Climate change will be affecting wine

I consider this a very bad situation. I like a good wine and I like a cool environment. I also believe that the human race may eventually die out if we don't act on this issue in the next few years. We do have some time, but the longer we wait the harder it will be to change back the environment destruction human kind is perpetuating on this planet. Let's not kid our selves. If we don't fix this we WILL start to die out in a few decades. The Koch Brothers and other naysayers  believe they can ignore the problem and it will either go way or we will all die off before it gets bad. WE have to deal with this disaster. So here is an important article about wine (which I really like) and saving the environment.

-Otto

From F5:

by Vickie Kline

A friend recently shared an article with me that discussed the effects of climate change on growing grapes and winemaking. It explained how a shift in climate and temperature is changing balance and flavor in the grape growing regions of California. Winegrowers think of climate on three levels: macroclimate, mesoclimate and microclimate, and each is important in determining the look, feel and flavor of a wine.

The macroclimate is the overall region, influenced by geographical location and setting, the growing season, temperature and rainfall patterns. The temperature controls when the vines come out of winter dormancy and begin the ripening process. As global temperatures increase, certain regions are struggling with drought that causes uneven grape yields.

The mesoclimate is the local vineyard and is responsible for controlling the delicate balance of acid and sugar, which forms the foundation of taste. There exists a particular point during ripening, when the sugar increases and the acid decreases, which creates a balanced grape ready for harvest. In warmer temperatures when grapes ripen more quickly than expected, the sugar content is too low and/or the acid is too high. This is not the recipe for tried-and-true or traditional wines.

Finally, the microclimate is the actual cluster of grapes within a canopy of leaves. This cluster must have the correct amount of sun exposure to produce the characteristic color of a wine. With a shortened ripening period the color is unable to fully compose. This is a lot of technical talk, but all important to the look, feel and taste of the wines we're drinking these days.

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