summer.

Wine regions with continental climates

(maritime by US standards) * Côte-Rôtie and other Northern Rhone wine regions (maritime by US standards) *

Jura wine Jura may refer to: Places *Jura, Scotland, island of the Inner Hebrides off Great Britain * Jūra, river in Lithuania Mountain ranges *Jura Mountains, on the French–Swiss–German border *Franconian Jura, south-central Germany *Swabian Jura, s ...

region (maritime by US standards) *Most of the Loire Valley (maritime by US standards) * Rioja (''Cfa/Cfb'') * Italian Piedmont and most other Northern

regions (''Cfa/Cfb'') *

Douro The Douro (, , ; es, Duero ; la, Durius) is the highest-flow river of the Iberian Peninsula. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province, central Spain, meanders south briefly then flows generally west through the north-west part o ...

(Mediterranean by US standards) *

Saale-Unstrut Saale-Unstrut is a region (''Anbaugebiet'') for quality wine in Germany,Wein.de (Germa ...

, Germany * Saxony *

Armenian wine Armenian wine is wine made in Armenia and the Armenian-populated Republic of Artsakh, in the region of South Caucasus. Armenia is one of the oldest wine producing regions of the world. In particular, the oldest known winery was found in Armenia ...

regions *Most

Austrian wine Austrian wines are mostly dry white wines (often made from the Grüner Veltliner grape), though some sweeter white wines (such as dessert wines made around the Neusiedler See) are also produced. About 30% of the wines are red, made from Blau ...

regions *Most

regions * Inland Croatia *Most

Czech wine Wine in the Czech Republic is produced mainly in southern Moravia, although a few vineyards are located in Bohemia. However, Moravia accounts for around 96% of the country's vineyards, which is why Czech wine is more often referred to as ''Moravia ...

regions *Most

Hungarian wine Hungarian wine has a history dating back to the Kingdom of Hungary. Outside Hungary, the best-known wines are the white dessert wine Tokaji aszú (particularly in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia) and the red wine Bull's Blood of Eger ( Egr ...

regions * Kazakh wine regions *Most

Macedonian wine North Macedonia produces wine on some of vineyards, and the production was 108,100 tonnes in 2008. There are also some additional of vineyards dedicated to table grapes. Red wine dominates the Macedonian wine production, with around 80 per cent. ...

regions *Most

Moldovan wine Moldova has a well-established wine industry. With a production of around 2 million hectolitres of wine (as of 2018), it is the 11th largest European wine-producing country. Moldova has a vineyard area of of which are used for commercial prod ...

regions * Polish wine regions *Most

Romanian wine Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania ** Romanians, an ethnic group ** Romanian language, a Romance language *** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language **Romanian cuisine Roman ...

regions *Most

Russian wine Russian wine refers to wine made in Russia, at times also including the disputed region of Crimea. The vast majority of Russia's territory is unsuitable for grape growing, with most of the production concentrated in parts of Krasnodar and Rostov r ...

regions *Most

Serbian wine There are nearly 70,000 hectares of vineyards in Serbia, producing about 425,000 tons of grapes annually. The majority of Serbian wines are produced in local wineries. The Serbian wine industry is showing signs of significant growth, as evidence ...

regions *Most Slovak wine regions * Podravje and Posavje, Slovenia *Inland

regions including

Central Anatolia The Central Anatolia Region ( tr, İç Anadolu Bölgesi) is a geographical region of Turkey. The largest city in the region is Ankara. Other big cities are Konya, Kayseri, Eskişehir, Sivas, and Aksaray. Located in Central Turkey, it is b ...

and Eastern Anatolia *Most

Ukrainian wine The wine industry of Ukraine is well-established with long traditions. Several brands of wine from Ukraine are exported to bordering countries, the European Union, and North America. The regions of wine industry in Ukraine corresponds to its vitic ...

regions *

Sabile Sabile (; german: Zabeln) is a town in Talsi Municipality, Latvia. Sabile was first mentioned in chronicles in 1253. From the 14th century to the 16th century, it was a site of a castle of the Livonian Order and a village near the castle. Sabile ...

