No question, no one wishes for the 70s back, a time in which maybe 3 good vintages were produced in 10 years. Nevertheless, the skepticism of many wine lovers is growing now that
climate change is more and more noticeable, before warm and hot vintages. This is especially true for already hot regions like those around
Montalcino.
However, the concern is only partly justified, and this is again made clear by the 2015 vintage in Montalcino. Ideally, it's not only the alcohol levels that are high in such years, but also the concentration, depth of aroma, and complexity increase; at least where the work is done carefully and over-ripening and heat damage can be avoided. If the fruit can keep its subtleties, even concentrated and powerful wines do not seem heavy or even clumsy.
