Climate Change and Its Impact on the World of Wine

July 14, 2025 By: Dara Vandor

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Climate change is having a significant impact on the wine industry.

Wine grapes have always been an enormously sensitive crop, and individual vintages can be seen as “snapshots” of the growing conditions and weather unique to a specific year. As the weather around the world shifts, winemakers have been forced to adapt practices that may be centuries old to a new reality. Producers are now faced with making daily decisions about their crops, as well as needing to consider longer-term solutions to a warmer and more extreme climate.

Below we have explored some of the ways that climate change has impacted and will continue to impact the world of wine.

Water Stress and Irrigation Needs

Rising temperatures are often accompanied by drought. While the grapevine is inherently drought-resistant, severe water shortages begin to affect the development of the vines. In places like California, water restrictions are impacting how vineyards are managed, and some producers are turning to more drought-resistant grape varieties.

Even with these forward-thinking decisions, weather conditions are also becoming erratic, with extreme weather events like floods and heavy rains damaging vineyards, while inconsistent rainfall can also affect the timing and health of the grape harvest. Another consequence of drought is wildfires: even if a vineyard is not directly touched by fire, the presence of smoke taints the grapes, permeating the thin skins of the fruit and rendering it unusable in fine wine.

Changing Growing Conditions and Altered Flavours

A particular growing cycle is deeply impacted by how the weather unfolds, as well as the seasons that have unfolded before it. Warmer temperatures accelerate the ripening of grapes, which means that growing seasons are shorter and begin earlier in the year.

In the fruit itself, shorter and hotter seasons can lead to higher sugar levels and lower acidity. In the glass, this results in wines with higher alcohol content and potentially altered – and unbalanced – flavour profiles. Grapes grown in hotter conditions tend to produce wine with more pronounced fruit flavours but less complexity. In the future, wines traditionally known for their balance of acidity and tannins may become more one-dimensional.

New Pests, New Diseases

As the climate warms, pests and diseases are spreading to new regions and/or worsening in others. Fungal diseases like powdery mildew thrive in warmer, more humid conditions, as do vine pests, which are seeing faster and more numerous reproductive cycles. Though wine grapes are an incredibly hardy crop, they are unable to evolve quick enough to combat these issues without human intervention.

Shifting Wine Regions

Researchers have warned that 49-70% of existing established wine regions may become unsuitable by the end of the century. Europe, which is responsible for more than 70% of the world’s total production, is particularly vulnerable as its temperatures have increased at twice the global average. From summer heat waves to unpredictable frosts, European yields are being impacted more than any other continents’.

Though traditional wine regions are struggling to cope with new circumstances, the flipside of a warming climate has been an expansion of areas hospitable to wine growing. An example is England’s southern coast, which is now producing world-class sparkling wines able to rival those in Champagne – unthinkable a few decades ago.

Local economies are being transformed in new and diverse regions, and large corporations are investing major capital into buying up a piece of these new vineyards, wanting to get in on the ground floor of these emerging regions. Areas in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, northern Germany, Sweden and Patagonia have all made bids to get into the wine game, and at home in Canada, we are witnessing more northerly inroads being made in Ontario and British Columbia.

Altitude is also becoming an important factor in a warming world. Heights previously considered to be out of range are being put under vine. Higher altitudes mean cooler nights and briefer periods of heat, allowing grapes to ripen more slowly – the new goal for winemakers in a warming world. Though higher isn’t always better – there are drawbacks, including poorer soils, less water and greater risk of adverse weather like hail and frosts.

New Varieties and Techniques

While planting new vineyards in new regions can be a great strategy to combat climate change, many existing growers need to work with the land they have. Some vineyards are experimenting with heat- and drought-resistant grape varieties to adapt to the changing climate. Varieties such as Grenache and Mourvèdre, which thrive in hotter climates, are gaining popularity in regions that were once cooler.

A long-term consequence of this shift might be that grapes that were considered to be the essence of a specific region might fall out of fashion as they become more difficult to grow successfully. Even in Bordeaux, one of the most tightly controlled appellations in the world, governing authorities are experimenting with introducing new and more adaptive grape varieties.

Viticulturalists have begun to explore new practices with existing and experimental vines, adjusting harvest times and doing their best to protect the land under their care from inclement weather, water scarcity and disease. Whereas in the 20th century, winemakers could count on experience and the wisdom of their predecessors to guide them through the harvest cycle, the 21st century will be about adaptation and innovation.

The New Cost of Doing Business

Winemaking has always been complicated, relying on a mix of conventional wisdom and instinct. No two vintages are the same, though in today’s more unpredictable climate, the stakes are higher. Floods, droughts and fires that might have been once in a generation events are becoming the new normal.

Growers dealing with the effects of climate change are often required to invest in technology, irrigation systems, or transitioning to more sustainable farming practices, let alone dealing with damage control after a damaging weather event. These costs end up being passed on to consumers. Similarly, when a climate event impacts a small and tightly controlled region like Burgundy, yields plunge, and the resulting scarcity drives prices up.

WADDINGTON’S PARTNERSHIP WITH Grapes for Humanity

Since 2020, Grapes for Humanity has responded to climate change issues by incorporating support for environmental initiatives, alongside their ongoing assistance to those affected by natural disasters, economic hardship, and children at risk. See the summary of their beneficiaries.