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Climate change affecting wine production in New South Wales central west

Wine producers in the New South Wales central west are being forced to adapt to rising temperatures which are affecting the region's "cool climate" drops.

12/09/2016

 Producers at Orange said they were experiencing warmer weather, with daytime maximums up two degrees on average as a result of climate change.

Local vigneron Justin Jarrett agreed climate change was having a noticeable effect on the quality of the region's wines.

"It's been a gradual change but actually when you look back over 20 years, they actually are severe changes," Mr Jarrett said.

He said the warmer summer nights altered the way the vines grew.

"We're not going below 15 degrees … It's ripening, so instead of being a slow ripening, it becomes a shorter, quicker ripening," Mr Jarrett said.

"When you ripen quickly you end up getting higher alcohol wines and we don't want that."

Fellow vigneron James Sweetapple said he also noticed the change in climate.

"We're seeing more extremes from time to time," Mr Sweetapple said.

"I can't find exact rhyme or reason for it but we're having bigger wet years and drier dry years."

Mr Sweetapple's vineyard has no irrigation and he has adopted holistic farming techniques to drought-proof his vines.

 

Growers say Orange may have edge in the future

 Continue reading Climate change affecting wine production in New South Wales central west

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