Climate change reshapes Europe's winemaking landscape
Extreme heat is pushing French winemakers to harvest as early as August, while rising temperatures are opening new winegrowing regions in Scandinavia and Britain. Experts caution it's too soon to call it a major industry shift.
French vineyards are experiencing an unusual season, with harvests starting in August rather than the traditional late-September to November window seen thirty years ago. Wine journalist Alicia Dorey says the shift reflects growing concern over the effects of climate change on the industry.
The situation is compounded by wildfires that have already destroyed more than 40,000 hectares in the Gironde department in southwestern France this year, threatening one of the country's most valuable economic sectors.
Winemaking moves north
As global temperatures rise, wine production is becoming viable in places once considered unsuitable, including England and Bornholm, an island off southern Denmark, according to Dorey. However, Hugo Seilly, a senior lecturer at the Burgundy School of Wine & Spirits Business, cautions against calling it a drastic industry shift. Some vineyards in Norway and Sweden have reached economic sustainability, he notes, but remain focused on domestic markets rather than exports.
Spain still leads the world in vineyard area with 930,000 hectares, followed by France (783,000 ha), China, Italy and Turkey. Spain's vineyard area is shrinking, though, and experts warn that by 2050 much of the country could face a desert-like climate, threatening production due to water scarcity.
Adapting to survive
French winemakers are turning to a range of adaptive techniques, including night harvesting to prevent grape oxidation in the heat, training foliage to shield grapes from sun damage, applying natural sunblock to protect leaves, and using cover crops to retain soil moisture. Some producers have gone further, uprooting existing vines to replant drought-resistant varieties.
Rising heat is accelerating grape ripening, raising sugar levels and lowering acidity, altering the traditional character of French wine. Winemakers now face a choice between harvesting earlier to preserve acidity or accepting a markedly different flavour profile.
Some French producers reliant on high acidity are investing in English vineyards, as warming temperatures have made the region suitable for grape varieties used in Champagne. Meanwhile, winemaker Romain Chichery, who relocated to Sweden, warns that large-scale vineyard expansion there would be risky and costly, since young vines struggle to survive the harsh Swedish winters.
