There are plenty of reasons to take climate change seriously — not the least of which, for an oenophile, is the impact it’ll have on wine.
From flinty Chablis to dense and dusky Napa cab sauv, climate has everything to do with what the wine in your glass feels, smells and tastes like. The specific levels of heat, humidity and rainfall grapes experience during growth are a kind of alchemy, coming together to produce the unique fingerprint of body and flavor that give a wine its reputation and, often literally, its name.
So what happens when Burgundy gets too hot to grow elegant and floral pinots? On the other hand, what new regions will emerge, new heat enabling grape-growing where it was impossible before?
I’m super-pleased to announce that I was able to tackle all these questions (and talk to some incredibly interesting people in the wine world!) for VinePair.
And some of the answers are pretty remarkable. In thirty years, somms may be pouring high-end glasses from Central Montana, for instance.
So head on over to VinePair and check it out. And let me know what you think! What’s your favorite varietal or appellation? Does climate change stand to help or hurt it?