Study Predicts Growth in UK Wine Production Due to Climate Change
hubie writes:
Conditions projected to resemble those in famous growing regions of France and Germany:
Over the last 20 years, climate change has contributed to a growth in UK vineyard area - with more than 800 vineyards now - and award-winning wine production, as well as a transition in wine style towards sparkling wines.
Now a team of researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA), the London School of Economics, Vinescapes Ltd and Weatherquest Ltd have charted the potential for the sector over the next 20 years. Drawing on the latest detailed climate projections, they have developed cutting-edge capability to model and map the best opportunities for grape growing and winemaking in the UK.
Their findings, published today in the journal OENO One, show how the climate of a larger area of England and Wales is projected to become suitable for reliably growing sparkling wine grape varieties, and how the potential for high quality still wine production is rapidly emerging.
[...] "We found that significant areas within England and Wales are projected to become warmer by 2040 by up to a further 1.4C during the growing season. This expands the area of suitability for Pinot Noir for sparkling wine production, but also new areas will open up within the growing season temperature suitability range for still Pinot Noir production and for growing varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Semillon and more disease-resistant varieties, which are hardly grown in the UK at present.
"Furthermore, anyone thinking of investing in a vineyard in the UK can now benefit from this knowledge through advice on the best locations, both now and under future climate change conditions."
[...] However, the researchers warn significant challenges remain, arguing that the rapidly changing UK climate requires the industry to remain agile and not 'lock-in' to production which cannot adapt to the changing growing conditions.
Journal Reference:
Alistair Nesbitt, Stephen Dorling, Richard Jones, et al., Climate change projections for UK viticulture to 2040: a focus on improving suitability for Pinot noir [open], Oeno One, 56, 3, 2022. DOI: 10.20870/oeno-one.2022.56.3.5398
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