Clues from wines grown in hot, dry regions may help growers adapt to a changing climate
In California, where the $43-billion [wine] industry produces more than 80 percent of U.S. wine, growers are particularly concerned about shifting temperatures and water availability, according to a 2009 Stanford University report, commissioned by the California State Legislature. As it turns out, the grapevines themselves may harbor clues to resilience. A new study [from UC Davis] suggests that varieties grown in warmer, drier regions harbor physiological traits that might help growers adapt to changing conditions.