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A new weather study by the World Weather Attrition Group predicts that the UK will be increasingly affected by monsoon-like rainfall, hailstorms and even "mini-tornadoes" over the next ten years. According to the meteorologists, southern and central England, the regions of the UK with the highest average temperatures, will suffer the most. This is a cause for concern for the wineries located there, as future precipitation will last longer according to the study - even in the summer months. Increased rainfall could lead to significant mildew infestation.
According to James Davis MW, director of the Bolney Wine Estate in Sussex, English viticulture is benefiting greatly from the warmer climate, especially in terms of yields. However, other aspects of global climate change are not so favourable for the vineyards. "At Bolney we are aware of the significant and increasing rainfall and are adapting," Davis told the online magazine Drinks Business. "We believe that using digital technology to identify disease-prone areas in the vineyard can potentially help us minimise the use of crop protection products during large and significant rainfall events," he explained.
Some climate experts are calling for the UK to reforest bare hillsides to capture water run-off during heavy rainfall. For Douglas Jacobsohn, co-owner of the English sparkling wine brand Busi Jacobsohn, the future is "basically about draining the soil. When we invested a lot of money back then to ensure that our soils had good drainage capacity, some people wondered why we were doing it. But the recent weather has shown how important it was," says Douglas Jacobsohn. Matthew Berryman, viticulture consultant at Sussex-based CLM, agrees that "installing drainage pays off. But if there is even a small risk of flooding, you should look for another location for your vineyard.
The prediction of future flooding could therefore have an impact on land prices and lead to investors researching vineyard sites more thoroughly. According to Berryman, the value of vineyards - which has risen steadily in recent years - is likely to polarise further.
(ru / Drinks Business)