Wine professionals remain positive over climate change
October 26, 2007
Tom Hyland
Top wine professionals from around the world met in Chicago this week to discuss ways of reacting to climate change in the vineyard.
In a seminar entitled 'the reality of climate change in the vineyard and how winemakers will react to it over the coming years', Serena Sutcliffe MW presided over a host of winemaking personalities.
Those present vintners from Antinori, Planeta, Louis Roederer, Chateau Palmer, Grosset and Taylor Fladgate.
Some present were concerned whether or not recent weather phenomena could be ascribed to global warming. David Powell, winemaker at Torbreck in the Barossa Valley, said that no one in Australia was sure if the recent droughts there have been a result of climate change or merely a long-term weather problem.
Others including Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon, chef de cave of Champagne house Louis Roderer recently seen touring vineyard sites in the UK, were unconcerned by the two-degree temperature rise over the past eighteen years in the region.
'Today, global warming in Champagne is a good thing because we have more consistent vintages,' he said. 'It's much easier to ripen Pinot Noir.'
Opinions varied on how to address the situation in the near future. Francesca Planeta stressed the need for planting at higher elevations and concentrating on varietals, such as Nero d'Avola, which have existed for centuries without irrigation in Sicily.
Thomas Duroux, General Manager of Chateau Palmer believes canopy management and the proper choice of rootstocks will be critical.
'I really do believe that we can find answers in the rootstocks to have a longer phenolic season and to get ripeness even if the weather is warmer,' he said.
Adrian Bridge of Taylor said that if temperatures continue to rise, their firm would plant more Touriga Nacional, a grape that 'is better suited to warmer conditions than other Port varieties'.
He echoed Lecaillon's insousciance saying that the 'superiority' of the variety would be 'good for the overall improvement of quality in the valley' and that temperature increases were 'not always negative'.
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But maybe the Champenois WILL become concerned when growers in the South Downs of England produce the finest fizz in the world. Afterall, they are a continuation of the famous 300 metres deep chalk that the Champenois claim gives their fizz the character which makes Champagne, Champagne!!
Tony Hirons, The Merchant Vintner, Toronto Ontario, Canada
It is great to hear the international wine community has officially placed climate change on the agenda and it is an issue that is taken seriously. It is also essential that we remain positive as per your recent article summarises. I am however extremely concerned that the long term consequences of climate change due to our own human activity is too easily brushed aside as we individually assess and justify the effect of a few degrees temperature increase on our own patch of land… our vineyard. In Europe, is it realistic and genuine to view this as a positive change in some regions – it's easier to ripen pinot! In Australia, is it relevant to confirm whether the current drought is part of long term weather patterns or a sign of the effect of climate change? In both cases, the bigger issue is ignored… we human beings, as dictated by the simple rules of atmospheric chemistry, are changing the face of the planet daily and as finite creatures we don't see that change so easily. It's easy to take short term views and of our own backyards. But nature works as a whole and this whole is the entirety of the planet. And the rhythms of the planet are so intricately interwoven and delicately balanced that the force of unbalancing these rhythms - the flows of air & water temperature, combinations of gases in and out of solution, in water, in a plant, and in the air we breath – is so great that it will be too late to reverse by the time we wake up and begin thinking beyond our own back yard…. our vineyards. Please turn your positivity and the talent we have within our industry to look at the view beyond your back yard fence and take a genuine long term stance on the reality of the world that we are changing. Otherwise, will we be growing table grapes in Burgundy and making port in Tasmania? It is the reality….
Janet Klein, Ngeringa, Mt Barker, South Australia
Your heading would have made more sense if it was modified to “Wine professionals (in Germany and Denmark) remain positive over climate change”. Otherwise it was a nonsense.
Notable to me was that whom ever put on the program very conveniently failed to include any climate scientists, nor viticultural scientists with climatology skills. What was left was today's wine producers, probably in various stages of denial of impending climate change effects on their business, and unlikely to be well read on current science of the situation.
The only reason to be optimistic is if one is a producer in cool or warm regions, and in a region which does not have a fixed reputation for a style of wine. So one can understand some optimism in the New World; who will notice if as yet uncharted regional boundaries, and varieties change. But if you are in Bordeaux for example, with centuries-old reputation for variety and wine style, things will not be so easy. I do not accept that “canopy management and rootstocks” will offer relief; growing varieties better suited to hot conditions like Grenache will.
My fear is that European producers have failed to realise that their strict regulations have inhibited their ability to fight the New World from taking their market share; in a similar way they may be seen to be so inflexible as to inhibit their opportunity to respond to climate change.
Notably there were no producers from hot regions. With our present varieties, there is little room to move as temperatures climb. Our global experience tells us that table grape and raisin production is better suited to very hot climates, not wine production. Yet this is where the world has invested major infrastructure to produce much of the world's bulk wine. In Australia right now we have a major drought, maybe caused by climate change. What is for sure is that there will not be enough water in the River Murray to produce the normal quantity of wine grapes.
In my opinion climate change will do more to turn the world of wine on its head than any pest and disease has in the past. Of all the agricultural crops, grapevines are more sensitive to temperature than most.
To finish on a political note, wine lovers should be foremost in our societies in urging Governments to begin the process of combating climate change.
I would hope that a leading wine connoisseur's magazine like Decanter might offer a more sensible perspective.
Dr Richard Smart, Smart Viticulture, Tasmania, Australia
In reply to Dr. Richard Smart's letter about my article on the climate change seminar, it is always a pleasure to read his thoughts. Dr. Smart is a well-respected authority on viticultural practices and he certainly has the expertise to comment on this topic. His comment that "climate change will do more to turn the world of wine on its head than any pest and disease in the past," is quite true and is something we should all think about.
However, I wish to point out two things about his comments that need to be addressed. He wrote,"Notably there were no producers from hot regions." Did he closely read the article? Francesca Planeta from Sicily and David Powell from Torbreck in Barossa were speakers at the seminar. I think most of us would agree that Sicily and Barossa are two hot climates.
Secondly, he wrote that, "Notable to me was that whom ever put on the program very conveniently failed to include any climate scientists, nor viticulural scientists with climatology skills." While those individuals would have been able to address this topic with great zeal, that was not the aim of this seminar. This was directed to wine professionals who wanted to hear the opinions of vintners from various parts of the world on this topic. Serena Sutcliffe personally selected the vintners and did an outstanding job in the selection process. Along with hearing their comments, those attending were able to taste one wine from each producer, ranging from 2000 Roederer Crystal to 2005 Planeta Santa Cecilia.
While Dr. Smart is quite immersed in this subject and has no doubt attended some seminars on this topic with climate scientists, he should realize that a topic like this has to be sold to wine professionals one step at a time. This seminar would have been of little use if only 8 or 10 people attended, which might have been the case if this were a more detailed, intense seminar with climate scientists. Instead, the attendees were able to hear varying thoughts on this subject from some of the world's leading producers as well as taste some magnificent wines. Today, a seminar with winemakers and wine for the wine trade; tomorrow, a seminar with scientists, as Dr. Smart recommends. Tom Hyland
To bad Al Gore was not able to speak at this event, he knows soooooo much about growing grapes and making wine, oh and that global warming thing as well. Must have been too busy polishing his new prize to make it to Chicago, maybe next time.
Michael G
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But maybe the Champenois WILL become concerned when growers in the South Downs of England produce the finest fizz in the world. Afterall, they are a continuation of the famous 300 metres deep chalk that the Champenois claim gives their fizz the character which makes Champagne, Champagne!!
