A new international study confirms that European vineyards have been the most affected globally by climate change since 1950, primarily due to extreme temperature increases that are highly challenging for established regions.
The research found that maximum daily temperatures during the growing season have increased by around in France and approximately in Spain and Italy since 1980. These increases are significantly higher than those recorded in other major wine regions like the U.S. or South Africa. This variability in extreme heat poses a major challenge for adaptation efforts, forcing producers in classic regions to invest heavily in techniques like higher-altitude planting and selecting heat-resistant rootstocks to preserve their quality profiles.
Source: INRAE (International Research Study), 2025-12-04; International Wine Challenge
