Last week, we kicked off our climate change series with a discussion on how the process has impacted the wine industry over the years. This week, we’ll take things back to the beginning for an overview of the natural events that have altered the vine and the people who cultivate them.
As climate scientists have identified, there are four core climate epochs marking human history: the Roman Warming Period, the Dark Ages, the Medieval Warm Period, and the Little Ice Age. Keith explores two of these periods that were particularly impactful for the grapevine: the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age. The former saw cultivation of the vine expand as far north as the Baltic Sea regions as temperatures increased, allowing for regions to emerge when the climate was conducive. However, as temperatures unexpectedly cooled at the start of the Little Ice Age, cultivators and winemakers alike had to alter course, changing the ways we make wine today.
On this episode of “Wine 101,” take a step back and look at historical climate-changing events and their effect on grapevines. Tune in for more.
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“Wine 101” was produced, recorded, and edited by yours truly, Keith Beavers, at the VinePair headquarters in New York City. I want to give a big old shout-out to co-founders Adam Teeter and Josh Malin for creating VinePair. Big shout-out to Danielle Grinberg, the art director of VinePair, for creating the most awesome logo for this podcast. Also, Darby Cicci for the theme song. And I want to thank the entire VinePair staff for helping me learn something new every day. See you next week.
*Image retrieved from cheekylorns via stock.adobe.com
