Interesting study of heat/light on CA Pinot

There’s a summary of a study of the effects of vintage weather upon North Coast Pinot Noir on this linked blog. The blogger summarizes the article; there’s not much point is summarizing a summary. But there were a few conclusions that I thought were really fascinating:

    1. Heat accumulation in the previous fall and from bloom to veraison were negatively correlated with all measured phenolics
  1. Sites with higher growing degree-days and hot days had higher phenolic concentrations

  2. Increasing light explained 41% and 98% of the variability in the decrease of phenolics measured, and 37% of the variability in the increase in Brix levels.

It seems that light damages Pinot as much if not more than heat! It’s also interesting that the study found a heat before veraison decreased phenolics. It’s no wonder then that Pinot Noir from the coolest growing areas in CA is often the darkest–summer comes late on the coast and heat often isn’t an issue until September. Perhaps Burgundies are typically light in color from a combination of a warmer mid-summer, typical of a continental climate, along with a shorter growing season.

Light on the foliage or light on the fruit?