For the love of wine, don't ignore the weather

By Jeannette Allan

So many of us grabbed a bottle of red wine this week for Valentine’s Day; so few of us stopped to think about how climate change is affecting this industry that we love so well. I live and work in one of Washington’s premier wine regions, where the changes are difficult for me to ignore.

Extreme weather conditions are rapidly changing the yields, quality and life of wines around the world. According to a NASA study, 2010 and 2005 tied as the warmest years on record, and 2011 was the ninth warmest since 1880. 

Intense, dry heat tends to rapidly increase the maturity of grapes, thereby increasing the chances of exposure to pests.  Additionally, severe droughts in many countries, most notably in Argentina, Australia and Spain, have forced many irrigators to cut significant amounts of water allocations to the vines. Smaller yields are in production, hundreds of acres have died, and many premium wines are altering in color, smell, taste and life span.  Droughts and extended heat waves continue to threaten the production, quality and price, especially for southern winegrowers. If similar patterns persist, adapting to such conditions will become the norm. 

Major cold fronts do not necessarily affect the wine’s quality or longevity, but are known to damage or kill vines, depending on the severity of the storms. For the past several weeks, Europe has experienced below freezing temperatures that are killing buds and may cause wine prices to surge. The main concern for vintners is winter injury, which varies from region to region and the age of the vines.

Varieties such as Cabernet and Merlot tend to survive only down to -3 or -5 degrees Fahrenheit. This may not cause vintners in northern regions to sound the alarm, as they have experienced harsh conditions for long periods of time before. Yet for southern wine growers such as in Italy who are not used to prolonged freezing temperatures, this winter could cause some serious injury to their grapes, and ultimately their profits.

Whether you enjoy wines from southern or northern regions (or both), expect the unexpected in the future. Prices may swing more volatilely, the complexity and longevity of premium wines could significantly vary, and/or new varietals may be found in regions that traditionally did not produce them.

Examining how recent weather conditions are changing the complexity and style of wines certainly makes me want to enjoy a glass of wine and feel better! No two vintages are exactly the same, regardless of extreme weather patterns. But if the future of wine becomes less predictable, then holidays such as Valentine’s Day compel me to share a great bottle with friends and loved ones and savor the moment.  

Jeannette Allan is the Project Coordinator for Climate Solutions' Northwest Biocarbon Initiative, and can be regularly seen pouring Gilbert Cellars' wine at her family's tasting room in Yakima, Washington.