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How climate change is affecting the wine and champagne supply

On 60 Minutes Sunday night, correspondent Lesley Stahl visited Europe to find out how climate change and global warming is affecting the wine and champagne supply. “What are the signs of global warming,” asked Stahl. “Glaciers are melting at an increasingly rapid pace. Persistent droughts are spreading. Well, we have another to tell you about – wine. As in, what you probably cracked open for Christmas dinner.” According to Stahl, France, which has been a major center of winemaking for centuries, is experiencing increasingly higher temperatures and extreme weather conditions. This year, the country recorded its smallest harvest since 1957 and stands to lose more than $2 Billion in sales. As for vineyards around the world, many in North America and Australia were scorched in fires. Fortunately, it’s not all bad. Scientists are studying ways to adapt to the changing environmental conditions by introducing new grape varieties that can withstand warmer climates as well as creating new grapes via genetic breeding. Also, as it turns out, due to global warming and climate change, England is seeing warmer temperatures, which has made their wine better than ever.

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