Global Warming and Wine

[malcolmjolley]

Just saw this on the NYT site (don't see it posted elsewhere):

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/06/dining/06GLOB.html

Not sure what to make of it. Seems a little too up beat (?).

[=Mark]

Global warming... Feh.

[GordonCooks]

I think the important question is "What if there's a car accident on the bridge?"

[malcolmjolley]

huh?

[MatthewB]

Malcom,

Be aware that there's a correlation with belief in WMD & disbelief in global warming.

Part of America's New Cynicism.

[MatthewB]

Malcom,

Reading this will provide a bit of background.

[hollywood]

Malcom,

Reading this will provide a bit of background.

Too bad we can't see the entire article--for free.

[MatthewB]

Malcom,

Reading this will provide a bit of background.

Too bad we can't see the entire article--for free.

You can read Salon for free.

Select the "Day Pass" option. (You have to wait out a Sprint advertisement.)

[malcolmjolley]

Thanks, I'm aware of the whole greenhouse/Kyoto debate, but I still don't understand GordonCooks' car accident reference (?) and it's buggin' me!

[GordonCooks]

Thanks, I'm aware of the whole greenhouse/Kyoto debate, but I still don't understand GordonCooks' car accident reference (?) and it's buggin'  me! 

It's the pic in the article showing the little Mosel burg with a single bridge linking the two sides.

[SethG]

I'll be the first to tell you that I know next to nothing about wine cultivation, so forgive me if this is a stupid question.

But I thought that many of the great wine regions of the world are paradoxically not the most hospitible regions for the grapes cultivated in these regions. In other words, these regions grow grapes that have to struggle to survive, and the vineyards plant grapes that will struggle on purpose, because these struggling vines produce thinner yields of superior wine grapes... or something like that. I'm quickly travelling out of my depth, but you get where I'm going.

I also thought that many Europeans argue that this is what makes many California wines inferior-- too much sun, too easy to grow grapes, not the greatest for wine. And I thought this line of thinking was what inspired the idea behind planting Pinot Noir in Oregon.

So.. if I've got this sort of right, shouldn't global warming throw off the balance in these great wine regions of Europe, and produce inferior wines? Or are these recent vintages considered great because our standards have changed? Are they bigger, more Parker-friendly?

Edited for a misspelling.

Edited August 11, 2003 by SethG (log)

[Craig Camp]

I'll be the first to tell you that I know next to nothing about wine cultivation, so forgive me if this is a stupid question. 

But I thought that many of the great wine regions of the world are paradoxically not the most hospitible regions for the grapes cultivated in these regions.  In other words, these regions grow grapes that have to struggle to survive, and the vineyards plant grapes that will struggle on purpose, because these struggling vines produce thinner yields of superior wine grapes... or something like that.  I'm quickly travelling out of my depth, but you get where I'm going. 

I also thought that many Europeans argue that this is what makes many California wines inferior-- too much sun, too easy to grow grapes, not the greatest for wine.  And I thought this line of thinking was what inspired the idea behind planting Pinot Noir in Oregon. 

So.. if I've got this sort of right, shouldn't global warming throw off the balance in these great wine regions of Europe, and produce inferior wines?  Or are these recent vintages considered great because our standards have changed?  Are they bigger, more Parker-friendly?

Edited for a misspelling.

I can think of nothing to say except: right.

[britcook]

Well right up to a point. The best wines are generally grown "on the margin" of viability from the point of view of climate, terroir and viticulture. To some extent you can mitigate the effect of too much sun by canopy management, or by early harvest, but the key issue for wine makers is that it doesn't get too cold or too wet before harvest which can ruin the whole crop. As most of them like to make at least some money it makes sense to be able to harvest 100% of your grapes every year even if you only get 95% quality rather than lose half your harvest in the quest of making "perfect" wines. So SethG is right that quality may suffer if nothing is done about it, but revising viticulture and vinification may enable the quality to be retained.

[Craig Camp]

Well right up to a point. The best wines are generally grown "on the margin" of viability from the point of view of climate, terroir and viticulture. To some extent you can mitigate the effect of too much sun by canopy management, or by early harvest, but the key issue for wine makers is that it doesn't get too cold or too wet before harvest which can ruin the whole crop. As most of them like to make at least some money it makes sense to be able to harvest 100% of your grapes every year even if you only get 95% quality rather than lose half your harvest in the quest of making "perfect" wines. So SethG is right that quality may suffer if nothing is done about it, but revising viticulture and vinification may enable the quality to be retained.

There are many growers that take that extra 5% risk to make perfect wine.

Revising viticulture and vinification can and has greatly reduced the number of 'disaster' vintages, but has not significantly increased the number of great vintages. Too hot is too hot. Rain at harvest is not the 'key' issue but just one of a range of key issues.

There are many techniques that growers can use to deal with climate, but mother nature is just too strong and will determine if at the end of the vintage you have the potential to create a great wine or not.

[britcook]

There are many techniques that growers can use to deal with climate, but mother nature is just too strong and will determine if at the end of the vintage you have the potential to create a great wine or not.

Oh absolutely, and even if mother nature gives you ideal conditions that's just half of it. And sorry for my incorrect use the definite article in front of key, sloppy grammar (again!)