Pliocene Epoch, second of two major worldwide divisions of the Neogene, spanning the interval from about 5.3 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch (23 million to 5.3 million years ago) and is further subdivided into two ages and their corresponding rock stages: the Zanclean (5.3 million to 3.6 million years ago) and the Piacenzian (3.6 million to 2.6 million years ago). The Pliocene Epoch precedes the Pleistocene Epoch of the Quaternary Period.

Bibliography

Dr Ian D’Agata, Native Wine Grape Terroirs (University of California Press, 2019).