Champagne Problems? AI Predicts Bubbly Could ‘Go Away’ by 2050 Due to Climate Change
An AI-driven company predicted Champagne may no longer exist by 2050. (Photo: AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)
On Friday, Fox News reported champagne may disappear by 2050, according to ClimateAI, a San Francisco-based company.
ClimateAI’s artificial intelligence-backed data implied hundreds of grape varietals could be verging on extinction, including pinot noir and chardonnay. SevenFifty Daily cites that the three grapes used in champagne production, according to French law, are chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier.
Champagne develops its crisp acidity from a strong diurnal shift, which means warm days and cool nights. Experts claim as the earth’s temperatures rise, the cool nights could “start to go away.”
“If you are a consumer who has a very particular preference for a bottle of wine from a certain region, then I would encourage you to enjoy that now,” said ClimateAI’s vice president of operations and strategy, Will Kletter, according to Fox.
Kletter claims growers will be put in a “very difficult position,” in order to get champagne’s signature fresh acidic taste.
He predicts that growers may potentially be forced to move their production north in search of colder weather. Some might even look to England.
In October, The Guardian reported that many English winemakers reached their biggest harvest on record due to “favorable weather conditions,” which allowed them to ramp up production.
This poses a problem for champagne – for the sparkling beverage to achieve its prestigious designation, it must be made in… well… Champagne.
“This is critical for the French economy,” Kletter expressed.
The champagne-growing region has suffered from frosts, downpours and mildew, according to Wine Anorak.
Fox reported that 2021 was the smallest harvest for Champagne growers since 1957 due to these extreme conditions.
About ClimateAI
ClimatAI helps its clients predict potential crop shortages up to 50 years into the future and find ways to circumnavigate these potentially catastrophic events.
“Our customers can get this data as actionable insights to their locations, crops and varieties,” Kletter commented.
This data allows growers to make calculated decisions about which crops to plant long-term.
Some of the advice Kletter gave to wine growers involved planting hybrid grapes, or what Fox refers to as “blend[s] of different grapes.”
For years, hybrid grapes have been touted as a potential solution for winemakers as they continue to face more extreme temperatures due to climate change.
According to Wine Enthusiast, many hybrid grapes are the result of crossing European Vitis vinifera vines U.S. and Canada.
Though hard to find, many of these grapes yield fascinating wines and are well worth the hunt.
It appears if the climate continues to change, French winemakers will be forced to adapt and potentially change legislation in addition to viticultural practices. Some might even find themselves relying on AI to make farming decisions.
“We’re at a moment when this technology is not only becoming more powerful, but more available. I think the democratization of these types of innovations will be the key to long-term climate adaptation,” Kletter concluded.
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