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Champagne trying to defeat heat amid another early harvest
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Champagne trying to defeat heat amid another early harvest 1 September 2018, by Elaine Ganley In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 workers pick white grapes during the grape harvest season in the Champagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France. Temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in 30 years, and pickers are scrambling to bring in yet another early harvest. The specter of climate change is haunting the vineyards of France, and its creeping effects, including chaotic weather, are becoming the new normal. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Jean-Pierre Vazart has more than a dozen weather apps on his phone. But the winemaker, who grows Chardonnay grapes in France's Champagne region, is still stressed out. Temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in 30 years, and pickers are scrambling to bring in yet another early harvest. The specter of climate change is haunting the vineyards of France, and its creeping effects, including chaotic weather, are becoming the new normal. For now, winemakers say they are benefiting from the warmer temperatures, with ripe grapes begging to be picked. But Vazart, 50, is worried a sudden hailstorm could devastate his succulent white grapes before the end of his 12-day harvest period, which began Monday. Rainstorms and hail compromised last year's less abundant Champagne harvest. "The stress is with you ... until the last day," said Vazart from Chouilly, near Epernay, the epicenter of the Champagne region, which counts some 15,000 winegrowers. It's the fifth time in 15 years that the harvest—traditionally a September ritual that can run into October—has started so early, according to Comite Champagne, which groups all industry players. To counter the effects of global warming, scientists are planting the seeds of a small revolution in Champagne country: inseminating flowering grapes with pollen from lab plants to try to develop more weather-resistant varieties. If successful, the process would add to the seven authorized Champagne grape varieties—with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier mainly used—to create the crisp, bubbly Champagne with its perfect mellow notes. In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, a worker picks white grapes during the grape harvest season in the Champagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France. 1 / 7
Transcript of Champagne trying to defeat heat amid another early harvest
Champagne trying to defeat heat amidanother early harvest1 September 2018, by Elaine Ganley
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 workerspick white grapes during the grape harvest season in theChampagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France.Temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in30 years, and pickers are scrambling to bring in yetanother early harvest. The specter of climate change ishaunting the vineyards of France, and its creepingeffects, including chaotic weather, are becoming the newnormal. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Jean-Pierre Vazart has more than a dozen weatherapps on his phone. But the winemaker, who growsChardonnay grapes in France's Champagneregion, is still stressed out.
Temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius(2.16 F) in 30 years, and pickers are scrambling tobring in yet another early harvest. The specter ofclimate change is haunting the vineyards ofFrance, and its creeping effects, including chaoticweather, are becoming the new normal.
For now, winemakers say they are benefiting fromthe warmer temperatures, with ripe grapes beggingto be picked. But Vazart, 50, is worried a suddenhailstorm could devastate his succulent whitegrapes before the end of his 12-day harvest
period, which began Monday. Rainstorms and hailcompromised last year's less abundantChampagne harvest.
"The stress is with you ... until the last day," saidVazart from Chouilly, near Epernay, the epicenterof the Champagne region, which counts some15,000 winegrowers.
It's the fifth time in 15 years that theharvest—traditionally a September ritual that can runinto October—has started so early, according toComite Champagne, which groups all industryplayers.
To counter the effects of global warming, scientistsare planting the seeds of a small revolution inChampagne country: inseminating flowering grapeswith pollen from lab plants to try to develop moreweather-resistant varieties. If successful, theprocess would add to the seven authorizedChampagne grape varieties—with Pinot Noir,Chardonnay and Meunier mainly used—to createthe crisp, bubbly Champagne with its perfectmellow notes.
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, a workerpicks white grapes during the grape harvest season inthe Champagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France.
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Temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in30 years, and pickers are scrambling to bring in yetanother early harvest. The specter of climate change ishaunting the vineyards of France, and its creepingeffects, including chaotic weather, are becoming the newnormal. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Creating new grape varieties might once have beenunthinkable in a land where each step of theChampagne-making process is rigidly codified. Butgrapes of the future—with new names but the tasteof Champagne's "terroir"—are already being testedin three experimental vineyards. The projects,which began in 2014, may produce one or two new grape varieties, according to Arnaud Descotes,technical and environmental director of ComiteChampagne.
He stressed that results won't be known for at leasta decade, and the grapes would be rejected if blindtaste tests fail to ensure the bubbly is not corrupted.
The Champagne region calls itself a pioneer ofsustainable development, saying it's the first in thewinegrowing world to measure its carbon footprint,which it said it reduced by 7 percent from 2003 to2013. Officials are looking to lower greenhousegases by 25 percent in 2025. Reducing the weightof the famously heavy Champagne bottles by 65grams was among crucial measures.
The region isn't unique in its experimental drive.Elsewhere in France, researchers are also seekingways to create heat-friendly grapes and protect thecountry's wine industry, both a multibillion dollarexport market and part of the national identity.
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 workerspick white grapes during the grape harvest season in theChampagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France.Temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in30 years, and pickers are scrambling to bring in yetanother early harvest. The specter of climate change ishaunting the vineyards of France, and its creepingeffects, including chaotic weather, are becoming the newnormal. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
In a taste-and-tell bid to show the effects of climatewarming on the famed wines of Bordeaux, insouthwest France, a noted oenologue, biologist andwinegrower created "2050," his wine of the future.Pascal Chatonnet assembled standard varietiesused in Bordeaux wines but from the FrenchMediterranean region of Languedoc-Roussillon andthe North African nation of Tunisia.
