Making a good wine involves more than harvesting and crushing a grape. It
involves a delicate process incorporating a variety of factors that contribute
to the end product. The surrounding climate, variety of grapes, harvesting
practices, soil terrain and gradient are all responsible for the wine's
terroir and play a
critical role in producing the fine wines we drink today.
Climate change is threatening the world's vineyards agricultural commodities.
Our plants and ecosystems are all vulnerable to its effects; and that includes
the grapes harvested and
fermented to fill our glasses. As global temperatures and seasons change, the
regions of the world that are suitable for wine grapes also change. Planting
seasons in places such as Spain, Italy and Australia are already
limited; and the warming weather affecting these seasons is causing the grapes
to ripen faster ,
producing
higher sugar concentrations that ultimately affects the alcohol content, acidity
and color of the wines.
“When we think about the evolution of the Vitis vinifera — the family of
grapes that everyone loves (the Merlots, the Cabernets, the Sauvignon
Blancs), grown in Spain, France and Europe in general — we know they
are a very sensitive group of grapes; and it can be a battle to produce the
wines,” Kwaw Amos, founder of Gotham
Winery,
told Sustainable Brands. “To produce them and produce them well, it is
essential you have to have the right temperature; otherwise, you’re just not
going to produce a good wine.”
Amos, an equity finance specialist by day and a winemaker by night, founded Gotham — New York State’s only African American-owned
winery — in 2004.
Originally sold under the Oson Wine Cellars label — a name tying into his
West African heritage — Amos understands that for the industry to thrive, it is
essential to evolve and adapt with the global changes taking place from both a
social and an environmental standpoint.
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Each variety of grape native to a specific region has a narrow climate
window
that allows for optimum growth, and shifts in this range directly impact the
quality and cultivation of the wine grape. If temperatures rise by 2
degrees,
wine regions that are suitable for growing wine grapes could shrink by 56
percent. Therefore, for wine grapes to withstand climate change, we need to
identify those that can adapt to the change — and Amos says that wine grapes
native to New York, when compared to the vinifera grape, can do this.
“By identifying grapes that are able to withstand climate change, you can
combine and grow wine grapes in a much more sustainable way. They have a
stronger ability to withstand natural pests, use cover crops and adapt to their
surroundings,” Amos explained. “So, these hybrid grapes have the benefits of the
vinifera in terms of taste; but then on top of that, you have the robustness
and survival capability of the native grapes.”
Genetic diversity and forward-thinking are paramount when it comes to the
survival of the wine industry. It is not just the warming temperature
threatening the industry, but erratic weather
changes
such as the severity of droughts, flooding, etc. These increasingly frequent
events mean that wineries need to rethink where they can grow their grapes; and
the answer is not as simple as moving to higher elevations, where temperatures
are cooler — which would only be a temporary solution.
“When wine growers move to areas of higher elevation, climate change volatility
is actually going to be more detrimental in the long term,” Amos asserts. “You
might think ‘oh, it's not as warm; so, I can grow the grapes’ — but then you get
a flood, or something of that nature, that wipes out your whole crop and you're
going to wonder what the point of all that was.”
So, instead of running from climate change, wine grapes need to be modified so
that they can still thrive in the changing climatic conditions. Additionally,
climate change must be mitigated by the
industry
as much as possible, with an emphasis on minimizing environmental impact —
hybrid grapes might be an answer now; but there is still an urgent need to
protect the environment that caters for their growth and long-term survival.
Wanting to stay ahead of the curve, Gotham is not only adapting and creating more robust, hybrid grapes — its Finger Lakes facility, on a 72-acre sustainable farm near Lake Keuka, runs completely on solar panels. Gotham has also partnered with Hunt Country, a family farm that has been recognized for its pioneering sustainability practices.
While environmental sustainability is one of Gotham’s founding principles, the
social aspect of sustainability is core to its philosophy.
“When we created our Unité
series, to me it was about
reconciliation — racial reconciliation, and reconciliation between human beings
and the land. And Unité is an analogy of that,” Amos said. “Through
Gotham and Oson, we can push New York wineries to think about diversity and how
to empower people who already work for those industries.”
Amos says he is also partnering with non-wine brands owned by other minorities
to broaden impact — for example, an upcoming art series will highlight African
American artists and use their designs on Gotham’s wine labels. Encouraging and
supporting minority-owned businesses is crucial in the push for a fairer
society,
and Amos is utilizing his platform and his love of wine to do just that. He has
hosted yoga-wine events and cycling-wine events, and says he is constantly
thinking of other ways that he and his wines can help support entrepreneurship.
As the wine industry evolves and the grapes are adapted, consumers also need to
understand the role they play in the evolving world: “In the end, consumers need
to become more aware and more flexible in terms of the wines they are willing to
accept,” Amos explained.
“As wineries adapt, people need to be open to new experiences, to get out of
their comfort zone; if someone is producing something with a new grape you’ve
never heard of before — like a Vidal, not a Sauvignon Blanc — pick it up and try
it! As the consumer, you have a voice; and you need to look for wineries that
are not only doing things for themselves but also the planet.”
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Scarlett Buckley is a London-based freelance sustainability writer with an MSc in Creative Arts & Mental Health.
Published Aug 9, 2021 8am EDT / 5am PDT / 1pm BST / 2pm CEST