UK ‘could become ideal red wine producer’ due to rising temperatures from climate change

Rising temperatures may result in sweeter grapes and better wine quality

France and Italy are amongst the country is best known for producing red wine currently (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Archive)

The UK could become a leading producer of red wine due to rising temperatures from climate change, a new study claims.

Research on climate resilience in the UK wine sector suggested rising heat will affect grapes and could make Britain a key player in the production of high-quality wine.

Temperatures in the UK’s wine-growing regions may increase by 1.4°C by 2040, in addition to a one degree rise since the 1980s, according to climate estimates.

Lead research, Professor Stephen Dorling, said: “Production here in the UK has been able to produce sparkling wines that are of a style that are very similar to those produced in Champagne.

“The climate has been helping more and more to match that French production,” he added.

Researchers suggest that the current best regions to grow Pinot Noir will shift northwards away from France due to temperature changes.

“In [France], we’ve not been renowned for the production of still red wines, but the changing climate is providing a prospect for that,” added Professor Doring.

He advises British winemakers to take advantage of changes by planting more vines to profit from the increase in temperatures forecast in the coming decades.

“When we plant a grapevine, it has a lifetime of 20-30 years, so we need to make the right decision on what we’re going to plant because it’s going to be with us for a while,” he said.

In 2018, Britain produced more than 15.6 million bottles of red wine for the first time due to the particularly long summer.