Global warming may be remaking the wine map

Viticultural regions are expected to shift toward the poles, cooler coastal zones and higher elevations
BY CORIE BROWN
Los Angeles Times Service

Imagine a world in which the best sparkling wines come from Surrey in southern England, not France's Champagne region. A world where Monterey Bay is home to California's best cabernet sauvignons and Sweden produces world-class rieslings.

It's not science fiction. A growing number of climatologists are warning that by the turn of the next century, such a radically altered wine map could be the new reality. They say man-made greenhouse gases warming the planet are expected to shift viticultural regions toward the poles, cooler coastal zones and higher elevations.

In 50 years, California's Napa Valley could be as hot as the Central Valley's Lodi appellation is now. Bordeaux is on track to have a climate similar to France's southern Languedoc region. Germany, on the other hand, will be producing luscious red wines.

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Looked at from here in North Western Europe, the scenario painted in this article looks a whole lot more attractive than the alternative scenario, of which we have heard little in recent months, namely the possible shutdown of the Gulf Stream as a by-product of global warming.

If that were to happen, alarmists think that we may again see icebergs in the Gironde estuary (apparently there is at least anecdotal evidence of that many millennia ago). Is the current silence on this icy scenario a sign of the overbearing Political Correctness of the anti global warming activists or has the theory been rationally discredited?

Of course, the warming Europe scenario would have some serious casualties particularly in Southern Europe where parts of Spain and Italy risk becoming deserts, although modern desalinisation and irrigation technology could alleviate this. However fine wine from Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Tempranillo could still be at risk unless they can leap over frontiers, which are as much cultural as political.

This mention of culture brings me to the human aspect. At the top level in France, Italy, Germany there still exists a genuine artisanal approach which prizes artistic integrity at least as much as commercial gain. This, as well as the terroir, makes these countries excellent places for the production of fine wine of strong character.

The article foresees that Surrey will become the major centre for fine sparkling wine; the soil on the North Downs is certainly right but land prices are those of the outer London suburbs. These are too high for most potential artisan producers and only big business can afford them. Frankly I worry about the motivation of much of such big British business and fear the production of oceans of commercial pap rather than successors to Krug and Bollinger.

Meanwhile Champagne may lose the bubbly but could well become the home of worthy successors of Montrachet and Chambertin.

In Argentina, you are seeing more and more growers expanding towards the Valle de Uco region of Mendoza, which is far away from the traditional "primera zona" of Luyan de Cuyo and Maipu.... the Uco Valley is higher up and cooler than the premiere zones. Land prices in the Uco Valley have been skyrocketting lately.... and the trend seems to continue.