Climate change is significantly affecting the wine industry by shifting wine production regions further north, resulting in stronger wines. According to Jace Weaver, a religion and roots professor at the University of Georgia, wines that were once standard at 12 percent alcohol content are now becoming increasingly rare as higher alcohol levels become more commonplace due to temperature increases.

Experts note that even a slight increase in average temperatures can lead to wine alcohol levels rising by one to two degrees. This trend has been evidenced by a study from Liv-ex, the international wine market exchange based in London, which reveals that wines from regions such as California, Piedmont, Tuscany, and Bordeaux have shown a noticeable increase in average alcohol content over the past 30 years, specifically between 2010 and 2019, compared to the lower levels recorded in the 1990s.

As Bordeaux wines, for instance, have seen their alcohol content rise from 12.5% to around 13% in the current century, this evolution highlights the broader implications of global warming on agricultural products and raises concerns about how climate change will continue to reshape industries dependent on specific environmental conditions.