{"id":289,"date":"2014-01-06T13:32:10","date_gmt":"2014-01-06T11:32:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/johnkwhite.ie\/caracolas\/?p=289"},"modified":"2014-03-28T10:45:25","modified_gmt":"2014-03-28T08:45:25","slug":"spanish-wine-now-and-in-a-changing-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/johnkwhite.ie\/caracolas\/?p=289","title":{"rendered":"Spanish wine now and in a changing world"},"content":{"rendered":"

With record-breaking low temperatures in the United States and Canada, and even minus 13 as far south as Georgia, one wonders what all the fuss is about global warming? It seems to be getting colder not warmer.<\/p>\n

But colder winters can be explained easily by global warming. Polar ice melts and creates cold air that moves south. More ice melting than usual, more cold polar air moving south, more precipitation in Canada, the northern United States, and even as far south as the Peach State, which probably couldn\u2019t find two snow shovels to rub together. The times are indeed a changing \u2013 good for some and not so good for others. All over the world.<\/p>\n

This has huge implications for regional products like wine. In Spain, wine is a huge industry, number one in vineyard acreage in the world, and along with Italy and France producer of almost half the world\u2019s wine. Rioja<\/a>, Ribera del Duero<\/a>, M\u00e1laga<\/a> to name but a few renowned regions with unique styles. It\u2019s all in the climate, soil type, and topography \u2013 a long growing season with moderate to warm temperatures and little rainfall during the vine growing season. Perfect in Spain. For now.<\/p>\n

\"RiojaRed\"<\/a>\"RiberaGrape\"<\/a>\"MalagaSweetWhite\"<\/a><\/p>\n

But on the north coast, only a few hundred kilometres from some of the largest Spanish vineyards, for example in Asturias with wetter, colder winters, you get cider<\/a> instead of wine \u2013 the grape just doesn\u2019t take the same way. Although with global warming, what\u2019s good today may not be good tomorrow. In a few more decades, the Basque Country could become the next Rioja, England the next France, and Tasmania and New Zealand the next Australia. If I was in the wine biz, I would take close stock of the changes.*<\/p>\n

But for now, wine in Spain is a well-established business, with records of production (and drinking) as far back as 800 BC. According to Wine Folly<\/a> the main regions are:<\/p>\n