An Often-Ignored Factor Affecting Wine Industry – Global Warming

In wine’s history, we human began to enjoy/produce those fermented grape beverages some 6,000-9,000 years ago.

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Cabernet Sauvignon Grape

The well-known classification system for Bordeaux wines started in 1855 by Napoleon III using their producers’ names.  A château (a french house/castle) usually gives its name to the wine produced in its neighborhood.  The system has five levels for red wine, with Premiers Crus being the best, which now includes 5 châteaux.

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Château Lafite Rothschild

But after nearly 200 years, things have changed fundamentally, e.g. global warming among many others.

Wine is essentially a pre-industrial-age agricultural invention. Grapes are inherently affected by climate changes (including not only temperature, but also drought for example).

What we deemed best in 1850s should be different from those in today’s league table.

Source: Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites

Due to global warming, the best grape varieties and growing locations for wine can hardly stay the same by the end of 21st century. Some have predicted that average global temperature could rise by 11.5° F this century if no human interventions to mitigate the causes.

A relatively extreme prediction in a 2013 study claims that wines from Burgundy, Napa Valley and other premium regions, will disappear within the next 50 years (and blue regions are future suitable areas to grow grapes).

Global change in viticulture suitability | Source: PNAS

However, wine to some extent is like art works. Values of wine aren’t mostly depending on how it tastes; many other factors such as traditions or experience are making it a more complex industry.

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While similar to other industries that the established or incumbents are not willing to/refuse to change, new opportunities will rely on new vineyards/newcomers and those choose to expand or create new brands.


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