"French vintners, for instance, have seen the taste and alcohol
content change for some wines, and are worried they could see more
competition as climate change makes areas of northern Europe
friendlier to wine-growing."

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan.../D9KF2OF80.htm

"aesthete8" > wrote in message
...
> "French vintners, for instance, have seen the taste and alcohol
> content change for some wines, and are worried they could see more
> competition as climate change makes areas of northern Europe
> friendlier to wine-growing."
>
> http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan.../D9KF2OF80.htm
>

Some time ago I was at a wine tasting where I discovered that some white
Loire wines reached a whopping 15% Alc. The grower readily admitted that
sugar and consequently alcohol levels had soared over the last decades.

It was more for the matter of fun that I replied "Sure you won't add any
water during fermentation?" and he answered: "Definitely not, but in the old
days, we would only harvest on dry days. Now we don't mind if it is raining
and some water is on the grapes"

Yves

On 01/09/2011 10:14 AM, Mike Tommasi wrote:
> It would help if so many vintners they stopped adding sugar in areas
> like the Loire... somehow many producers still think of their wines as
> fuel, the higher the octane the better...


Exactly right, "seen the taste and alcohol content change" implies that
these processes are entirely climate based. I think the winemakers have
something to do with the eventual gravity!

-E

aesthete8 > wrote:
> "French vintners, for instance, have seen the taste and alcohol
> content change for some wines, and are worried they could see more
> competition as climate change makes areas of northern Europe
> friendlier to wine-growing."

You never know, maybe even Bordeaux might become a good place to grow
grapes, so much that they may be able to cease chaptalizing.

;-)

Andrew.

On Jan 8, 2:35*pm, aesthete8 > wrote:
> "French vintners...[also] are worried they could see more
> competition as climate change makes areas of northern Europe
> friendlier to wine-growing."

Does the following apply if competition increases to include more
northerly regions that were once too-cool for grape cultivation?:

- Industries and trades are at their best before many people recognize
how profitable they are. As soon as that happens, they decline, for
strong competition makes them less profitable. Thus, in all matters,
it is wise to get up very early. (Francesco Guicciardini)