Detail of a Grapes' Leaf in a Vineyard in France

French wine maker Philippe Valette shows a grapes' leaf affected by Mildew illness in his vineyard. If temperatures increase beyond 2°C, France will be faced with a runaway geographical displacement of both its natural and cultivated ecosystems, and the effects on the sustainability of wine production will be catastrophic for the local industry.

Unique identifier: GP01UFB

Type: Image

Shoot date: 26/08/2009

Locations: Bourgogne, Chaintre, Europe, West Europe, France

Credit line: © Greenpeace / Pierre Gleizes

Size: 3726px × 2480px 2MB

Ranking: ★★★★ (E)

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Climate Change Effects on Wine in France

This documentation shows how France, famous for its unique wine varieties, stands to lose an important part of its cultural heritage as rising temperatures impact vineyards. Unless world leaders can ensure an ambitious deal on climate change at the upcoming United Nations summit in Copenhagen, French wines face a grim future. French wine production is a climatically sensitive endeavor and is at great risk from environmental change. For optimum quality each variety (like Chardonnay or Pinot Noir) is grown in specific regions within narrow climatic variability. But the climate is changing now. The average annual temperature has significantly increased, leading to major shifts in the wine production calendar. In 2003, many French vineyards experienced changes and the grapes produced had undesirable characteristics. Scientists predict that at the end of this century half of all summers could be like the summer of 2003.

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