The impact of climate change, which has begun to directly affect our lives, is causing concern among all sectors engaged in agriculture. Since wine is at the core of WAYANA's work, it is clear that the effects of climate change on vineyards and viticulture will inevitably reflect on wine. Moreover, as these changes are occurring so rapidly, finding immediate and accurate solutions to the challenges faced is not always possible. This compels producers to take risky decisions and bear their consequences.
Under ideal conditions, the stages of grape growth within a season can roughly be outlined in the following timeline. Assuming the start time is marked by nature’s awakening, we can observe the weekly changes in vineyards as follows:
Week 1: Flowering
The vines complete their initial budding. Tiny, greenish grape flowers begin to form the foundation of the clusters.
Weeks 2-3: Fruit Set
The flowers transform into fruit, yielding acidic, green, small, and firm berries about 2-3 mm in size.
Weeks 4-6: Berry Growth
The berries absorb water and round out, reaching a diameter of 5-8 mm. Their acid content remains high.
Weeks 7-8: Skin and Acid Development
The skins thicken and start to slightly change color. The insides remain firm and acidic, with low sugar levels.
Weeks 9-10: Color Change
Red and black grapes darken, while white grapes turn yellow. Sugar levels rise, acidity drops, and the berries begin to soften.
Weeks 11-14: Sugar Accumulation and Ripening
Sugar accumulation accelerates, the skins become elastic, and the berries grow. While sugar increases, acidity continues to decline. Aromas become more pronounced, and the influence of terroir starts to emerge.
Weeks 15-18: Pre-Harvest
The berries fully ripen. The balance of sugar and acidity reaches its optimal level. The texture of the berries softens, aromas peak, and the skins are resilient enough to resist external factors.
Weeks 19-20: Harvest
Typically, white wine grapes are harvested earlier, while red wine grapes are harvested later.
Generally, the ripening period of grapes, accepted as 120 days, can be shortened to 100 days under hot weather conditions or extended to 130 days in cooler years. Provided other factors remain constant, vintners always acknowledge that a longer season positively contributes to grape quality. Physiologically, a longer ripening period significantly aids tannin development. Wines made from grapes that have experienced a distinguished ripening period are much more likely to achieve success, revealing complex aromas and flavors.
The most critical feature of global climate change is the observed rise in temperature levels. Its direct effects on vineyards and grapes include earlier harvest times and shortened ripening periods. These issues were among the most significant challenges faced by viticulture in our country during 2024. Grapes harvested in 2024 were picked one to three weeks earlier than usual throughout almost the entire country. We will begin to observe the extent of this shortening’s impact and how it affects the wines produced from these grapes starting next year.
Of course, experienced winemaking teams, drawing from lessons learned in previous hot years and applying alternative technical solutions, will likely ensure that the wines meet expectations. However, we must remember that the most crucial component of winemaking is the grape itself. There is a widely accepted saying in the wine world: "It is possible to make bad wine from good grapes, but it is impossible to make good
