As consumers are becoming more familiar with sparkling wine from the United Kingdom, producers there are wondering if there is potential for still wine from chardonnay and pinot noir grapes.

A team of researchers from the University of East Anglia, the London School of Economics, Vinescapes Ltd and Weatherquest Ltd have studied climate changes with an eye to the future. Warming conditions over the last year has seen viticultural growth expend nearly 400 percent. The conditions are similar — if not better — than those in Champagne. The sparkling wines I’ve tasted from here in the last year are ever bit as good as top champagnes, a conclusion born from several blind tastings among friends.

Although the growing areas in southern England and Wales have warmed, they are still cool. While that is ideal of pinot noir and chardonnay grapes used for sparkling wine, they are not ideal of still wine that requires more maturity and ripeness from the grapes.

The team forecasts that certain areas in these regions are projected to become 1.4 degrees centigrade by 2040.

Dr. Alistair Nesbitt, the lead author in the study, said, “This expands the area of suitability for pinot noir for sparkling wine production, but also new areas will open up within the growing season temperature suitability range for still pinot noir production and for growing varieties such as sauvignon blanc, riesling, semillon and more disease-resistant varieties.”

Nesbitt saw potential in Burgundy- and Baden-style wines.

To demonstrate the world-wide changes, more established reasons are looking to plant less popular grape varieities to accommodate climate changes. I communicated with Christopher Jackson of Stonestreet Estate Vineyards recently and he said he has experimental plantings of assyrtiko, chenin blanc and malvasia bianc.

Producers across the globe are preparing for a significant shift in climate conditions. Not only are they looking for more drought-resistant grapes, but they are looking for new growing regions.