French wine and climate change

WINE TALK
1

http://climatebiz.com/news/2009/09/08/climate-change-have-staggering-impact-french-wine-producing-pedigree" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mods, I know this could have political implications so move it if you so deem it.

Perhaps folks could keep the discussion to “How will wine change IF we warm?” For example, global warming, if it exists [tease.gif], would affect the weather differently in different places. Some places would be cooler, many warmer and precipitation patterns would change.

If people end up getting nasty I’ll just [suicide.gif] as penance.

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Chris,
If you look at the Greenpeace link they mention 4 to 6 degree ccentigrade rise by 2100. If it goes up that much in the Northern hemisphere what happens ot the polar icecap. It is fresh water and if it melts it will change the salinity of the Ocean where potentially the Gulf Stream, which moderates and provides a temperate climate in Northern Europe for grapes to grow and ripen, will cease as the warm underwater river. The result would be the susbsequent cooling of Nothern Europe not warming. Just something to chew on. I got most of this scenario from Jamie Goode’s book The Science of Wine. The thousand KM comment would put Burgundy growing conditions at the same location as Hamburg, Germany around Latitude 53-54 vs 47 for Beaune.

Mark