On 15 and 16 February 2008 the Wine Academy of Spain hosted the 2nd World Congress on Climate Change and Wine at the Hesperia Tower Hotel in Barcelona.
Beating all expectations in terms of numbers, the Congress attracted over 350 participants from over 40 countries to Barcelona, including winemakers, academics, growers, importers, sommeliers and over 80 national and international media organisations. The hosts were impressed by the considerable number of wine world professionals who attended on their own initiative to hear about the impacts of the climate crisis on the wine industry and possible ways to adapt to the new climate situation.
Wine World Personalities
The Congress brought together leading personalities in the wine world, both as speakers and participants, including Michel Rolland, Jacques Lurton, Bruno Prats, Ernst Loosen, Greg Jones, Hans Schultz, Richard Smart, Tony Sharley and Carlos de Jesús. Peter Hayes (President, OIV); Miguel Torres; David Pearson (Director, Opus One); Luis Bonet (Chairman, Freixenet); Magí Raventós (Chairman, DO Cava); Oz Clarke; Masters of Wine Jane Masters, Norrel Robertson, John Salvi, Beverley Planning, Stephen Skelton and Lynne Sheriff. Spanish academics who took the floor were José Ramón Lissarrague and Vicente Sotés from the Madrid Polytechnic University; Santiago Mínguez from Incavi (the Catalan Wine and Vine Institute), José Ramón Picatoste from the Environment Ministry and Alberto García Luján from the Rancho de la Merced Research Centre in Jerez
Friday 15 February
Bernard Seguin from INRA at Montpellier opened the Congress explaining the nature of climate change and its impact on agriculture. Richard Smart described climate change’s effects on vines and the various options available to growers in order to adapt to these changes. Tony Sharley from Banrock Station in Australia reported on the Murray River winery’s efforts to minimise their impact on the environment and to restore the region’s wetlands and wildlife. In a compelling round table, Fernando Zamora, Alberto García Luján, José Ramón Picatoste, Santiago Mínguez, J. Ramón Lissarrague and Vicente Sotés discussed the climate crisis’ impact on vineyards and wineries in various Spanish regions.
Pancho Campo gave an energetic presentation on the CO2 emissions generated by shipping wine, effects on consumer perception and the sector’s responsibility in putting a stop to the situation. The day’s programme closed with a guided tasting with Michel Rolland and Jacques Lurton. Participants carried out a blind tasting of 10 wines affected by climate change or directly influenced by the phenomenon. Rolland and Lurton provided a lively, entertaining presentation, engaging the audience with their charisma.
Saturday 16 February
Saturday’s session began with a conference by Greg Jones from Oregon and Hans Schultz from Germany, who described the effects of CO2 and UV radiation on vines. They also underlined their impact on grapes from different regions and on water resources, changes in growth cycles and options for mitigation and adaptation. Miguel Torres gave a knowledgeable and inspiring presentation on wine change, sharing examples from his own business’ initiatives to protect the environment and adapt to a changing climate. Bruno Prats, former owner of Chateau Cos D´Estournel, took part in the same session, pointing out the changes recorded in Bordeaux. He also talked about his projects in South Africa, the Douro and Southern Chile. Ernst Loosen looked into climate change’s effects on German vineyards, particularly at Mosel and Pfalz. Jacques Lurton gave an overview of impacts in Bordeaux, Argentina and Australia, the places where he is currently making wine. Stephen Skelton MW closed the round table with a positive note on winemaking in England and Wales, noting the changes in varieties and improved quality thanks to overall warming. OIV President Peter Hayes listed the international organisation’s actions designed to flight climate change and to raise awareness in the wine world so the industry can understand the phenomenon and adapt in time. The last round table brought together J.R. Lissarrague, Pancho Campo, Hans Schultz, Greg Jones and Richard Smart, who answered the audience’s questions and suggested a number of final thoughts
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