In the Beaujolais region in France, where vineyards stretch thousands of hectares, climate change is hitting French farmers hard.
High temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns are challenging the traditional practices of viticulture. But the farmers are not standing idle. Kamuran Samar reports.
#wine #vineyards #france #farming
High temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns are challenging the traditional practices of viticulture. But the farmers are not standing idle. Kamuran Samar reports.
#wine #vineyards #france #farming
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Jean-Pierre Riviere witnessed the first effects of climate change on his vineyards 20 years ago.
00:07The buds on the vines burst earlier than usual, fooled by a warm spell in March.
00:12The yield that year was poor, and the quality of the grapes suffered.
00:17The French farmer hoped it was a one-off, but it has become almost an annual occurrence.
00:24In 2003, we were especially disturbed because we didn't really understand.
00:29I mean, we thought it was an exceptional event.
00:34Determined to save his vineyard he inherited from his father,
00:37Jean-Pierre is adapting to the challenges posed by climate change
00:41through innovative and sustainable practices and experimenting with new techniques.
00:46We are working mainly on modifying the height of vegetation at our research organizations.
00:53We are also working on all the rootstocks.
00:57We are very hopeful because the vine is a grafted plant,
01:00the above-ground part is European plants, and the underground part is American plants,
01:05which have been grafted precisely to resist phylloxera since around 1870.
01:09We are working on these different families to find rootstocks that are more resistant to drought
01:13because they are able to develop strong roots and go deep underground
01:17to find moisture and be less sensitive to drought.
01:21The winemakers are contending with a range of obstacles.
01:24As well as carefully managing water, it's also critical to ensure the grapes do not ripen too early
01:30before the vines have been able to convert the bright Mediterranean sunshine into sugars.
01:35Despite its international reputation, Beaujolais remains relatively affordable
01:40compared with France's other traditional powerhouse wine regions.
01:44And so it has emerged as a place of experimentation where new techniques can be tested.
01:50David Ratignier, vice-president of the Beaujolais Villages,
01:54says farmers' efforts are already starting to bear fruit.
01:57Our soils are very poor, so we've added a lot of organic matter
02:01to increase water storage in the soil in summer, so it works.
02:05His confidence is born out of the numbers.
02:07For years, France reclaimed the title of the world's largest wine-producing country in 2023
02:13after a nine-year hiatus, according to the International Organization of Wine Production report.
02:19Grapes have been cultivated in fields in this area for 2,000 years,
02:23and the wine industry is much more than just a business here.
02:27So farmers like Rivier are determined to fight on against climate change
02:31to preserve the lifeblood of their land.
02:34Simon Samar, for CGTN, in Beaujolais.