Get those Aussie Pinots while you can!
Another article in a long string of recent articles about climate change, global warming, and the impact of elevated temperatures on grape growing. This article is from The Guardian, one of the few newspapers that I enjoy reading. I find that European newspapers tend to discus wine in more level-headed terms than many American newspapers (the East Coast newspapers, anyway).
This particular article is actually pretty bad. It doesn’t give many specifics, saying mostly that Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes might become untenable as cash crops in the coming years. I was more interested to know whether Shiraz grapes would survive the impending climate change, though, as I think of France and the West Coast of the US as my favorite Pinot Noir growing areas.
On a separate note, and speaking of favorite Pinot Noir, it appears that Hirsch has sold out all of their 2004 Pinot Noir. I know that next year I will make a concerted effort to get a magnum of 2005 Hirsch Pinot Noir. I’m really curious to open a magnum and see whether there is a major taste difference, or if the wine ages quite as well. I only have one magnum on which to test this theory because, well, of the two magnums of wine that I own only one is more than 3 years old. My 1998 Domaine Drouhin Laurène magnum is going down this Thanksgiving! I can taste it already.