This year, Europe have “endured another rollercoaster of natural disasters” – suffering damage from excessive rain, hailstorms, and extreme temperatures. Due to extreme weather conditions, wine harvests in Italy reportedly may have fallen by 12% and in Spain by 20%. And the head of a Japanese brewer has reportedly claimed that the availability of beer could fall due to climate change, as well, given a decline in Europe’s barley crops.
A deluge of biblical proportions had a terrible impact on vineyards in Austria, Croatia, France, Italy, and Slovenia; far more problematic, it seems, than an abundance of sunshine. Many wineries are forecasting significantly lower yields in 2023, due to rampant downy mildew. Meanwhile, over 4600 hectares of vineyards in Georgia were damaged by hailstorms in early September, centered around the Kakheti region.
Bordeaux has also had a rough ride this year.
The future of Europe's southern vineyards remains precarious. Hence the ongoing R&D and emphasis on "adapting to a new normal". Understandably, much innovation is focused on coping with drought and excessive heat.
More information here: Europe's Vineyards Plagued by Pestilence | Wine-Searcher News & Features
