Rising global temperatures are redrawing Europe's wine map, forcing vineyards to move north. Areas historically too cold for winemaking are now warm enough to produce wine, while major vineyards in Europe's traditional viticulture regions are struggling to adapt to warmer temperatures.
What's happening?
As global temperatures continue to rise, a surprising impact has surfaced: a changing wine map. According to the Financial Times, northern European countries, such as Denmark, are now producing wine due to changes in the climate.
Experts say the weather in Denmark would have been too cold to produce wine years ago. Now, winemakers are comparing the country's climate to regions historically recognized for viticulture.
"The weather we have here in Denmark today is similar to what they had in parts of France in the 1960s," Danish sommelier Jacob Stokkebye told FT. "Today, our weather allows us to produce wines with a freshness and acidity that you'd find in [French] wines from that era."
With temperatures rising and the climate changing, industry experts have not experienced the same climate stability they did during the '50s, '60s, '70s, and '80s. Now, warmer temperatures are forcing vineyards to harvest grapes earlier, which experts say can cause too much sugar, poor acidity, and unbalanced tannins.
Why are changing wine regions important?
Europe's changing wine map underscores the threat of rising global temperatures. As companies and countries continue to rely on dirty energy, they emit harmful pollutants into the atmosphere that exacerbate the overheating of our planet.
In terms of wine production, warmer temperatures are not just impacting harvest times; they're affecting grapes year-round.
"Climate change is also disrupting the dormant periods that are crucial for vine health. Warmer winters encourage vines to break dormancy earlier, exposing tender buds to the risk of spring frost," according to FT.
What's being done about rising global temperatures?
While rising temperatures are changing the geography of winemaking, experts believe the industry as a whole will survive despite these changes.
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Saves money 💰 "The more research I do, the more I feel very confident that this is not a crop that is facing extinction," climate and phenology expert Elizabeth Wolkovich told FT. "There's no giant cliff coming for wine grapes … but there are big changes coming."
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