Industry ponders effects of global warming

In the last 50 years, average temperatures have warmed by 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit in the main wine-producing regions of California, Oregon and Washington, according to a study published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and aired on ABC News.

At the first World Meeting on Global Warming and Wine, held in Barcelona, Spain, in 2006, 148 wine industry professionals from around the world met to analyze the situation.

That the Earth is warming seems to be a given. But, there is a debate as to why. Greenhouse gas emissions are the main culprit, claim a host of climatologists and environmentalists. It is part of the Earth's natural climate cycle, say others.

"I haven't seen enough evidence that ozone is effecting climatic changes," said Robert Smerling, Renwood Winery chairman and chief executive officer. "I do believe this planet has gone through many climate changes in the last 1,000 years, by natural and evolutionary causes.

"Take Greenland; the Vikings named it because it was green. Today it's barren, frozen over by ice. ... It's nice to speculate red varietals could be grown in areas that today only support whites. If I truly believed these events would occur in our lifetime, I'd buy land in Reno and start a vineyard."

In Paso Robles, Robert Hall winemaker Don Brady admitted, "I'm concerned about changes in our weather patterns, especially catastrophic weather events such as the three-week, record-breaking heat wave that parked itself in our vineyards this summer."

When the temperature gets in the triple digits, vines simply shut down and go into survival mode.

"Global warming is a really complex issue," Brady added. "Nobody knows for sure what it will bring."

"If the Mosel Valley (of Germany) is any indication, global warming has been in effect since 1988," said Brian Harlan, national sales manager for Loosen Bros. USA. "Historically, this 50-degree, north-latitude valley has been a frightfully cool, damp place to grow vines. ... However, the pattern has gone completely haywire since the 1988 vintage.

"There have only been a handful of 'challenging' vintages. ... The norm now is for sunny vintages, riper fruit."

German riesling lovers are the winners in the short run, but "such a string of superior vintages does provide at least anecdotal evidence that global warming is manifesting itself in Germany," Harlan added.

Water has an enormous impact on grape cultivation. As temperatures warm up and rain diminishes, vineyards depending on rain would be most severely affected. At Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, representative Mark LeMire said, "Our vineyards are in eastern Washington, a high desert region. ... We receive only 6 to 8 inches of rainfall annually, versus Napa which receives 25 to 35 inches or Bordeaux which receives 20 to 30 inches. Despite the lack of rainfall, Washington wineries are fortunate to have three major river systems to source water from. This allows winemakers to practice deficit irrigation, meaning they strictly control how much water the vine gets and when the vine will receive it."

"Going green" has become a trendy term among wineries. Lolonis Winery, for one, has been farming organically long before it became trendy.

"The Lolonis family has been growing grapes in Redwood Valley, Mendocino, for 86 years," said Phillip Lolonis. "Farming organically creates a more proactive farming regimen.

"In the past, vineyard General Manager Al Tollini (third generation Redwood Valley grower) formed a farming process based on past years, comparing them to most recent ones. For three years this has not worked well. Weather patterns have been nowhere near the past 40 years. We have to be ready for anything."

Practical changes are under way around the world to protect air and water quality and make wineries more energy efficient.

In Campania, Italy, Feudi di San Gregorio's vineyards are equipped with solar-powered meteorological stations gathering data continuously. By closely monitoring the environment, Feudi is able to practice eco-compatible viticulture.

In California, Rodney Strong Winery is among those utilizing solar power. At Clos du Bois Winery, a two-story "biodigester" treats the winery's process water and recycles it back through the property's drip irrigation systems.

Many wineries now use no-till organic farming methods rather than disrupt the soil and release stored carbon into the air as carbon dioxide, a key heat-trapping gas leading to global warming. Between grape rows, red clover, daikon radishes and other crops set nitrogen into the soil and keep carbon in the ground. During dry months, stubble left after mowing provides habitat for spiders and predators that eat grapevine-eating critters.