The impact of climate change on viticulture and wine quality

Cornelis van Leeuwen (1) , Philippe Darriet (2)

1 UMR EGFV - Ecophysiologie et Génomique Fonctionnelle de la Vigne
2 OENO - Unité de Recherche Oenologie [Villenave d'Ornon]

Climate change is a major challenge in wine production. Temperatures are increasing worldwide, and most regions are exposed to water deficits more frequently. Higher temperatures trigger advanced phenology. This shifts the ripening phase to warmer periods in the summer, which will affect grape composition, in particular with respect to aroma compounds. Increased water stress reduces yields and modifies fruit composition. The frequency of extreme climatic events (hail, flooding) is likely to increase. Depending on the region and the amount of change, this may have positive or negative implications on wine quality. Adaptation strategies are needed to continue to produce high-quality wines and to preserve their typicity according to their origin in a changing climate. The choice of plant material is a valuable resource to implement these strategies. (JEL Classifications: Q13, Q54)

Mots clés: Climate Change; Temperature; Water Deficit; Wine Quality; Wine Typicity

Mots clés: Vitis Vinifera; Adaptation Au Changement Climatique; Déficit Hydrique; Typicité Du Vin; Maturation Du Raisin; Qualité Du Vin; Phénologie

Domaines: Biologie végétale

Cornelis van Leeuwen, Philippe Darriet. The impact of climate change on viticulture and wine quality. Journal of Wine Economics, In press, 11 (1), pp.150-167. ⟨10.1017/jwe.2015.21⟩. ⟨hal-02523687⟩