We’ll be drinking wines we’ve never tasted before in the near and warmer future—because, climate change.
An increase in the planet’s temperature over the past century is changing the global map of where we can grow wine grapes.
Soon, your favorite bottle of Riesling may no longer come from Germany, as it could well be from Tasmania. Imagine uncorking a bottle of champagne from England instead of France.
For many existing vineyards, climate change is prompting winemakers to rethink what grapes to grow. The family-owned vineyard Bodegas Torres in Spain is thinking entirely out of the box. They are looking for wine grapes that their Catalan ancestors stopped growing hundreds of years ago, to see if they can unearth hardy varieties that can thrive in warmer temperatures. And there is a lot waiting to be discovered.
Researchers say there are over a thousand planted varieties, but often a dozen varieties make it out into the global market. Winemakers and consumers are usually fixated on the few with recognizable names like Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. For instance, in China, one of the world’s up and coming wine regions, over 75% of all the grapes grown there are Cabernet Sauvignon.
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