, Latvia *Most

Canadian wine Canadian wine is wine produced in Canada. Ontario and British Columbia are the two largest wine-producing provinces in Canada, with two-thirds of the Canada's vineyard acreage situated in Ontario. However, wine producing regions are also present i ...

regions (including

Okanagan Valley The Okanagan ( ), also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as the Okanagan Country, is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is part ...

, British Columbia and except western BC) * Mendoza, Argentina (subtropical) *

Central Delaware Valley AVA The Central Delaware Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The wine appellation includes surrounding the Delaware River north of Philadelphia. Its southern boundary is near Titusvill ...

(PA/NJ) *

(includes

Walla Walla Valley The Walla Walla River is a tributary of the Columbia River, joining the Columbia just above Wallula Gap in southeastern Washington in the United States. The river flows through Umatilla County, Oregon, and Walla Walla County, Washington. Its dra ...

(''Csa'') and Yakima Valley) *Most of

Cumberland Valley AVA The Cumberland Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Washington County in west-central Maryland and Franklin and Cumberland counties in south-central Pennsylvania. Only of the included in the wine appellation are planted t ...

(PA/MD) * Eastern Connecticut Highlands AVA * Finger Lakes, NY * Grand Valley, Colorado * Hudson River Region *

Lake Erie AVA The Lake Erie AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes of land on the south shore of Lake Erie in the U.S. states of Ohio, New York (state), New York, and Pennsylvania. Over of the region are planted in grapevines, predominantly in t ...

(NY/PA/OH) *

Lake Michigan Shore AVA Lake Michigan Shore AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southwest Michigan. Located in the state's traditional " fruit belt region", Lake Michigan Shore is the oldest modern commercial grape region of the state and home to a majority ...

, Michigan * Lancaster Valley AVA, Pennsylvania *

Lehigh Valley AVA The Lehigh Valley AVA is an American Viticultural area located in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The AVA includes portions of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Schuylkill, Carbon, and Monroe counties and the towns from Jim Thorp ...

, Pennsylvania * Missouri Rhineland * Niagara Escarpment AVA, NY *Most of

Ohio River Valley AVA The Ohio River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered on the Ohio River and surrounding areas. It is the second largest wine appellation of origin in the United States (only the Upper Mississippi Valley is larger) with (67,300& ...

(IN/KY/OH/WV) *Most of Ozark Mountain AVA (AR/MO/OK) *Most of

Snake River Valley AVA The Snake River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area that encompasses an area in Southwestern Idaho and two counties in eastern Oregon. The Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission and the Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor ...

(Idaho/Oregon) *Mainland Southeastern New England AVA (CT/MA/RI) *

Texas Davis Mountains AVA The Texas Davis Mountains AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. Surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert, the appellation takes advantage of cooler elevation and lower annual rainfall in the Davis M ...

* Texas High Plains *

Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA The Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area covering located along the Upper Mississippi River and its tributaries in northwest Illinois, northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin. Certified by the U ...

(IL/IA/MN/WI) * Western Connecticut Highlands AVA *Most Hokkaido wine regions * Nagano Prefecture, Japan *

Tendō, Yamagata is a city located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 61,947 in 22392 households, and a population density of 550 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Tendō is located in the east-cent ...

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 2 ...

wine region * Ningxia, China * Xinjiang wine regions *

Yantai Yantai, formerly known as Chefoo, is a coastal prefecture-level city on the Shandong Peninsula in northeastern Shandong province of People's Republic of China. Lying on the southern coast of the Bohai Strait, Yantai borders Qingdao on the ...

, China *East of

Cascade Range The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, ...

Washington state Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...