Tasted by the publication Science et Avenir, it wasdeemed drinkable but different, with tastes of redfruit but "very ripe, a bit cooked, with a final short,chocolatey note." Not Bordeaux.
For Vazart, optimism is essential.
"If we believed only the bad news, we'd changejobs now," he said.
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In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 winegrower Jean Pierre Vazart poses among the vineyardsduring the grape harvest season, in the Champagneregion, in Chouilly, eastern France. Vazart has more thana dozen weather apps on his phone. But the winemaker,who grows Chardonnay grapes in France's Champagneregion, is still stressed out. Temperatures have risen 1.2degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in 30 years, and pickers arescrambling to bring in yet another early harvest. (APPhoto/Thibault Camus)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 workerspick white grapes during the grape harvest season in theChampagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France.Temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in30 years, and pickers are scrambling to bring in yetanother early harvest. The specter of climate change ishaunting the vineyards of France, and its creepingeffects, including chaotic weather, are becoming the newnormal. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 a view ofthe Champagne vineyards in the Champagne region, inHautvillers, eastern France. Temperatures have risen 1.2degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in 30 years, and pickers arescrambling to bring in yet another early harvest. Thespecter of climate change is haunting the vineyards ofFrance, and its creeping effects, including chaoticweather, are becoming the new normal. (APPhoto/Thibault Camus)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 winegrower Jean Pierre Vazart poses among the vineyardsduring the grape harvest season, in the Champagneregion, in Chouilly, eastern France. Vazart has more thana dozen weather apps on his phone. But the winemaker,who grows Chardonnay grapes in France's Champagneregion, is still stressed out. Temperatures have risen 1.2degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in 30 years, and pickers arescrambling to bring in yet another early harvest. (APPhoto/Thibault Camus)
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In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 a tractorruns among vineyards during the grape harvest season,in the Champagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France.Temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in30 years, and pickers are scrambling to bring in yetanother early harvest. To counter the creeping effects ofclimate change, including chaotic weather, scientists areexperimenting with developing more resistant grapevarieties. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 boxesfilled with grapes are stacked on a road among vineyardsduring the grape harvest season, in the Champagneregion, in Chouilly, eastern France. Temperatures haverisen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in 30 years, andpickers are scrambling to bring in yet another earlyharvest. To counter the creeping effects of climatechange, including chaotic weather, scientists areexperimenting with developing more resistant grape
varieties. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 workerscarry white grapes that were picked during the grapeharvest season in the Champagne region, in Chouilly,eastern France. Temperatures have risen 1.2 degreesCelsius (2.16 F) in 30 years, and pickers are scramblingto bring in yet another early harvest. To counter thecreeping effects of climate change, including chaoticweather, scientists are experimenting with developingmore resistant grape varieties. (AP Photo/ThibaultCamus)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 a workertransports white grapes during the grape harvest seasonin the Champagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France.Temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in30 years, and pickers are scrambling to bring in yetanother early harvest. To counter the creeping effects of
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climate change, including chaotic weather, scientists areexperimenting with developing more resistant grapevarieties. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 a workerpicks white grapes during the grape harvest season inthe Champagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France. Theharvest, traditionally a September ritual that can run intoOctober, is the fifth in 15 years to start so early,according to the Comite Champagne, which groups allindustry players. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 a workerpicks white grapes during the grape harvest season inthe Champagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France.Temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in30 years, and pickers are scrambling to bring in yetanother early harvest. To counter the creeping effects ofclimate change, including chaotic weather, scientists are
experimenting with developing more resistant grapevarieties. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 workerspick white grapes during the grape harvest season in theChampagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France. Theharvest, traditionally a September ritual that can run intoOctober, is the fifth in 15 years to start so early,according to the Comite Champagne, which groups allindustry players. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
In this picture taken Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 a workertransports white grapes during the grape harvest seasonin the Champagne region, in Chouilly, eastern France.Temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in30 years, and pickers are scrambling to bring in yetanother early harvest. The specter of climate change ishaunting the vineyards of France, and its creepingeffects, including chaotic weather, are becoming the new
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normal. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 boxesfilled with grapes are stacked on a road among vineyardsduring the grape harvest season, in the Champagneregion, in Chouilly, eastern France. Temperatures haverisen 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in 30 years, andpickers are scrambling to bring in yet another earlyharvest. To counter the creeping effects of climatechange, including chaotic weather, scientists areexperimenting with developing more resistant grapevarieties. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 a boxcontaining grapes on the ground among vineyards duringthe grape harvest season, in the Champagne region, inChouilly, eastern France. Temperatures have risen 1.2degrees Celsius (2.16 F) in 30 years, and pickers arescrambling to bring in yet another early harvest. To
counter the creeping effects of climate change, includingchaotic weather, scientists are experimenting withdeveloping more resistant grape varieties. (APPhoto/Thibault Camus)
© 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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APA citation: Champagne trying to defeat heat amid another early harvest (2018, September 1) retrieved5 January 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2018-09-champagne-defeat-early-harvest.html
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