Champagne industry must face up to negative impact of global warming

By James Lawrence

Published: 09 June, 2014

One of the biggest challenges facing the Champagne industry is how to manage the negative effects of global warming, according to Krug's senior viticulturist, Romain Le Guillou.

Speaking to Harpers.co.uk during the annual Krug celebration last month, Le Guillou said the difficult 2013 growing season was a prime example of how climate change was affecting the region.

"Although the vintage was ultimately quite successful, our growers had to contend with unpredictable and highly volatile weather, unseasonably late and uneven flowering, summer storm and hail damage and vine diseases," Le Guillou said.

"There is no doubt that coping with the vicissitudes of climate change is now one of our growers top priorities," he added.

However, the official line from many growers across the region in recent years has focused on the positive effects from the increased temperatures associated with global warming.

Nonetheless, Champagne's regulatory body the Comité Champagne has invested considerable sums into researching and anticipating the possible negative consequences of climate change, as well as protecting the region. The body recently announced a new environmental certification open to growers.

"The Champagne region was the first wine growing region to collectively appreciate the need to address the global climate challenge over 13 years ago. We are dedicated to constantly building on our region-wide environmental initiatives to ensure Champagne's sustainability for future generations," said Thibaut le Mailloux, director of communications at Comité Champagne.

Dominique Garréta, director of communications at Taittinger, told Harpers that the house recognised the complexity of the climate change issue in Champagne.

"The impact of global warming has, for the time being, been considerably positive for the Champagne region with, in the last 20 years, a significant increase in yields along with an increase in the grapes sugar content," she said.

"That said, an increase in the frequency of storms and summer hail damage, with the significant risk of streaming and erosion for a vineyard which is largely planted on hillsides, is of concern," Garreta added.

Taittinger added that the region would have to adapt the way it works with vines in areas that lack water supply, citing the examples of sandy subsoils (Massif de Saint-Thierry) and hard chalk in the Aube region.

"Maybe we will have to implement an irrigation system in some places to avoid maturation freeze; maybe will we go for a lower plantation density," Garreta said.

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