Warmer Temps Lead to Bigger Wines, Better Reds, More Attention to Terroir
NEW YORK – April 20, 2015 – As the leading international wine and spirits trade show, Vinexpo, ramps up for its 2015 Bordeaux exhibition from June 14-18, Chairman Xavier de Eizaguirre is taking an Earth Month pause to share insights on the effects of climate change on winemaking. The 40-year wine industry veteran notes that while the warming trend will undeniably, over the long-term, require growers to embrace new approaches (a reality drought-affected California producers are already facing), short-term effects on the global industry have for the most part been more subtle and, in certain cases, a boon.
More Good Vintages
As winemaking regions grow warmer the first consequence, particularly for reds, is improved maturation of grapes leading to better vintages more often than in the past. “This is especially important in regions of France where vintage is very relevant, “de Eizaguirre explains. “The quality, the maturation, the ripening of the grapes improves with a warmer climate and therefore we’ve had more good vintages in the past 10 years than we used to see 20 to 50 years ago.”
More “Buzz”-worthy: Higher Alcohol Wines
Warmer temperatures also produce bolder tasting wines with a higher alcohol content, he adds, which would be neither a positive nor a negative but a matter of personal preference. “Wines grown in southern Europe and North Africa were once called ‘sun wines’ for this reason. Now certain wine regions like Languedoc, Bordeaux, and Tuscany are producing higher alcohol wines.”
Growing Emphasis on Terroir
De Eizaguirre suggests that climate change might lead more wine producers to embrace a terroir approach to their craft. “Over the 2,000 years we’ve been producing wines in France, we’ve learned that a specific grape grows best in a specific area. You cannot have terroir on a very large scale. So in wine regions where there is mass production, growers might have to adjust and learn to specialize.” He cites New Zealand’s emerging wine region as one that has used terroir to its benefit, producing very high quality wines in the limited areas of the country suitable for grape growing.
Creating a More Sustainable California Wine Industry
In California, where irrigation is essential to creating conditions that support viticulture, the ongoing historic drought has brought the issue of sustainability to the fore. Two California wine industry organizations that will have a presence at Vinexpo 2015 are among those driving change in the state’s wine growing practices, from smarter irrigation systems that conserve dwindling water supplies to better air and water quality control, improved energy efficiency, soil management, and integrated pest management. Wine Institute’s California Sustainable Winegrowing Program offers educational workshops and a third-party certification program fostering sustainable practices in winemaking and currently lists 1,900 participating vineyards and wineries. Similarly, Napa Valley Vintners’ Napa Green is a voluntary environmental certification program tailored to wine-making practices in the Napa River watershed. Napa Valley Vintners is calling for 100 percent of its 500+ member vineyards and wineries to be Napa Green certified by the end of 2020.
About Vinexpo
Founded in 1981, Vinexpo has evolved into the world’s leading show for wine and spirits professionals and a partner for the wine and spirits industry worldwide. Vinexpo is held in Bordeaux in odd-numbered years; since 2006, Vinexpo Asia-Pacific has taken place in Hong Kong in even-numbered years and has become the key exhibition of the industry in Asia. Before each exhibition, Vinexpo commissions studies on industry-specific issues and presents the findings in conferences around the world. Since 1999, it has produced a world market study with a five-year outlook, as well as a variety of trend reports. For more information, visit www.vinexpo.com.
