France’s Wine Crisis: Changing Tastes, Changing Climate

Recently, my wife and I went to a large wine tasting. Judging by that event alone, you might think everyone in France spends their days drinking wine. The presentations were engaging, the tastings plentiful, and the amount of information was almost overwhelming. It’s a small wonder, though, as France arguably boasts the strongest wine culture and science of any country. This event, with nearly 200 vendors, was just a tiny glimpse into that heritage.

Some thoughts on wine

Yet, for all of this, wine in France is facing a very uncertain future.

I’m no wine expert, but I enjoy it, and even to my limited palate, things feel different. Some of this could be normal, but the wine industry is also grappling with a combination of crises changing not just how wine is made but its role in French culture. Consistent weather, as I understand it, is better for almost all crops, wine included.

For a deeper dive into wine, I’d recommend Charlie Brown’s Substack, where she writes thoughtfully about wine and other topics. She also wrote a great article about Martha Stewart, and we like Martha Stewart, while accepting her flaws.

There’s also an excellent video on ARTE about the state of the wine industry (in French or German, only – sorry).

Tastes are changing

I might have raised an eyebrow. Striped shirts? Scarves and philosophical appearances? Unironic mustaches? Baseball hats and sneakers, but for teams like the Jets or the Cleveland Browns?

It’s best not to guess at punchlines to jokes like this.

“They’re drinking beer!” He smiled, very pleased. And looking around, it was the only thing I saw anyone drinking.

Wine is not as popular as it used to be; consumption has dropped 70% over the last 60 years. While some winemakers are changing their offerings – producing spirits, juices, or creating agritourism experiences, wine-surf trips, camping among the vines, etc., these trends are in wine regions across Europe. Beyond that, it’s not just tastes that are changing: the climate is, and with time, maybe even the land itself.

What makes a good year

Bordeaux, a popular wine region by any measure, has had AOP certification since 1935, with strict guidelines about grape varieties, exact locations, methods, etc., all designed to ensure that they reflect their region’s traditional character and terroir.

But terroir is changing.

Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc are increasingly vulnerable, while some varieties have benefited from more “good years” recently, but those limits are being tested.

Weather extremes shock plants, disrupt growth, dilute their flavor, or damage vines beyond repair. While some drier conditions can intensify flavors, there are limits.

Redrawing the maps

Here in Nantes this week, it was 0°C (32°F) one day, then jumped to 14°C (57°F) the next, then back down to 0°C (32°F) the following day. How can plants keep up with that?

To address rising temperatures and drought, the Bordeaux Wine Council changed some qualifications for the AOP, and approved six heat-resistant grapes, including Marselan, Touriga Nacional, and Alvarinho from Portugal.

A few French friends have described with some (fake) horror how French winemakers are investing in English vineyards, including famous Champagne producer, Taittinger. With grapes grown in the UK, Taittinger’s wines can’t be sold as AOP “Champagne,” which is ironic considering how much work that region has done to control the name.

Adapting raises concerns about changing the identity of Bordeaux wines themselves and whether the very specific rules – and the high commercial value – of the AOP system can remain intact. If grapes change and the region changes and methods change, is it the same heritage product promised by the AOP?

Even Brittany is becoming more viable as a wine region,” one winemaker near Nantes told me. “This region is now just like Bordeaux was 20 years ago.”

Whether that’s true is hard for me to say. It might seem unlikely, but Brittany’s growing role might indicate a reshuffling of France’s wine map, as regions once considered too cool or wet change enough to echo conditions of appellations in other regions.

The industry is huge. France remains the global leader in wine exports, with €12 billion in sales last year – a slight dip from the record €12.3 billion in 2022 but its second-highest ever, even while global wine exports dropped 4.7%. Those prices also hit new levels, mostly from AOP legacy varieties from Burgundy, Champagne, and Bordeaux.

Meanwhile, global competitors in countries like Chile, Australia, and the U.S. are producing high-quality wines at lower costs in more forgiving climates. These competitors can adapt to new techniques and different grape varieties, limitations French producers face due to the AOP system.

A Deloitte study measured the size of France’s wine industry, which seemed to even surprise some people in the government. It generated €92 billion in 2022 and directly or indirectly employed over half a million people, not counting jobs in tourism and related sectors.

Grapes of Wrathful Weather?

Wine is just an example of how climate change is putting crops under stress, but it’s a very visible one. France dedicates a lot of land to vineyards, about 50 times the acreage of the U.S. and in a smaller country. Stakes are high for the country’s economy and its culture.

The challenges facing wine also face agriculture and food systems as a whole. Decades of monoculture and intensive farming have depleted soils and weakened ecosystems here as well, leaving crops vulnerable to pests, disease, and extreme weather.

Some are beginning to adopt sustainable practices, but this takes time and resources smaller producers can’t afford. This raises the risk of concentrating the industry into fewer hands and sidelining smaller growers, which are not just a part of the charm and value of French wines, but where a lot of real money is made.

Solutions are emerging. Think tanks like France’s LACCAVE initiative are exploring innovative approaches, from improved irrigation to climate-resilient rootstocks, offering pathways to adapt.

I think France can solve these problems, but people are slow to change: it’s hard to think of the future when you’ve got bills to pay.