Too hot to harvest? Global warming threatens US wine makers

An increase in the frequency of extremely hot days could threaten premium wine growing in the US by the end of the century, according a study into global warming published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Scientists. The study, based on a computised climate projection, suggests that California, which grows nearly 90 per cent of America’s wine grapes, could face serious losses of production as a result of future climate change, affecting areas such as the Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley and Santa Barbara. But back here in Britain, the global warming cloud continues to bring something of a silver lining as there’s a better chance of us growing grapes successfully, even further north. In fact, from a solitary one last year, Yorkshire now has four wineries looking for grape success.