Buzzfeed had a really interesting article on the impact of climate change on wine growing and wine production,
http://www.buzzfeed.com/sandraeallen/how-climate-change-will-end-wine-as-we-know-it#.byEz7y3za
It's quite long. Few key points I took away from the article.
- Human ingenuity is mitigating some impact of climate change. E.g. applications of technologies like what Thibaut is doing, changing crop type, irrigation technologies, cooling technologies. But this means higher overheads that smaller scale producers may not necessarily have.
- Rising temperatures enabling colder areas (that were previously inhospitable for wine growing) to produce wine. Some large producers are hedging bets, and purchasing land plots closer to the Poles. E.g. Brown Brothers in Australia buying land in Tasmania to plant vines in the future.
- Wine regions that have tied that names with particular varietals face challenges if crop yield is severely and adversely impacted by climate change. e.g. what happens to Burgundy wine makers if climate in Burgundy severely undermines healthy cultivation of Pinot Noir?
Overall, useful to think about such broader trends impacting the dynamics of the industry. This way, wine industry players can plan ahead and skate to where the puck is going.
Since Thibaut Scholasch's presentation, I've been thinking more deeply about the intersection of environmental and wine industry interests. This thread's referenced article discusses how wine production is evolving in response to climate change and drought, but I find myself thinking more so about the politics around securing water supplies to sustain vineyards (if and where water supplies are rationed or allotted by regulators). Many years ago I met a family whose Coachella Valley-based business is one of the nation's largest independent growers of table grapes and lemons. If I recall correctly, the Metropolitan Water District governed their water supply... but I do distinctly remember them mentioning that growers in California are increasingly nervous about the diminishing water supply, as the relevant public agencies may increasingly play a larger role in allotting / regulating water supply than they already do. Given the variety of produce grown in the state and the varying levels of influence across the different growers associations, is it unreasonable to suspect that limited water supplies may necessitate that vineyard owners formulate non-market strategies to secure their interests? I imagine that the wine industry's lobby in California is quite robust (i.e. substantial taxes revenues from wine sales, Napa tourist dollars, employment opportunities on vineyards), but I would definitely seek greater understanding of the vineyards' water demands and the industry's position in the water districts' chain of priority for supply (i.e. would certain agriculture be deemed "essential" if a severe water shortage were occur, with only "essential" agriculture receiving supply under such circumstances) before investing in one.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense, Chris.
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