That climate change is a risk and will impact our lives dramatically; it is a known fact, but certain impacts will be paying a higher cost. One of these is the wine sector, which is nowadays shaken by a structural crisis that is harming not only the quality but also the whole sustainability of its production chain. 

But how is wine made? Some would say it involves the transformation of must into alcoholic beverages through fermentation. Still, those who truly work in the field know that the birth of wine begins much earlier. The process starts way earlier because wine is the result of carefully selecting the soils on which the vines are grown, the loving care given to the vines, and precise agricultural techniques that guide the grapes to maturity. All of this requires study and expertise, culminating in the grape harvest. The harvest is a crucial step, allowing wineries to obtain healthy bunches of grapes, having reached a level of ripeness appropriate for the desired product. To ensure the fruit is truly ready, various analyses are performed, allowing the grower to assess their technological and phenolic ripeness. One analysis indicates the amount of polyphenols, which is especially typical of red wines, and another indicates the percentage of sugar within the berries (expressed in Brix). Bunches can be considered ripe when the concentration of these substances and the balance between sweetness and acidity are in line with expectations (established in some cases by the production regulations for certain wines) and the needs of the wineries.

A higher frequency of drought events, extreme rainfall, heat waves, and spring–summer frost in different wine-growing areas has been recorded [1] and, in general, average temperatures have increased by +1.5°C globally with peaks of 2°C in some areas. Some vineyards, in addition, have been planted southwards, so the heat is even higher. The whole result is an acceleration of the technological maturation of grapes: a higher sugar content in less time, but at the expense of the acidity and the phenolic component, so the whole development of the aromas of wine. This will inevitably lead to a change in the flavour and aroma components of wine because even if the sugar content is higher, the complete maturation of the fruit has not been reached, and this compromises the quality of the wine, which is lacking color but, above all, will lead to earlier harvests to avoid a high alcoholic content. This is the reason why, globally, harvest time is ten days earlier than the previous decade as measured in some of the most wine-producing areas of the world [2], with inevitable effects on the final product.