Warming 'could hit UK vineyards'

The research suggests wine production in the UK could move northwards

Rising summer temperatures could make parts of the UK too hot for wine-making by 2080, a book has predicted.

It says it could mean the end of vineyards in the Thames and Severn valleys and parts of Hampshire.

Instead, the land could be used for raisins, currants and sultanas, says the author Prof Richard Selley, formerly of Imperial College London.

His research suggests many parts of the UK could grow "hot weather" grapes such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Climate forecasts indicate that global warming could increase summer temperatures in the south of England by up to 5C by 2080.

The research is contained in The Winelands of Britain: Past, Present and Prospective, by Professor Selley.

He said: "I have been able to map how British viticulture could change beyond recognition in the coming years.

Increases in temperature over the course of this century could have a dramatic effect on what can be grown here Professor Sir Brian Hoskins Imperial College London

"Grapes that currently thrive in the south-east of England could become limited to the cooler slopes of Snowdonia and the Peak District."

His previous work has demonstrated how the boundary of wine production in the UK has advanced and retreated because of the climate since Roman times.

Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College, said: "This research shows how the environment in the UK could be affected by climate change in a relatively short period of time.

"Increases in temperature over the course of this century could have a dramatic effect on what can be grown here, including vines."