Belgian winegrowers in the Walloon region are facing the challenges of climate change as they adapt their techniques to the changing climate. While rising temperatures initially seemed to benefit vineyards in Belgium, the extreme weather conditions brought on by climate change are posing new challenges. Floods, rain, frost, and the appearance of insects and diseases are threatening the vineyards in Belgium.
Jeanette Van der Steen, the owner of Château Bon Baron, is one of the winegrowers adapting to these challenges. She advocates for sustainable development and has implemented techniques such as spreading clay on her vines and thinning out the leaves to protect them from water and heat stress. By exposing the vines to different elements, she is creating a thicker skin for the grapes, making them less vulnerable to insect attacks and diseases.
Climate change is also impacting the predictability of the harvest, with the start of harvesting season moving earlier as temperatures rise. Van der Steen notes that while the harvest in Wallonia used to start in mid-October, it now begins in early September due to increasing temperatures. The unpredictability of the weather makes it difficult for winegrowers to plan ahead, prompting them to closely monitor weather conditions.
Overall, Belgian winegrowers are actively adapting their techniques to mitigate the risks posed by climate change and ensure the sustainability of their vineyards in the face of changing environmental conditions.
Source
Photo credit www.euronews.com
