The Little Ice Age and France

T h e L i t t l e I c e A g e a n d F r a n c e

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The Little Ice Age and How France Became ‘The King of Wine’

 

We know from the researches of scientists who study the geology and climatology of our planet that there are ‘Ice Ages’ where freezing cold prevails in the world. After these ice ages, which lasted for millions of years, there are warm periods called ‘Greenhouse Ages’. The period we are in and where humanity has made a great change is considered a transition period between the ice ages.

 

But apart from these periods lasting millions of years, the world also has periods of shorter duration and smaller temperature differences. One of them is the period between the years 950-1250, when the average temperature increased by about 1oC, which is called the ‘Temperate Medieval Period’. During this period, vineyards spread over a wide area extending to the Baltic coast. Wine was produced on the territory of present-day Denmark and Norway. Records in England show that in 1048 there were 42 vineyards in the country. We know that during the reign of Queen Elizabeth The 1st, wine was made from grapes obtained from 16,000 vines in Windsor vineyards. But from about 1450, the world enters a new cycle and this time temperatures drop 1oC below the general average. This period, which lasts for about 400 years and is called the ‘Little Ice Age’, brings the end of viticulture in England. On the other hand, the region starting from Paris in France to Valencia in Spain has the most suitable conditions for the development of viticulture.

 

When we look at the climate changes of the last millennium, which we have summarized above, there are a few important topics that come to the fore. The first of these titles is how 1oC change can create dramatic changes. This increase of 1oC, which made viticulture and winemaking possible even in Southern Norway brought the viticulture to an end in England this time with a decrease of 1oC from the general average. In the meantime this change enabled France to remain unrivaled in the field of wine and become the leading wine country. So this is the second title.

 

What we read above inevitably brings us to one of the most troublesome realities of our day: global warming. When we look at the dramatic developments created by the 1oC temperature difference, it is obvious that some regions, which are vineyard areas today, will not be able to preserve these natural advantages in the near future. But we must also take into account the possibility that some places that are not suitable for viticulture today will be ideal vineyards fifty years from now. Let's sum up the article with an example. While there was no viticulture in Michigan, one of the northern states of America in the 1950s, today Michigan Riesling wines have taken their place on the shelves.

 

While doing our WAYANA wine tastings, we give our guests the Gewürtztraminer wine as an example. We explain how Gewürtztraminer, grown in the vineyards of Yanik Ülke in the Kula district of Manisa in Turkey, and wine made from the same grape grown in vineyards in Austria or Germany, yield different results and how the regional temperature creates a change. It is a very striking experience how the high acid level created by growing in a cold climate changes with the higher temperature of our country.

 

In summary, we will not be able to grow grapes in the regions where today's favorite vineyards are located, but we will encounter new alternative regions for wine grapes. That said, the grapes grown in Mediteranean region today may be growing in the Black Sea region fifty years later, who knows?

 

To learn more, you may read M. Jean-Robert Pitte’s article published by The Conversation:

https://theconversation.com/wine-and-climate-change-8-000-years-of-adaptation-67028

Katerina Monroe
Katerina Monroe

@katerinam •  More Posts by Katerina

Congratulations on the award, it's well deserved! You guys definitely know what you're doing. Looking forward to my next visit to the winery!