Not only is the world feeling the effects of climate change, we are beginning to taste it, too. Even though the effects of climate change may not seem so immediate, its ramifications are becoming more noticeable. The rise in temperature is bringing a change to one of the world’s most beloved products: wine. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of 1,300 scientists, has predicted that temperatures will increase between 2 to 4 degrees by 2050. If the weather continues to shift as predicted, renowned wine regions such as Bordeaux will be producing wine that has an unrecognizable taste within the coming years. Climate change has also played a major role in the heightened frequency of wildfires, acting as another factor to a polluted taste in wine. Major wine regions of the US such as California and Washington are seeing noticeable effects in the quantity and quality of their wine production as part of the consequences of increased wildfires. Even if you are not a wine connoisseur, wineries have identified a “smoke taint” flavor in their barrels, attributed to smoke contamination. The West Coast is the most susceptible region of the nation to wildfires, and it also produces 90% of America’s wine. The 2017 wildfires that ran through northern California have also been detrimental to the wine industry by hitting the capability of production, reducing jobs and impacting the economy. This video by VICE News discusses how France’s most prominent and profitable winery is reconciling with the change in climate. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy. Photo Credit: l i g h t p o e t / Shutterstock.com