Decanter World Wine AwardsFrench wine in danger due to global warming
- Wednesday 12 August 2009
Leading figures from the French wine and culinary world have teamed up with the environmental group in writing an open letter, which has been published in the influential French newspaper Le Monde.
The letter was signed by the proprietors of 35 vineyards from across the country's major wine regions, along with top chefs Jean-Luc Rabanel, Marc Veyrat and Mauro Colagreco, sommeliers Franck Thomas and Antoine Petrus and oenologist Stéphane Derenoncourt.
‘French wines, elegant and refined, the jewels of our common national heritage, are in danger,’ the letter said.
‘Climate change is rendering our vineyards ever more vulnerable.
‘Summer heat waves, recent hail storms in the Bordeaux region, new diseases arriving from the South, such irregularities will soon become far worse still,’ it warned.
‘If nothing is done to reduce greenhouse gases, vineyards will be displaced 1,000km beyond their traditional borders between now and the end of the century. Terroirs will not survive."
They call directly upon President Nicolas Sarkozy to push for an ‘ambitious’ climate change agreement at the upcoming United Nations' conference.
According to the letter, the developed nations need to strike a deal to reduce their CO2 emissions by 40% between now and 2020.
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Have your say!
Tong
March 12 08:06
The best wine is kept in a 59*F moderately humid STABLE treepmatured environment. The best wines for aging are generally reds like California cabernets andmerlots. French red wines worthy of storing include Pomerol, St. Emillion, Bordeaux, Rhone valley and Chateauneuf du Pape. The reason is that hearty full bodied red grapes have massive tannins, acids and sugars that need bottle aging to soften and mature. Vintage Champaigns also age well, as do good ports and sauterns. Look for super Tuscans, Barbarescos and Barollos in Italy.They make awesome gifts! I recently gave my best friend a bottle of 1965 Armanac for his 40th birthday .he was amazed and touched!Look for the best vintages and the best vinyards and you will be very happy down the road. Collecting is a fun way to keep abreast of the wine market and keep you on your toes looking for your next cellar find ..cheers!