, United States

Maritime climates

Wine regions with maritime climates are characterised by their close proximity to large bodies of water (such as oceans,

estuaries An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environmen ...

and inland seas) that moderate their temperatures. Maritime climates share many characteristics with both Mediterranean and continental climates and are often described as a "middle ground" between the two extremes.C. Fallis, editor ''The Encyclopedic Atlas of Wine'' pg 20-21 Global Book Publishing 2006 Like Mediterranean climates, maritime climates have a long growing season, with water currents moderating the region's temperatures. However, Mediterranean climates are usually very dry during the growing season, and maritime climates are often subject to the viticultural hazards of excessive rain and humidity that may promote various

grape diseases This is a list of diseases of grapes (''Vitis'' spp.). Bacterial diseases Fungal diseases Miscellaneous diseases and disorders Nematodes, parasitic Phytoplasma, virus and viruslike diseases See also *'' Ampeloglypter ater'' *'' A ...

, such as mold and

mildew Mildew is a form of fungus. It is distinguished from its closely related counterpart, mould, largely by its colour: moulds appear in shades of black, blue, red, and green, whereas mildew is white. It appears as a thin, superficial growth consi ...

. Like continental climates, maritime climates will have distinct seasonal changes, but they are usually not as drastic, with warm, rather than hot, summers and cool, rather than cold, winters. Maritime climates also exist in some wine-growing areas of highlands of subtropical and tropical latitudes, including the southern

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

in the United States, the eastern Australian highlands and the central highlands of Mexico.

Wine regions with maritime climates

Champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, sp ...

Irouléguy AOC Irouléguy AOC wines ( eu, Irulegi, ) come from Lower Navarre in the Northern Basque Country, France and are usually considered as part of the wine region of South West France (''Sud-Ouest''). They are named after the village of Irouléguy and ar ...

, Lower Navarre *

Madiran wine Madiran wine is produced around the village of Madiran in Gascony under three '' Appellations d'Origine Contrôlées'' (AOCs): Madiran for red wines and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec for white wines. The production area for ...

region, Gascony *

Muscadet Muscadet ( , , ) is a French white wine. It is made at the western end of the Loire Valley, near the city of Nantes in the Pays de la Loire region. It is made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape, often referred to simply as ''melon''. While mo ...

Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...

and

Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of G ...

(continental by French standards) *Most

German wine German wine is primarily produced in the west of Germany, along the river Rhine and its tributaries, with the oldest plantations going back to the Roman era. Approximately 60 percent of German wine is produced in the state of Rhineland-Pala ...

regions (continental by French standards) * Liechtenstein wine regions (continental by French standards) * Moselle Valley including Luxembourg (continental by French standards) *Most

Swiss wine Swiss wine is produced from nearly of vineyards, and the wines are mainly produced in the west and in the south of Switzerland, in the cantons of Geneva, Neuchâtel, Ticino, Valais and Vaud. White grape varieties are grown on 43% of the countr ...

regions (continental by French standards) * Bizkaiko Txakolina, Basque Country * Rías Baixas (''Csb'') *

New Zealand wine New Zealand wine is produced in several of its distinct winegrowing regions. As an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, New Zealand has a largely maritime climate, although its elongated geography produces considerable regional variation f ...

regions *

Southern Chile Southern Chile is an informal geographic term for any place south of the capital city, Santiago, or south of Biobío River, the mouth of which is Concepción, about {{convert, 200, mi, km, sigfig=1, order=flip south of Santiago. Generally cities ...

including Bío Bío Valley, Itata Valley, and Malleco Valley (''Csb'') *

Block Island Block Island is an island in the U.S. state of Rhode Island located in Block Island Sound approximately south of the mainland and east of Montauk Point, Long Island, New York, named after Dutch explorer Adriaen Block. It is part of Washing ...

Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...

, Martha's Vineyard (''Cfa''), and Nantucket (all part of Southeastern New England AVA and bordering continental) * Long Island (''Cfa'' bordering continental, primarily east end, and including the North Fork and The Hamptons) * North Fork of Roanoke, Virginia * Puget Sound (''Csb'') *

Rocky Knob AVA The Rocky Knob AVA is an American Viticultural Area in a mountainous area east of the Blue Ridge Parkway in southwest Virginia. The AVA includes portions of Floyd and Patrick counties. The area is located on the eastern slopes of the Blue R ...

