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Warming in Wine Country

WINEMAKERS WITH HOPES OF KEEPING BUSINESS ALIVE WILL BE FORCED TO PACK UP THE VINES AND HEAD FOR COOLER CLIMATES BY TWO THOUSAND SIXTY.  IT’S ANOTHER IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING -- JUST FIFTY YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.  HEAR ABOUT THE MIGRATION OF WINE COUNTRY ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

WINEMAKING WON’T COME TO AN END ALTOGETHER, BUT WITH RISING AVERAGE TEMPERATURES IN KEY GRAPE-GROWING AREAS LIKE FRANCE, CALIFORNIA, AND ITALY, THE INDUSTRY WILL HAVE TO RELOCATE TO SURVIVE. GRAPES USED FOR WINE ARE HIGHLY SENSITIVE TO TEMPERATURE -- THE DIFFERENCE OF JUST A FEW DEGREES IS ENOUGH TO TRANSFORM A TOP OF THE LINE CABERNET TO ORDINARY COOKING WINE.  NOW, CLIMATOLOGISTS ESTIMATE THAT BY TWENTY ONE HUNDRED, EIGHTY PERCENT OF OUR CURRENT WINE REGIONS WILL BE UNUSABLE AS VINEYARDS, AND COOLER REGIONS LIKE NEW YORK, BRITISH COLUMBIA, AND THE MICHIGAN COASTS WILL TAKE THE PLACE OF NAPA VALLEY AND COTE DU RHONE.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

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