Grapevine and climatic changes:: a glance at the situation in Alsace

The analysis of meteorological data recorded since 1972 at the INRA Station in Colmar (Alsace, France) reveals a significant increase in temperatures. Phenological data recorded on INRA grapevine collections over the same period show that the period between budburst and harvest has become both earlier and shorter. A comparison of climatic and phenological data shows that ripening is occuring under increasingly warm conditions. The climatic water demand after flowering tends to increase and, as there is no clear evidence for a change in rainfall, the risks associated with dry summers are likely to increase in the future. Quantified data on climate evolution, development stages and bioclimatic indices during the main development phases are presented and discussed.