Changes in Latitude, Changes in Aptitude

Climate change is having an impact on grapes and wines

Let me begin with a small vignette to set the context. Many years ago, I used to travel a lot to the United Kingdom to visit family or on business. On one trip, aboard a British-based carrier, I was asked by the flight attendant if I wanted a glass of wine; what a foolish question. He also asked if I preferred English or French wine. Then, after looking around furtively, he whispered in my ear that I should choose the French wine as the English version was pretty dreadful. I eagerly followed his advice, to my great pleasure.

My, how times have changed. Once, it would have been great for any English sparkling wine to be compared to its better-known counterparts from Champagne. However, in recent years, British grapes have been beating their French rivals in blind tastings. The reasons for this are manifold. Average temperatures throughout the English growing season have warmed by one degree Celsius between 1999 and 2018. This has improved growing conditions in the traditionally colder nation. South-facing slopes and selective planting ensure the best possible exposure to the English sunshine (yes, there is sunshine in England). The result is that grapes gradually achieve an ideal level of ripeness before harvest – good for making wine.

All this could be dismissed as marketing hype. But there is proof in the pudding. Those famous White Cliffs of Dover are just a continuation of the famed soil of Champagne. And, most of all, the prestigious Champagne producer, Taittinger, has invested in a former Kent apple orchard to produce sparkling wine. Taittinger is the epitome of fine Champagne production and its venture into the south coast of England is significant.

Another example would be from Germany. The steep, southern facing vineyards in Germany have long been viewed as the northernmost latitude that could produce decent wine. One of the stars from these vineyards has been Eiswein, or “Ice Wine.” Individual grapes are picked when they are half frozen and have a little “noble rot” on their skins. Today, Eisweins are increasingly difficult to produce. The number of winegrowers able to produce Eiswein in Germany has dwindled in recent years. According to the German Wine Institute, in 2020 only one winemaker in all of Germany was reported to have harvested Eiswein.

A final example borders on the heretical. Wine growers in the Bordeaux region of France have guarded their wine blendings with an almost chauvinistic, religious fervor. A red Bordeaux blended wine is traditionally composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with smaller portions of Malbec and Petit Verdot and, very occasionally, Carménère.

Gasp! Four new red grape varieties had been chosen to help Bordeaux wine producers adapt to climate change. They have been approved by (second gasp) France’s national appellation body, INAO. The new red varieties are Touriga Nacional, Marselan, Castets and Arinarnoa. They were selected for their unique potential to mitigate the impact of climate change without diluting the identity of Bordeaux wines. Potentially useful characteristics include naturally high acidity, structure or strong aromatics, as well as good resistance against specific vine diseases, from mildew to grey rot.

So, change is happening in the world of wine. In the future, expect to see English sparkling wine at your wine merchant. As wine producing latitudes head north, expect to see more German red wines, especially Pinot Noir or “Spätburgunder” in German. And it will be interesting to see what effect the new grapes have on Bordeaux’ famous wines. So, stay tuned and keep exploring.