Climate change and wine: Friday morning

I've just been listening to interesting (and somewhat frightening) presentations at the 2nd Climate Change and Wine Conference.

As was reported by the IPCC, the current forecasts are for dramatic and unprecidented changes in temperature and precipitation around the world. Predictions range from an average increase of 2 to 4 degrees celcius up to a possible 6.4 degrees and rainfall will likely drop in southern Europe, South Africa and other regions.

Curiously the higher levels of carbon dioxide and temperatures will increase phytosynthesis and plant growth, but is already distupting growth cycles. Plants will flower earlier and come to harvest sooner. For grapes, this means that harvest will happen at the hot time of year (not good), but worse, the accelerated growth will be mean higher sugar to acid ratio, disrupting flavor, storage and many other factors.

Dr. Richard Smart, viticultural guru, commented that in the face of the all the predicted changes and upheavals likely to be caused by global warming, talking about the effects on wine is probably frivolous. But he pointed out that the wine industry may well be the canary in the coalmine for the rest of agriculture. What the wine industry finds out and does may well have benefit for other types of agriculture that we rely on for survival.