Climate change is affecting wine flavours

IN THE FOOTHILLS of Chianti Classico in central Italy, Elena Lapini and her husband make their way down neat rows of grapevines and inspect their fruit. The grapes are ripening too fast under the blistering sun. Too much bronzing on the vine and they will wither into raisins, turning the wine into a syrupy, unpleasant blend. Getting the harvest date right is crucial for this reason, Mrs Lapini says. But climate change is making it increasingly hard.An analysis of harvest dates going back to 1354 from Burgundy in France found that air temperatures have increased so much that grapes are now harvested two weeks earlier than in medieval times. Higher peak temperatures have become the norm, with the biggest jump over the past 30 years. Elizabeth Wolkovich, a biologist at the University of British Columbia researching the impact of climate change on vineyards, says rising temperatures are also changing the taste of wine itself.