France battles to save Champagne amid warnings rising temperatures of just 2C will ruin grape varieties in the region… but growers dismiss idea that production could move to Britain
- Scientists say the lavish drink could disappear by mid-century due to the heat
- If weather continues to rise 2C warmer then ‘champagne will be gone forever’
- Scientists are now working on a breeding programme to produce hybrid grapes
France is battling to save champagne after rising temperatures threaten to ruin the grape varieties used to make the fizzy beverage.
Scientists say the lavish drink could disappear by mid-century after data from 50 weather stations show that average temperatures have risen by 1.1C since 1990.
And if the warmer weather continues to rise and reach 2C higher, ‘champagne will be gone forever’, The Sunday Times reports.
Meanwhile, grapes have already been affected by soaring heat by producing more sugar, causing a boost in alcoholic content.
France is battling to save champagne after rising temperatures threaten to ruin the grape varieties used to make the fizzy beverage (stock photo)
And grape harvesting, which usually starts in late September to early October, is now 18 days earlier on average after temperatures in France reached record levels of 42.9C this year.
Growers are now being encouraged to harvest grapes at night when it is cooler to avoid fermentation.
‘Champagne will be gone forever,’ Thibaut le Mailloux of the Comite Interprofessionel Du Vin De Champagne (CIVC), which represents France’s growers, merchants and government told the publication.
‘In the meantime champagne has to evolve,’ he added.
Scientists say the lavish drink could disappear by mid-century after data from 50 weather stations show that average temperatures have risen by 1.1C since 1990 (stock photo)
Scientists are now working on a breeding programme, hoping to cross traditional French grapes with American varieties to produce a harvest that can resist rising heat and also disease.
However, the new breed may alarm sommeliers and connoisseurs, with champagne needing to be grown in the Champagne region with the specific French-flavoured grapes.
But growers are eager to try their hand at anything to ensure the longevity of the drink, or else see many of the region’s 16,000 growers out of business.
Grape harvesting, which usually starts in late September to early October, is now 18 days earlier after temperatures in France reached record levels of 42.9C (stock photo)
The Met Office predicts that warming will hit the 2C between 2055 and 2075, depending on emissions levels.
It was suggested that champagne could be made in more northerly areas to avoid the heat.
However, it is illegal to label any product champagne unless it both comes from the French region and is produced under the rules of the appellation.