Ontario viticulture must plan for the changing climate
Environment PhD student, Jessica Williamson, informs Niagara's wine regions on climate risks
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Canadian wine is a $11 billion industry and has experienced substantial growth over the past decade. In the past, its success has hinged on grape growers and winemakers having a thorough understanding of the region’s climate, soil, and terrain because even small deviations can have detrimental impact on yield and quality. Now they must also consider climate change and its impact on vineyards.
Jessica Williamson, a doctoral student in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management, is researching the hydrological processes that affect grapevine development and success.
“Understanding how grapevines use, and lose, water is important, because our best wines are produced from grapevines that undergo a level of moisture stress.”
Williamson summarized the current and future state of the Niagara growing region under the context of climate change. This research, supported by Agricultural Water Futures and Ontario Grape and Wine Research Inc., hopes to empower growers to understand the challenges associated with the long-term climate outlook.
Historical climate data, combined with climate models, show that Ontario’s three major wine regions are and will continue to see increases in average annual air temperature. This increase will move Ontario’s wine regions into warmer viticultural zones, decrease frost damage and reduce cold hardening of buds.
It is also expected that Ontario will have more extreme precipitation variability, with periods of intense rainfall and droughts. These precipitation patterns have the potential to reduce yield and grape quality, as certain points in the growing season require drier conditions. Increased rainfall and high humidity can also increase pests and disease on plants.
The research also identified opportunities for growers to adapt to climate change and possible management opportunities to ensure the sector’s continued success. These strategies include changing grape varietals, expanding to new viticultural zones, tile drainage and mulching. Different vineyards will have to adapt to different micro-climates and unique management plans must be made.
Williamson’s research is now published in Canadian Journal of Plant Science. She also plans to publish additional articles focusing on the spatial variability in evapotranspiration across two vineyards in the Benchlands region of Niagara. These results will be shared with her partner winery and other members of the viticulture community and academia.
In addition to her academic contributions, Williamson has also developed a deep appreciation for the wine industry and its products. “I find myself caring more about where my wines come from, how they are managed and their unique stories. There’s a lot that goes into a good bottle”.
