winter freeze, a climatic stress which can be lethal to parts or all of the vine. In areas of high latitude and high elevation the risk of very cold winter weather is substantial, particularly in continental climates away from the moderating effects of oceans (although even in maritime climates winter freeze can kill thousands of vines in exceptionally cold winters such as that of 1956 in St-Émilion and Pomerol). Such continental climates typically show colder temperatures, but also greater temperature variability.
