Climate change is leading to less and worse tasting sparkling wine

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines how climate change is reducing the quantity and quality of sparkling wine globally. It details the impact of extreme weather on yields and pricing in key regions like France, Spain, and Italy, the chemical changes in grapes that alter flavor profiles, and the risks to agricultural workers. The document also discusses the limitations and costs of adaptation measures, noting that traditional wine-growing regions face a high risk of becoming unsuitable if global temperatures rise by 2°C or more.

• Global wine production reached a historic low in 2024, decreasing by 4.8% from 2023 and marking the lowest level in over 60 years. While production is expected to rise slightly in 2025, it is predicted to remain among the lowest years on record.
• Climate-induced extreme weather has caused significant production losses and price increases for specific sparkling wines. In Spain, 2023 droughts reduced harvests in the worst-hit areas by over 45%, contributing to a price increase for Cava of 10% in Spain and 20% internationally. In France, 2021 saw the smallest Champagne harvest since 1957, resulting in approximately USD 2 billion in lost sales.
• Rising temperatures are altering the flavor and physical characteristics of sparkling wine by accelerating the ripening process. This leads to higher sugar levels and lower acidity, which can result in wines that are too alcoholic, lack acidity, or have "cooked fruit notes" instead of fresh aromas. Higher alcohol levels can also reduce the fizziness of the wine.
• The timing of harvests has shifted significantly due to warming; wine-growing regions have seen nearly 100 additional days per season with temperatures over 10°C since 1980. In Champagne, harvests now occur 20 days earlier than they did 30 years ago, with harvests beginning in August eight times since 2003.
• If global temperatures increase by 2°C above pre-industrial levels, the number of suitable wine-growing regions globally could shrink by more than half. In southern Europe, approximately 90% of traditional wine-growing areas in coastal and low-lying regions of Italy, Spain, Greece, and southern California could become economically unviable by the end of the century.
• Climate change poses severe health and safety risks to agricultural workers. In 2023, four grape harvesters died in the Champagne region due to unusually hot weather. Additionally, in Sonoma County, California, over 75% of agricultural workers reported working during wildfires, with more than two-thirds experiencing short-term health issues like eye irritation and sore throats.
• Adaptation measures are costly and may not preserve the unique characteristics of traditional wines. For example, electric heating cables to protect vines from frost in France can cost up to EUR 100,000 per hectare. While relocating production to higher latitudes (such as the UK or Germany) is an option, it risks the loss of place-based cultural practices and distinct flavor profiles.

APA

Kalyvas, V. (2025). Climate change is leading to less and worse tasting sparkling wine. Zero Carbon Analytics. https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/climate-change-is-leading-to-less-and-worse-tasting-sparkling-wine/

Chicago

Kalyvas, Victoria. Climate change is leading to less and worse tasting sparkling wine. Zero Carbon Analytics, 2025. https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/climate-change-is-leading-to-less-and-worse-tasting-sparkling-wine/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kalyvas |first1=Victoria |title=Climate change is leading to less and worse tasting sparkling wine |publisher=Zero Carbon Analytics |date=18 December 2025 |url=https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/climate-change-is-leading-to-less-and-worse-tasting-sparkling-wine/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kalyvas2025climate, author = {Kalyvas, Victoria}, title = {{Climate change is leading to less and worse tasting sparkling wine}}, institution = {Zero Carbon Analytics}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/climate-change-is-leading-to-less-and-worse-tasting-sparkling-wine/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }