Page 32 - Grapevine JanFeb 2021_REV

Around The Vineyard

Wine Varietals and Climate Change of years. He adds there’s also a need to develop
increasing regenerative agriculture processes that
Dr. Gregory V. Jones, maintain healthy soils and optimize energy and
Evenstad Director of Wine water systems.
Education, who holds the
Evenstad Chair in Wine As expected, climate change has produced a
Studies, and a professor global shift in the types of grapes being grown. For
and research climatolo- example, Jones pointed out that Bordeaux added
gist at Linfield University, new varieties to its list, and France just adopted a
opened the conversation whole collection of new hybrids that are specifically
with a discussion about designed for warmer climates. He added that many
the dramatic effects of regions are going to be interested in places where
global climate change on indigenous varieties have been grown in warm-
the wine industry in terms er climates like Greece and Cyprus. Also, Israel
of landscapes, marketplace, and wine growing. is doing research on the cultivar performance of
Citing data coming out of Berkeley Earth labora- grapes by replicating the types of climates that we
tory, which Dr. Jones noted is similar to data from might see in the future.
other climate laboratories, since 1980, the trend
in global temperatures has risen nearly three to Selecting Alternative Varietals
four degrees Fahrenheit. All signs signs indicate the
temperature will continue rise along with acceler- Brian Gruber, wine-
ated trends towards warmer summers and winters, grower and winemaker in
as well as less rain with the exception of spring in Southern Oregon’s Rogue
many regions. Valley with Swallow
Hill Vineyard, Barrel 42
When examining the global response from the Custom Winecraft, and
wine industry, Dr. Jones stated that growers from Quady North Winery,
different wine regions are discussing how to adapt spoke at this symposium
to this future warming climate. “You can see invest- about how his specialty
ment in reducing energy and water needs, along is variety. Presently, 28
with changes in viticultural practices and varieties varietals make up more
of grapes grown.” than 80 percent of their
harvest. “We have so many microclimates, terroir,
Due to climate change, the limits of viticulture soil types, elevations, and other aspects. There’s no
have change dramatically in the past 20 to 40 years. one thing that grows best in southern Oregon. It’s
For example, the 58 degree latitude mark that des- very much matching a site to the best varieties,”
ignated the furthest north one could establish a Gruber stated.
viable vineyard has grown up north to 61 degrees
latitude. Also, this overall warming has created When Gruber began exploring growing different
changes in ripening characteristics with grapes now varietals, he looked too see what other winemakers
coming to fruition in less time. in the region were growing. “I had a neighboring
winemaker who was growing nine varietals. And
In his assessment, the way to increase adaptabili- that gave me a chance to see what was growing in
ty is to decrease vulnerability. “We need to realize my neighborhood.”
the large potential that we have for adaptation,
Dr. Jones reflects. Here he points to some recent Next he assessed those varietals he planted via
research from Cornell involving DNA sequencing trial and error with test plots. In addressing one’s
kind of framework where they can breed varieties particular site Gruber suggested taking the follow-
plants in the order of months and weeks instead ing factors into account: climate (growing days,

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