Bordeaux Region Vintners Face Global Warming

Your sommelier should probably be stocking up the wine cellar in your restaurant with plenty of Bordeaux region wine if recent predictions come true. The famed grape growing region of France is under heavy threat from global warming trends according to several experts in global warming and vintners who gathered in the area for a meeting recently.

By 2050, Merlot and Cabernet May Be Problematic

The predictions of doom and gloom suggest that by the year 2050, the region will no longer be appropriate for growing Cabernet or Merlot grapes according Jean Pascal Goutololy of the National Institute for Agricultural Research.

A Problem with the Grape Growing Process

The problem, according to Mr. Goutouly and other experts is that the region is experiencing higher temperatures and droughts during the summer. This leads to grapes that ripen too early and vines that are parched at one of the most important moments in their maturation.

Wines Will Lack Aroma and Scent, Along with Flavor

Ultimately, these difficulties mean that the wines created from these grapes will no longer have the famous aroma and scent that Bordeaux region wines are known for. It goes without saying as well that the taste of the wines will suffer in the process as well.

Clones to Be Used

One solution to the problem that some vintners in Bordeaux are considering is to take a second look at some root stock which they had set aside as inappropriate because it absorbed too much water at the wrong times. They hope to clone some of this stock and to manipulate the genes of the grape vines slightly so as to adapt to the changing climate in the area.

Israeli Expertise?

No mention has yet been made of contacting Israeli wine growers, whose stock, while much improved over the last decade or two is still not on a par with French wines. However, given that Israeli growers have managed to successfully adapt a number of varietals to what is after all a much harsher climate than Southern France, it is possible that Israeli teams could be called in for consultations if the crisis approaches more quickly than expected.

Tags: bordeaux, global warming, wine making