Climate change associated effects on grape and wine quality and production

Climate change is exerting an increasingly profound influence on vine phenology and grape composition, and ultimately affects vinifications, wine microbiology and chemistry, and sensory aspects. Among the most important climate change-related effects are advanced harvest times and temperatures, increased grape sugar concentrations that lead to high wine alcohol levels, lower acidities and modification of varietal aroma compounds. Under extremely hot temperatures, which are already being experienced in some regions, vine metabolism may be inhibited leading to reduced metabolite accumulations, which may affect wine aroma and color. Musts with high sugar concentrations cause a stress response in yeast, which leads to increased formation of fermentation co-products, such as acetic acid. If not controlled by acid addition, the higher pH can lead to significant changes in the microbial ecology of musts and wines and increase the risk of spoilage and organoleptic degradation. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.