Wine may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of climate change, and it certainly isn’t something that most people are actively worrying about (though no judgment if you are). But wine grapes are one of the first agricultural commodities to be affected by the changing climate. Even the slightest shifts in temperature or weather can have a significant impact on harvests and, ultimately, what winemakers can produce in their cellars. What do you consider about Wine Tastings.
That’s why so many winemakers are addressing the issue head-on, trying to find ways to adapt and make wines that will last. It’s a challenge that requires a lot of vision, determination, and creativity, but it’s a crucial one for the survival of this beloved beverage.
The biggest challenge that winemakers are currently facing is figuring out how to be more sustainable in their vineyards while also creating a product that is true to the terroir, region, and style of the grape they’re working with. A lot of these winemakers are using sustainable farming practices and reducing the amount of chemicals they use in their vineyards.
Another big challenge is dealing with the erratic weather patterns that are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Droughts, heat waves, and other extreme weather can severely affect harvests and, often, the quality of the wine that is produced. This was a massive issue for France this year, where the vineyards were hit hard, and the country saw their lowest harvest since 1957.
Winemakers are trying to find new and innovative ways to deal with the challenges of climate change, whether it’s by introducing more oxidative techniques that can help preserve their wines for longer or by experimenting with different methods of fermentation. Some producers are also starting to move their vineyards to cooler zones in order to keep the grapes healthy.
But the problem with this is that it adds more costs to production. Many of the winemakers we spoke to were worried about being able to continue to afford their land in the future, especially as climate change continues to affect the price of water and food around the globe.
Other winemakers are using creative tactics to deal with climate change, such as using shade cloth in the vineyards and modifying trellising to protect their vines. Practices such as these weren’t widely used in the past, but with climate change, they are becoming more relevant than ever before. For instance, a producer in Napa Valley named Tablas Creek used shade cloth to prevent the grapes from overheating during a summer heat wave. Other producers are even taking it a step further, planting their vines in a more northerly direction to avoid wildfire smoke.
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