Wineries Look to the Sun in Times of Climate Change

Long ago, in the 12th century, there was an old hermit who lived beneath the winding cobblestoned-streets of Montepulciano. Deep underground, where the sun did not reach and the air was dank with the smell of wet earth, he felt most at home in his cave. Occasionally, he would make his way to the surface to exchange pleasantries with the local villagers. Before departing, the kind-hearted hermit would offer some much appreciated advice; his visits always concluded with a remarkably accurate weather forecast. You see, even hundreds of years ago, Montepulciano’s soil was the source of rich Tuscan wines. The townspeople delighted in the hermit’s reliable predictions, as it helped them to perfect the conditions to yield the juiciest grapes. In those times, word traveled fast; much to the hermit’s dismay, he became the center of intrigue and gossip. People who were most pious, whispered between church pews—they spread rumors that the hermit was a heretic; a devil-worshiper; an evil sorcerer! He was summoned to the Vatican and put on trial before God. The hermit pleaded for mercy. He revealed a small, spiny creature and thrust it to the heavens, heralding to the witnesses: “It is no magic. É un riccio!” 

A hedgehog had been tracing the sun; and with it, any tempestuous skies that might force it to seek shelter. Day after day, the hermit observed il riccio scurry about and sniff the air for distant rains; and day after day, the hermit would graciously share the report with the vintners (winemakers). Instead of being sentenced to death, the Vatican praised him for his services to the city. They dubbed him, “Riccio De’Ricci,” which means, The Hedgehog of Hedgehogs. This honor was one of many the hermit received, as soon after, he was anointed the high position of Cardinal. Then, in 1959 at the behest of the Marquis Giulio Ricci, the cave—which was transformed into a wine cellar—was renamed from ‘Cantina del Redi’ to ‘Cantina De’Ricci’. Venture with Terra & Tu to the “Cathedral of Vino” and descend the ancient equestrian staircase to the hermit’s cave. Then join one of the De’Ricci winery’s owners for a private tasting of Vino Nobile poured from bottles labeled with the famous hedgehog looking to the sun. 

This story is more than urban legend; it is a testament to a time when simplicity reigned and way-of-life was dictated by tradition. Crops in Tuscany were planted and harvested the same way for millennia. But in the face of climate change, vintners may have to diverge from the past if they are to keep vineyards flourishing for future generations. The Italian way of life is particularly under threat in the valley of the River Po. According to the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite images, this summer’s record drought has turned Italy’s longest river into a mere creek. The Po valley accounts for two fifths of Italy’s food production and half of Europe’s rice, but the heatwave has farmers struggling to keep their crops irrigated. Early data says the current drought alone has caused over EUR 3 billion in damages to agriculture and the prices of fruit, vegetables, pasta, and milk could jump 30% this year in the Low Padua plain alone.

Across continents, temperatures have been reaching record highs. Records dating back to 1354 in Burgundy, France revealed that air temperatures have increased so much that grapes are now harvested up to two weeks earlier than they were during the Medieval era. University of British Columbia biologist, Elizabeth Wolkovich, is researching the impact of climate change on vineyard plant species and says rising temperatures are altering the very taste of wine itself. In California, the 2020 wildfire season devastated large portions of wine country. Estates in Napa and Sonoma were scorched, reserve-level vineyards were rendered unusable, and the fumes caused any surviving fruits to suffer smoke taint. No red wines were made that year, resulting in more than $3.24 billion in damages. To salvage the remains, some west coast vintners removed the grape skins and fermented the wines at cooler temperatures. Others saw the climate disaster as an opportunity. They experimented with fermentation trials and tried different grape varieties and then educated fellow makers about what the results could mean for future vintages. 

Italian wineries are following suit. At Castello Banfi, an estate in Tuscany, they have dedicated nearly five acres to an “experimental vineyard.” Normally, the land is used to see how well Sangiovese clones will grow without the use of artificial pesticides. Today, however, the managers are conducting trials on hybrid species that could one day take the place of Tuscan classics. One variety is Saperavi, which means “dye” in Georgian. This acidic, dark-skinned, pink-fleshed grape is native to Georgia, but is commonly cultivated in Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and in the Niagara and Finger Lakes regions of New York State. Banfi is on a mission to grow grapes that are both disease-resistant and heat-resistant, but they must tread carefully because for certain regions in Tuscany, there are very strict rules. The Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) system, introduced in 1963, outlines the acceptable production methods and ensures every ounce meets the quality standards set by the government. Winemakers can only label their wines as a DOC or DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) by using specific kinds of grapes and vinification methods. For example, Brunello di Montalcino, can only be made with 100% Sangiovese grapes.   

Elsewhere, white wine grapes are showing signs of vulnerability to even the slightest increases in temperature. This can be observed on the steep slopes of the Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Trentino-Alto Adige regions in northern Italy. These hills supply the world with sweet, effervescent splashes of Prosecco and Pinot Grigio, yet vintners and farmers are racing against accelerating ripening times. Prosecco is supposed to be floral, fresh, and low in alcohol, but Italy’s increasingly “tropical” temperatures are causing the grapes to develop their sugars too quickly. Additionally, the vines do not absorb soil nutrients during hot summer nights and thus produce less acidic and flavorsome fruit. As Coldiretti, the Italian agricultural lobby, said in a statement, “Overheating is changing made-in-Italy wine, which in the last 30 years has seen the alcohol content increase by one percent.”

Agricultural researcher Diego Tomasi, compared 19 microclimates within a small zone of northern Italy. He photographed “sunburns” on the skins of grapes and explained how even minute changes could alter a wine’s taste. Tomasi first noticed the burns 15 years ago, but now, they are commonplace. His study garnered the attention of Pitars, a family-owned vineyard in San Martino al Tagliamento. Workers have installed hundreds of miles of irrigation piping beneath the soil—closer to the roots—so less water is lost to evaporation. Their team also cuts away leaves earlier in the season to help the young grapes develop a thicker skin to adapt to the strong sun. Other winemakers are moving their vineyards to cooler, higher elevations. Typically, successful vineyards are between 30 and 50 degrees latitude, but as temperatures climb, the most ideal areas are moving farther from the equator. 

At the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) presented their findings regarding the impact of climatic conditions on the world’s wine production. Their data revealed that extreme weather events (unseasonable frosts; heat waves; storms) and rising temperatures, caused production in the Italian wine industry to drop by 9%, resulting in an estimated $2.3 billion in losses. If we do not significantly mitigate our carbon emissions and protect at least 30% of global land area by 2030, we will lose a lot more than our olive oils and wines. But for many of us, losing one of life’s great pleasures is enough collateral to alter agricultural behavior for good.

Interested in tasting these wines firsthand? On our Tuscan Wellness Adventures you’ll tour wineries, enjoy private tastings with De’Ricci’s owners, and immerse yourself in Tuscany’s famous food and wine culture.