Climate Psychology

Climate change is a familiar story. But beyond the vines, what about its impact on winemaker behaviour? 

Climate change is now undeniably the defining narrative of modern wine. Yet there are two perspectives on this omnipresent issue, and we tend to overemphasise the first – that of the vine. We obsess over how vines are coping with compressed ripening windows, earlier harvests, water stress and increasingly violent weather. What does the vine make of it all? If vines could speak – and thank god they can't – I suspect they would spend a lifetime moaning about the capricious nature of viticulture in the 21st century.

But what about the winemaker? How is global warming reshaping the psychology of those making the wine?

"I do believe climate change is transforming not only viticulture but also the mindset of winegrowers," says Enrico Rivetto, owner of Azienda Agricola Rivetto.

"The next generation will inherit the same respect for Nebbiolo and for the Langhe, but they cannot simply repeat what previous generations did. Tradition has never meant standing still; it has always been about adapting while preserving identity. The future will require greater ecological awareness, more humility and a willingness to observe nature rather than trying to control it."

As a layman, I had always assumed that greater uncertainty would inevitably lead winemakers towards interventionism – that the less predictable weather became, the more producers would feel compelled to wrestle it back into submission. And at the lower end of the market, that is undoubtedly true, not least because commercial consistency increasingly depends on technology – especially if low alcohol is the goal.



Premium winemaking, however, is a different story.

The human touch

I spent several hours last week chatting with oenologists from Denmark to Tuscany about this very issue. Gradually, a broad consensus emerged: none of the producers suggested abandoning the philosophies that define their estates. Instead, they described abandoning the assumption that these philosophies can simply be applied by rote.

"Climate uncertainty has changed our approach to intervention - we're more cautious," explains Ettore Rizzi, co-founder and technical director at Fattoria Le Pupille. Harvest decisions, meanwhile, have become "a chess game", with historic schedules thrown completely out of the window. That raises an obvious question: how much confidence does he still place in inherited knowledge, and how much bigger a role does technology play in navigating increasingly unpredictable vintages?

"Human knowledge and intuition are fundamental," he says, adding that "technology can't fully replace them in a world where the five senses are the basis."

Paradoxically, climate change appears to have deepened his scepticism towards purely technological solutions, instead encouraging Rizzi to rely more heavily on his instincts and experience.



"If a programme issues a warning for powdery mildew, you still need to check when the last time you treated it was, what climate conditions were in between, and how they will be in the next few days. You cannot decide on a treatment just because a program tells you to. And the opposite is true: if a program tells you that you're 'safe', you still need to inspect your vines.

"I hate the idea of harvesting a designated plot just because someone from a lab where I sent the grapes for analysis tells me that the sugar and acidity levels are at the 'perfect spot'. To me, the pulp, the seeds, the skin and the taste are fundamental."

This tension between inherited wisdom and modern science is a recurring theme. According to Marco Balsimelli, technical director at Ornellaia: "The world is evolving very quickly, and we now have the opportunity and the responsibility to integrate that inherited wisdom with modern technology and new scientific understanding."



And for Balsimelli, the real challenge and fascination lie exactly there: in finding the balance between what has been learned in the past and what winemakers are discovering today.

"Climate change has definitely changed the way I think as a winemaker. The last ten vintages have all been incredibly different from one another, at least here in Bolgheri, and that has been one of the greatest lessons," he reflects.

"However, I wouldn't say climate change has made me more interventionist or more willing to take risks. Instead, it has made me more attentive and more flexible. Every decision carries more weight today, so precision and timing have become even more important."

Softly, softly

Meanwhile, approaches to fermentation and maturation have inevitably evolved due to climate pressures. Winemakers frequently speak of an overriding emphasis on gentler extractions – a concomitant of higher ripeness and alcohol levels – and judicious oak treatment.

"Our ageing regime has changed under my direction: I have reduced the amount of new oak as alcohol is a solvent, and higher alcohol levels mean greater extraction of oak tannins - potentially to undesirable levels," says Emanuele Reolon, technical director at Isole e Olena.

"Larger formats, including tonneaux, are better suited to today's climate conditions. There is generally less extraction of oaky tannin from Burgundy barrels due to their tighter grain. In addition, we began experimenting with different vessels for maturation in 2026. Watch this space."

So climate change is not making winemakers more controlling – it's forcing them to be more observant.

"Every vintage is different, and being willing to adjust vineyard management, harvest timing and cellar practices is now essential," says Sven Moesgaard, founder of Skærsøgaard ApS in Denmark, adding that climate change will be remembered "less for moving vineyards north and more for changing the mindset of winemakers."

He adds: "The future will reward those who are flexible, innovative and willing to learn from every vintage."

This may ultimately prove to be climate change's most enduring agricultural legacy. For while one must sometimes take claims of non-interventionism with a pinch of salt – just as eggs don't boil themselves, human intervention remains an indispensable part of modern winemaking - a fundamental shift in philosophy does appear to be taking shape. Not a revolution in cellar technology, nor a wholesale rejection of inherited practice, but the emergence of a new culture built on observation instead of assumption, and humility instead of control.



Vines may bake in the heat, but the real transformation is taking place in the minds of those who make the wine.