It appears that due to climate change wine is getting sweeter. Experts believe it will become harder to establish subtle aromas due to warmer temperatures giving wine extra sweetness with fewer traditional floral or earthly flavours, giving wines a higher alcohol content. Emma Sayer, a professor at Lancaster University has stated that ‘Climate change may show up some people who like to pontificate about wine without knowing what they are talking about. They will need to taste the difference in wines made from grapes grown in different temperatures and learn about new varieties. The most expensive exclusive wines may even change, as dryer wines from grapes suited to cooler climates with the right acidity become more rare and in demand’.
The traditional way of tasting and distinguishing aroma and flavour in wine could be affected as there could be a reduction of tannins due to higher temperatures. Climate change could lead to more rain in some countries. Producers are harvesting earlier, being selective in picking the healthiest grapes and adapting their fermentation techniques to account for climate changes. It seems that we will have to get used to more varieties such as those made from fungus resistant grapes, developed because traditional vines face a higher threat from mildew.
With things hotting up many people are adding ice to their wine which is causing negative comments from traditionalists and wine snobs. One of the world’s leading chefs, Michelin – starred David Chang has commented that whenever he puts ice in wine it ‘tastes like gold’. ‘Drinking wine with ice tastes like gold. It’s so delicious. I drink on ice right now. I don’t just want to drink it in the summer now, I want to drink it year round. The reason you’re drinking it it is not for culinary snobbery, it’s because it’s a beverage. So drink it as a beverage, not as an artefact.’ OWC echoes that.
