Switch to Tougher Grapes to Save Wine from Climate Change, Researchers Advise

Global warming may threaten up to 85% of the world’s wine-growing regions, but researchers are suggesting a way to substantially cut losses: plant more climate-resilient grape varieties.

With the world already having warmed by more than 1 degree Celsius, the international scientists emphasized “the critical role that human decisions play in building agricultural systems resilient to climate change”.

The study analyzed the climate resilience of 11 grape varieties prominent in many major wine countries such as France, Australia and New Zealand – and found that if the global temperature rises to 2 degrees Celsius, switching to more tolerant wine grapes could cut the loss of growing areas from 56% down to 24%.