How Climate Change Is Seriously Affecting Winemaking In France

Climate change is transforming the planet, and the winemaking industry isn't an exception. With rising temperatures reaching new heights each year, vineyards around the world are getting seriously hit. Surely, you might find that hard to imagine if you've recently dined at one of the 19 best French restaurants in New York City and sipped on a glass (or perhaps several) of their exquisite wines. But here's something worth considering: Just a couple of decades ago, the idea of drinking Danish pinot noir, Norwegian riesling, and even champagne from the U.K. would have seemed surreal. Yet, here we are.

As the borders for grape growing move toward the poles, it's impossible to ignore the impact the warming temperatures have on countries with centuries-old winemaking traditions. A 2024 study published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth & Environment even suggests that 70% of the winemaking regions on Earth could become unsuitable for growing grapes if global temperatures rise more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels.

Meanwhile, France, the heart of Old World winemaking, which has been setting the standard for fine wine for millennia, is one of the countries experiencing severe consequences from climate change, with harvest dates being pushed earlier each year. This, in turn, significantly impacts the wine's alcohol content, flavor, and overall character. So, what does this new reality mean for French wines? Could this be the beginning of the end for France's iconic chardonnay, merlot, sauvignon blanc, and syrah?

Data suggests that France could see a temperature increase of 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century. Prolonged droughts and hotter summers are continuously prompting grapes in Southern France's vineyards to mature earlier each year. Research published in the journal Nature Climate Change shows that harvests in historic regions such as Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Rhône have been taking place several weeks sooner over the last few decades.

Harvesting grapes ahead of schedule might sound tempting, but it results in berries with altered acidity, sugar levels, and flavor complexity. Grapes picked earlier usually have more sugar and a lower total acidity, resulting in wines with higher alcohol content. While some extra alcohol doesn't sound that bad at first, it ultimately affects the wine's balance and character. For instance, the intensifying heat has a major impact on one of the world's most beloved red wines, cabernet sauvignon, because it brings out some riper fruit flavors. This, in turn, affects not only the wine's structure but also its aging potential. So much for this beloved Bordeaux classic still being the best wine to pair with your Thanksgiving ham.

Additionally, warmer temperatures during grape ripening limit the herbaceous, green flavors in wine. This leads to noticeable changes in the subtle notes of green bell pepper and pea pod often found in varieties like cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and sauvignon blanc. With all this in mind, can French wine survive these alarming environmental changes? 

Nobody's looking forward to a future when climate change could force a non-chocolate candy trend. So, to prevent wine from sharing a similar outcome, vintners in France are constantly finding new ways to adapt to the changing environment. 

One way to address the issue is by exploring the potential of emerging wine regions in the northern part of the country, where rising temperatures could create better conditions for producing high-quality wine. For example, grapes in regions like Champagne and Alsace used to struggle to ripen due to limited sunlight, but with France already experiencing a 3.2 degree Fahrenheit rise in temperatures from pre-industrial times, that may no longer be an issue.

French grape growers are also exploring the possibility of testing out some more heat-resistant grape varieties, such as syrah or grenache, in traditional cool-climate wine regions like Burgundy. Meanwhile, the region's dominant red wine grape variety, pinot noir, may have to be relocated, since warmer climates do not support its high acidity and tart flavors. At the same time, rich and full-bodied cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot, could face the same fate in Bordeaux, and be swapped with mourvèdre. 

While advances in winemaking technology and more intensive vineyard practices could help, winemakers are looking to bring back many of the hundreds of long-forgotten grape varieties, which they believe could be a great fit for the new weather conditions. Who knows, maybe it's not just winemaking that needs change, but our palates too.