Good earth-friendly wines can be found in places like Argentina and Greece. It is always a challenge to detect early signs of major weather problems, but vineyards often find themselves in that predicament. Winemakers have monitored vineyard activities for decades and, in some cases, centuries. What has been observed is phenomena such as bud break and grape harvests have been happening increasingly during the last 30 to 40 years.
Count Francesco Marone Cinzano from Col d'Orcia in Tuscany has noted, "At first, we didn't think it was the weather changing. But now, looking back over 20 years, we can see that it was." With Sangiovese grapes, he noted that the picking times were shifting earlier. "In 2012, we even began in late August, which was never heard of before." Today, regions like Burgundy or Tuscany are not rare for the early August harvests, and many winemakers agree with what Cinzano states. It remains true for the new odd hot spells or any other type of troublesome weather.
Some shifts have been beneficial. Fifty years ago, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir seemed impossible to produce and get to taste good in Southern England. Now, they are capable of producing great sparkling wine. But those are the exceptions. When rare things become common, what do things do? While it's clear there is no way to single-handedly stop the Earth's warming, there are ways to attempt to mitigate or reverse the damages. Sourcing vines from cooler or higher altitudes, using light bottles and solar power to reduce carbon emissions, or breeding more resilient varietals—the options are endless.
A Spanish producer is able to combat climate change by avoiding using water, planting vines at higher altitudes, and maintaining nearly 1,500 acres of trees. His brut Cava is refreshing and energetic with a briny lime flavor and fine bubbles. The purchase of land in southern England by big champagne houses like Pommery marks a change in things. A nice sparkling wine is now possible to make here, unlike 50 years ago. Verily, look at this wine now, from the 2017 vine—smooth, a bit of pear, very pleasant.
To meet climate change concerns, Louis Roederer modified his mix. To curb overly sweet flavors, he limits around 35% of the blend to be new wine. This latest blend delivers rich and refreshing flavors in equilibrium. As wine man Jeff Brinkman notes, Carricante grapes from Sicily thrive in the hot Californian regions: "It can grow well but with low sugar." This is why this bold white, which has a lime and honey aroma, boasts only 12% alcohol. The Torres family from Spain are founding members of the International Wineries for Climate Action. To lower carbon emissions, Torres implements solar energy, green heating, smart tractors, and other technologies. This delicious white not only offers deep fruit flavors but also possesses a rich mouthfeel.
Argento is known for his South American Malbecs, but the tangy, spicy blackberry accents set this one apart as a budget-friendly option. With the decreased snowfall in the Andes over the last 15 years, Argento, in addition to transitioning from traditional flood irrigation to drip irrigation, is also employing carbon-sequestering vegetation to decrease land degradation.
Taylor Fladgate's Adrian Bridge started Porto Protocol, a global group of wineries fighting climate change. Celebrate their work with a sip of this smooth tawny, with tastes like sweet citrus skins and toffee.