🌿 Mediterranean climate

The Mediterranean climate means dry hot summers and mild rainy winters. It occurs around the Mediterranean Sea and in some places on other continents, such as California and Chile.

This climate suits grapes. A long sunny summer helps berries ripen well and build sugar. Rain falls mostly in winter, so the vine needs less moisture in summer and diseases are usually fewer. The downside is that in strong heat the vine suffers from drought and berries can overheat.

In such areas vines are often trained as gobelet bushes. This is a low bush without a support: the leaves shade the bunches, and the roots go deep into the ground. The Mediterranean climate is part of the general list of vineyard climates. It tends to give rich, strong wines with dense fruit flavour, especially in Spain, Italy, Greece and southern France.