, Virginia *Some of

Shenandoah Valley AVA The Shenandoah Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and West Virginia. The valley is bounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian and Allegheny Plateaus to the west. ...

(VA/WV) * Upper Hiwassee Highlands (GA/NC)(mostly ''Cfa'') *

Volcano Winery Volcano Winery is one of three commercial wineries in the U.S. state of Hawaii, and the first winery founded on the Big Island of Hawaii in the town of Volcano, Hawaii, near the summit of the active shield volcano Kīlauea. It is the southernmost ...

, Hawaii * Willamette Valley (''Csb'') *

Alpine Valleys The Alpine Valleys is an Australian wine region on the western slopes of the Victorian Alps in northeast Victoria. It was registered as an Australian Geographical Indication on It is bounded to the west by the King Valley and to the north by t ...

, Victoria * Australian Pyrenees *

Bowral Bowral () is the largest town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, about ninety minutes southwest of Sydney. It is the main business and entertainment precinct of the Wingecarribee Shire and Highlands. Bowral once served a ...

, New South Wales *Most of Canberra District wine region * Cowra highlands, New South Wales * Fleurieu zone including

Kangaroo Island Kangaroo Island, also known as Karta Pintingga (literally 'Island of the Dead' in the language of the Kaurna people), is Australia's third-largest island, after Tasmania and Melville Island. It lies in the state of South Australia, southwes ...

and Langhorne Creek, South Australia (''Csb'') * Gippsland, Victoria * Grampians, Victoria *

Granite Belt The Granite Belt is an area of the Great Dividing Range in the Darling Downs region of Queensland and the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. The Granite Belt is centred on the town of Stanthorpe. The cool, high country of the gra ...

, Queensland/NSW *

Heathcote wine region The Heathcote Wine Region of Victoria, Australia, is nestled between the Goulburn Valley and Bendigo regions. The region is famous for its Shiraz production. Geography North of the Great Dividing Range the region is at elevations between . The ...

, Victoria * Henty, Victoria *

Mudgee Mudgee is a town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia. It is in the broad fertile Cudgegong River valley north-west of Sydney and is the largest town in the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area as well as being th ...

highlands, New South Wales *

Orange, New South Wales Orange is a city in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney on a great circle at an altitude of . Orange had an estimated urban population of 40,493 Estimated resident population, 3 ...

* Port Phillip, Victoria (includes Mornington Peninsula and

Yarra Valley The Yarra Valley is the region surrounding the Yarra River in Victoria, Australia. The river originates approximately east of the Melbourne central business district and flows towards it and out into Port Phillip Bay. The name Yarra Valley ...

) * Tasmania * Tumbarumba wine region, NSW (semi-arid) * Fraser Valley, British Columbia *

Gulf Islands The Gulf Islands are a group of islands in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia. Etymology The name "Gulf Islands" comes from " Gulf of Georgia," the original term used by George Vancouver in his ma ...

, BC * Vancouver Island wine regions including

Cowichan Valley The Cowichan Valley is a region around the Cowichan River, Cowichan Bay and Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. There is some debate as to the origin of the name Cowichan, which many believe to be an anglicized fo ...

, BC * Médanos,

Buenos Aires Province Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of t ...

* Río Negro Province, Argentina (semi-arid) *

Tarija Tarija or San Bernardo de la Frontera de Tarixa is a city in southern Bolivia. Founded in 1574, Tarija is the largest city and capital and municipality within the Tarija Department, with an airport (Capitán Oriel Lea Plaza Airport, (TJA)) offe ...

wine region, Bolivia *

Caxias do Sul Caxias do Sul (), is a city in Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil, situated in the state's mountainous Serra Gaúcha region. It was established by Italian immigrants on June 20, 1890. Today it is the second largest city in the state of Rio Gra ...

, Brazil *

São Joaquim São Joaquim is a municipality in the state of Santa Catarina, situated in southern Brazil. It is located at latitude 28° 17' 38" south and longitude 49° 55' 54" west, with an altitude of . Its population in 2020 was 27,139 i ...

