Amidst summer heat and recurring droughts, winemakers across the country are grappling with the inevitable: the effects of climate change, which could impact the quality of their grapes and the distinctive flavors of their wines.
In response to rising global temperatures, some winemakers are changing grape growing methods, to mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce their carbon footprint.
It has been found that increasing temperatures alter the chemical composition of grapes and therefore the taste of wine, as grapes ripen faster during warmer growing seasons.
According to a study conducted in 2024, rising temperatures could make 70% of the world's wine regions unsuitable for growing grapes if global temperatures exceed a certain threshold.
MORE: Rising temperatures could make 70% of the world's wine regions unsuitable for growing grapes: scientists
Experts say climate change could potentially lead to reduced grape yields in some regions due to changes in temperature and water availability, which in turn will lead to an increase in extreme weather events.
Winegrowers who have been cultivating the same land for decades or even generations may be reluctant to move their vineyards to a more suitable climate—a solution proposed by viticulture researchers, Greg Gambetta, a professor of viticulture at Bordeaux Sciences Agro and the Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences in France, told ABC News.
Some producers are trying other strategies to protect the integrity of their grapes in the face of climate change, as well as make their operations more sustainable in an effort to prevent further warming.
MORE: New research shows climate change may soon affect the taste of beer.
One winemaker's quest to save trees to make better wine
In the Pacific Northwest, a region that has repeatedly faced historic extreme heat waves in recent years, one winemaker is using the natural landscape to make his vineyard more resilient to climate change.
Winemakers at Abbott Claim, a renowned estate in Oregon's Willamette Valley known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, believe preserving the Oregon white oak trees surrounding the vineyard helps strengthen the vines, Abbott Claim general manager Alban Debolie told ABC News.
According to Debolie, the presence of white oak trees near vineyards promotes the formation of mycelium—an underground network of fungi that interacts with the oak's root system and improves nutrient uptake. Grapevines also thrive thanks to the rich underground mycelial network.
There is evidence that increasing plant diversity along the edges or even in hedgerows of vineyards can improve biodiversity, Gambetta said.
«"Preserving the natural ecosystem that surrounds us has always been a top priority for us," said Debolieu.
Photo courtesy of Abbott Claim: Abbott Claim Estate, located in Oregon's Willamette Valley, preserves white oak trees to keep its vineyard healthy.
Realizing that some areas of the land were unlikely to produce world-class wine again, they began reforestation efforts, planting white oak saplings over the past two years.
Sustainability principles are also embedded in every aspect of their operations. Since the facility is located 16 feet underground, the natural temperature allows for minimal air conditioning use. The roofs are covered with solar panels, which offset 100% of energy consumption and often generate surplus energy, which is then returned to the grid.
A vineyard in California's wine region is strengthening its soil to help it withstand rising temperatures.
The Northern California wine region has suffered from megadroughts for decades. But the most noticeable impact of climate change has been the wildfires of the past decade, James Cerda, sommelier and head of marketing at Elusa Winery in Calistoga, California, part of Napa Valley, told ABC News.
The 2020 fires were so devastating that Elusa, like many others, completely stopped producing its products.
«"We didn't produce a single bottle of red wine that year because of the smoky flavor," Cerda said.
Photo: Samuel Corum/AFP via Getty Images, FILE PHOTO: In this September 29, 2020, file photo, thick smoke from the Glass Fire settles among rows of grapes at Wolleson Vineyard in Calistoga, Napa Valley, California.
The 200-acre Donum Estate farm in Sonoma, California, which produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, was hit by major wildfires in 2017 and 2020, causing it to lose half its crop, Angelique de Vere Mabre, CEO of Donum Estate, told ABC News.
The team subsequently began implementing strategies to protect the vines, said Tony Chapman, head of sales at The Donum Estate.
Photo by Bob Berg: The Donum Estate in Napa Valley, California, changed the soil pH to make the vineyard healthier.
Donum now permanently covers the soil in the middle rows of the vineyard with cover crops and native plants, which has reduced soil temperatures and increased vine resilience. According to Chapman, the lower soil temperatures have also reduced the overall canopy temperature.
Cover crops—crops grown to improve soil health and water quality between crops—have the potential to mitigate some of the impacts of climate change on agricultural systems, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Other sustainability practices also contribute to the longevity of the vineyard.
Donum winemakers practice regenerative farming, maintaining living roots year-round and using no-till farming—an agricultural technique in which crops are grown without disturbing the soil through plowing or tillage.
MORE: Answers to questions about wine: how to pour, drink, and store different varieties.
How other winemakers are applying sustainability principles
Sustainability has become commonplace in viticulture, as producers recognize the damage repetitive agricultural practices can cause to the landscape and the significant carbon footprint of modern farming methods. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the global agricultural sector and food systems accounted for approximately 30% of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.
Lina Gujan, sommelier at Kiko, a restaurant in downtown New York that specializes in Asian cuisine, places a strong emphasis on organic wines for her wine list, she told ABC News.
Among the "minimum essential" sustainability practices that Gujan adheres to are fermentation using the grapes' natural yeasts and winemakers acidifying the wine—a necessary step to restore balance to the wine when heat causes the grapes to ripen too quickly.
PHOTO FROM PHOTOGRAPHY/Getty Images - PHOTO: This undated file photo shows a vineyard in Bennington, Vermont.
La Garagista Farm and Winery in Bethel, Vermont, grows cool-climate hybrid grape varieties using organic and biodynamic methods, Deirdre Hickin, La Garagista's founder and head winemaker, told ABC News.
Hybrids are a little-studied aspect of viticulture and winemaking that has great potential for improving sustainability, Gambetta said.
Across the Atlantic, at Souleil Vin de Bont, an organic wine producer in the south of France, sustainability is at the core of its operations, founder Marianne Fabre-Lanvin told ABC News.
Souley uses only organically certified grapes, meaning no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers are used in the vineyard. The vines are also vegan. Instead of egg whites, pea protein is used to filter the wine, said Fabre-Lanvin.
Monitoring and adaptation are "especially relevant" in times of climate instability, Hikin said.