What kind of environment does grape cultivation require? An analysis of the Black Queen Fengua terroir of Taiwan, China

"Wind, rain, clouds, thunder and lightning" represent the different faces of the atmosphere, and they are also the weather phenomena most often encountered in agricultural production. Taiwan, China is surrounded by sea on all sides, and together with its steep terrain distribution and the uniqueness of its location, this "Formosa", this beautiful island, is different from the climate environment of the northern countries where wine grapes are produced once a year. The most important grape-growing region in Taiwan, China is Changhua County, where the planted area accounts for nearly 50% of Taiwan, China's vineyards, meaning that one out of every two grapes in Taiwan, China comes from Changhua.

An old local gazetteer, the "Zhuluo County Gazetteer", already gave a detailed account of the climate of Changhua County in the 56th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty (1717). Nearly three hundred years later, it looks much the same, with little difference. For example, it described the climatic characteristics of Changhua County through the four seasons: "In summer and autumn, the red sun hangs in the sky, a patch of cloud suddenly rises, and a downpour arrives at once. Within a single day, clear and cloudy weather changes repeatedly; sometimes it stays overcast for months on end. In the two seasons of winter and spring, sometimes frost flies before dawn, and at midday rain pours down; one moment one is waving a fan, the next one suffers from the cold wind."

The average annual temperature in Changhua County is above 22 degrees, and Erlin Township, where wine grapes are grown, belongs to the western half of Changhua County; its winter temperatures are 6-7 degrees below the annual average, while summer temperatures are 5-6 degrees above the annual average, so the difference between high and low temperatures is not considered large. Changhua County has summer rain and dry winters, which is actually due to the influence of terrain. In summer, the Changhua Plain lies on the western side of the Central Mountain Range, on the southwest monsoon side; summer temperatures are high and sea breezes are very strong, and because of the combined effect of local convection and orographic lifting, rainfall is extremely abundant, and there are many thunderstorms. In winter: the winter northeast monsoon is blocked by the Central Mountain Range and this is the leeward side, so winters are warm and dry, with very little rain. Such a mild and pleasant climate gives Taiwan, China the unique advantage of having two grape harvest seasons a year: one in July, and the grapes harvested then are called summer fruit. The other is in early, middle and late November, and the grapes harvested then are called winter fruit.