Valle Isarco, the small wine area in the northern corner of Alto Adige, has taken the consequence of global warming. Italian wine magazine Corriere Vinicolo has interviewed local producers who agree on a new, heat friendly wine strategy. For example, the frost resistant Muller Thurgau grape is being replaced by the better quality Sylvaner grape.

Wineries in Valle Isarco confirm that harvest has advanced from October to primo September.

But global warming is not only challenging Valle Isarco. Winemakers around the world are noticing huge vintage variation due to changing weather patterns. According to Wine Magazine Decanter, Boris Champy, joint director of Maison Louis Latour in Burgundy, said that analysis of the growing season for the past 70 years showed harvests had advanced by 10 days due to global warming. Looking at data since 1940, Champy said “it’s not the summer temperature that’s changed – it’s the spring – March, April and May – is clearly warmer than 20 to 40 years ago”. “We don’t worry too much about it, if it was global cooling we would really worry, but we have to adapt,” including making changes to pruning techniques.