Air Drainage

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Wine

By Jancis Robinson

Published 2006

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air drainage, important topographical and hence climatological consideration in vineyard site selection. Cold air flows, or ‘drains’, downhill and so a continuous slope or hillside is much less prone to frost and winter freeze than a hollow. In regions at risk from these phenomena, zones which accumulate cold air should be avoided as vineyard sites. In general, a vineyard site near the top of a free-standing hill is ideal since no cold air is imported from above.

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