NY Times on heat wave in Italy

The mood in Langhe seems pretty grim…ah the effects of global warming!

Yes, I meant to post that in the thread I started a week or so about about the hot weather across Europe.

Not surprised. It was already in mid-80s in late May when I visited with no rain. While many enjoyed the earlier than normal summer weather, some expressed concern about whether it portended a scorching hot, dry year.

At nearly 7 pm, it’s still 87F/31C in Montalcino, and 85F/29C in both Bordeaux and Avignon. Even Beaune is at 81F/27C. All very warm temperatures for this time of day.

Alba is a mild 74F/23C.

Its pretty grim when he says might have to consider planting bananas and pineapples instead.

Yeah, if you think the debates on the ideal ripeness levels of Barolo get acrimonious, just imagine the debates on bananas…

Those difficult decisions about whether you’re too old to buy young Barolo are akin to the issue of whether to buy green bananas.

Just think how bad it will be when the Cavendish goes extinct.

If the weather is too hot/dry for the vines, then it could be pretty disastrous for the truffles.

The usual rule is dry summers = good wines and bad truffles and wet summers the reverse. So I think rainfall more than temperature drives the truffle yield.