, Brazil * Eastern Cape wine-growing areas including

St Francis Bay St Francis Bay ( af, St Francisbaai) is a holiday town in Sarah Baartman District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, roughly one hour’s drive from Port Elizabeth. On 11 November 2012 a fire destroyed 76 homes, almost ...

, South Africa * KwaZulu-Natal highlands *

Mossel Bay Mossel Bay ( af, Mosselbaai) is a harbour town of about 99,000 people on the Southern Cape (or Garden Route) of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province. Mossel Bay lies 400 kilometres east of th ...

, Western Cape, South Africa (semi-arid) *Some highland Ethiopian wine regions *

Belgian wine Belgian wine is produced in several parts of Belgium and production, although still modest at 1,400 hectoliters in 2004, has expanded in recent decades. History Belgian wine first appeared in the Middle Ages, around the 9th century. It is unlike ...

regions *Most

Danish wine Danish wine is wine made in Denmark. Grapes Despite its northerly location, Denmark has been fostering a developing wine industry since the late 20th century that has benefited from global warming and the legalization of wine production in 1999. ...

regions * Dutch wine regions * England and Wales * Southern Ireland *Some

Georgian wine Georgia is the oldest wine producing region in the world. The fertile valleys and protective slopes of the South Caucasus were home to grapevine cultivation and neolithic wine production ( ka, ღვინო, ''ɣvino'') for at least 8000 years ...

regions *Some Abkhazian wine regions *Some Crimean wine regions including

Massandra Massandra or Masandra ( crh, Massandra; russian: Массандра; uk, Масандра) is an urban-type settlement in the Yalta Municipality in Crimea. Occupying the spot of an ancient Greek settlement (Tavrida-Ταυρίδα), Masandra was ...

*Some Krasnodar Krai wine regions *Some

Black Sea Region The Black Sea Region ( tr, Karadeniz Bölgesi) is a geographical region of Turkey. The largest city in the region is Samsun. Other big cities are Trabzon, Ordu, Tokat, Giresun, Rize, Amasya and Sinop. It is bordered by the Marmara Region to the w ...

regions *

Pico IPR The Pico IPR is a Portuguese wine region located on the island of Pico in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The region is designated a second-tier '' Indicação de Proveniencia Regulamentada'' (IPR) classification, and potentially may be ...

Pico Pico may refer to: Places The Moon * Mons Pico, a lunar mountain in the northern part of the Mare Imbrium basin Portugal * Pico, a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Verde * Pico da Pedra, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribe ...

, Portugal *

Da Lat Da Lat (also written as Dalat, vi, Đà Lạt; ), is the capital of Lâm Đồng Province and the largest city of the Central Highlands region in Vietnam. The city is located above sea level on the Langbian Plateau. Da Lat is one of the mo ...

, Vietnam *

Chã das Caldeiras Chã das Caldeiras (“Plain of the Calderas”) is a small community of approximately 700 inhabitants in the crater of the volcano Pico do Fogo on the island of Fogo, Cape Verde. The village consists of two main neighborhoods: Portela and Bangae ...

Cape Verde , national_anthem = () , official_languages = Portuguese , national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole , capital = Praia , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , demonym ...

*Areas of

Aguascalientes Aguascalientes (; ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Aguascalientes ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Aguascalientes), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. At 22°N and with an average altitude of a ...

, Guanajuato,

Hidalgo Hidalgo may refer to: People * Hidalgo (nobility), members of the Spanish nobility * Hidalgo (surname) Places Mexico * Hidalgo (state), in central Mexico * Hidalgo, Coahuila, a town in the north Mexican state of Coahuila * Hidalgo, Nuevo L ...

, Querétaro, and Zacatecas, central highlands of Mexico *Some Kashmir wine regions * Thimphu wine region,

Bhutan Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainou ...

* Matsumae Peninsula, Hokkaido *West of

, United States (''Csb'')

Notes

References

{{Viticulture Climate and weather classification systems Viticulture Wine terminology