How climate change will affect winemaking in the future

Climate change is a factor of current concern for wine producers, as it will affect winemaking in the future

However, it is necessary to understand why this will be an element of change to develop this task, as well as issues related to the measures to be taken to avoid a drastic deterioration in the wine sector.

All this, and much more, will be explained in the following lines. If you want to find out all the details on this topic, we invite you to read on!

Does the climate affect wine production?

Climate is everything in the wine production process. Why? Well, mainly because it directly affects the growth of the plant, the sprouting of the grape and its ripening, which will greatly influence the way in which it will give the final product or wine as such.

From the amount of exposure to sunlight, the amount of relative humidity present in the environment, the lack or abundance of water and even cold climates, can affect both positively and negatively the development of a grape harvest for wine.

What is the importance of climate when it comes to making a good wine?

As we mentioned in previous lines, the climate will always be a determining factor in the production, both at the beginning and during the maturation process of the wines. In the following lines we will give you more details about its impact in each phase of the process.

How does it affect the planting and harvesting of grapes?

Grapevines need very specific climatic conditions in order to grow properly. In the first instance, it needs moderate amounts of water and a cool, but not too harsh climate.

Then, it needs a constant supply of water in order to produce grapes, and then it needs a controlled climate and exposure to sunlight, but not too strong sunlight, which can affect the sugar levels of the grapes, and sufficient water.

All these elements will determine whether the final grape is suitable for making a good quality wine or not. Acidity and sugar levels are the most important in this decision.

How does climate influence wine maturation?

It is no secret that, when it comes to maturing a good wine, it is always necessary that the climate in which they are stored is cool, free of humidity and quite dark

Climate change can affect this factor, since the constant variation of temperatures can even alter the indoor climate in which the barrels or bottles of wine are stored. Therefore, wineries have recently opted for artificial heating and air-conditioning systems to combat this change.

What is the ideal climate for winemaking?

Surely, after having read the above information, you are wondering: what is the perfect climate for winemaking? And, we must say that vineyards need a versatile climate to be able to develop their harvest in the right way.

what do we mean by versatile? Well, vines need a dry and briefly arid climate to evolve, or they will be attacked by several diseases that occur in environments with high humidity

On the other hand, they also need a moderate amount of water, to keep them hydrated during the autumn and winter seasons. And, their exposure to the sun should be constant in spring and summer, but with cool or cold nights.

Therefore, we can deduce that those countries located in the southern and central part of the European continent are the regions with the best climates for wine production. And Spain is at the top of the list.

Disadvantages of climate change for winemaking in the future

As we have been detailing throughout the article, winemaking requires specific climatic conditions at certain dates or seasons of the year. What climate change does is to completely alter the pattern in which grape harvests are worked.

It is well known that, at present, we are already beginning to see the effects of climate change on vineyards that we are seeing today. These include higher temperatures, heavy rainfall at the wrong times of the year and harsher and longer winters, among others.

And, it is estimated that, as the years go by, all these climate change factors will worsen, which will affect the way in which certain grape varieties used to produce the best quality wine are cultivated.

Advantages that climate change will bring to wine production in the future

Now, experts say that while climate change will bring more disadvantages than advantages to winemaking in the future, there are those who are trying to make the best of the situation.

What do we mean by this? Well, simply that already many winemakers are experimenting with more climate-resistant grapes for high quality winemaking. And, lands in other regions that were previously overlooked for planting vines are being explored.

However, everyone in the wine sector knows that in a few years, nothing will be the same and that climate conservation measures need to be taken today to reduce as much as possible the climate deterioration we have been experiencing.

What can we do to prevent climate change?

As inhabitants of our planet, we need to become aware of the current situation of our environment and we must all contribute to its recovery and to the reduction of pollutants that, in a few years, will completely change the climate we are used to today

We can all make a change! It is just a matter of taking action, adopting new , more environmentally friendly habits and we will notice a big difference in the future.