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Global warming is now threatening wine production in the Mediterranean

This is serious

David Maclean
Wednesday 12 July 2017 10:14 BST
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We all know that global warming will trigger sea level rises, and cause mass disruption to our civilisation on a worldwide scale.

But there’s a more imminent danger which will leave some drinkers gasping - rising temperatures are disrupting wine production, threatening wine supplies from hotter countries.

A new report says slightly increased temperatures in the Mediterranean region as a result of global warming may result in labour and productivity losses in the European wine industry.

An article in the Temperature journal outlines the effects of high temperatures on the labour output and productivity of manual agricultural grape-picking workers.

It focused on workers in Cyprus, who often work in conditions up to 36C.

Researchers found that higher temperatures during the summer led to labour losses of up to 27%, as a result of the increased stress on the workers’ metabolic and cardiovascular systems.

There was also a 15% decrease in the amount of time workers could carry out their duties, because of the need for irregular and unplanned work breaks.

The ruin of treasured vineyards could be one of the most easily noticeable signs of the world’s warming climate.

Grapevines are very responsive to their surrounding environment, and the soil’s equilibrium is key to the grape’s taste.

But one unexpected benefit of rising temperatures is the vineyards of Britain.

Sales of English sparkling wine are booming, and it’s partly down to us having eight of the warmest years of the past century occurring since 2002.

It means that parts of the South East, where sparkling wine is made, are just a degree cooler than the Champagne district.

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