Climate Change Series In the late 1990s, winemaker Rick Kinzbrunner first noticed changes in weather patterns at his Giaconda vineyard in the southern Australian state of Victoria. His Pinot Noir vines – the grape with the greatest sensitivity to temperature – were ripening earlier, creating a host of problems, notably unacceptably high alcohol levels.
When continuing warm weather in the current decade pointed to a long-term shift in the climate, Mr Kinzbrunner opted for radical action. He shifted plantings to higher altitudes, grafted over much of his Pinot to Chardonnay, increased production of Shiraz, and began to experiment with other grapes that favour warmer temperatures such as Nebbiolo, the Italian variety.
