This summer, I walked through the beautiful Rioja wine region for the second time. For pilgrims following the classic Camino Frances route, it takes about a week of walking to get from the French-Spanish border crossing to Logroño, the captivating capital of the Rioja region. This charming city's streets come alive in the evenings as locals and visitors gather to taste Rioja wine and indulge in pinchos, the regional version of tapas.
Adaptation seems to be the order of the day. That makes complete sense to me for the farmer and for an insurer of ongoing commercial enterprises. It is the unfortunate reality that the train has left the station, and the chief engineer is too distracted or busy looking at her/his/their reflection in the mirror to make a decision on which route needs to be followed for us and our fellow residents of Earth. Thanks for the interesting video. Looking forward to the next two.
Thank you Mike, it's so sad to realize that CO2 emissions increased last year instead of going rapidly down as they should. The next generations will not be mild in their criticism on our selfish misbehavior towards the planet.
As winter invades Ottawa, reliving the lush mountains and valleys along northern Spain must be wonderful to recall.
The photos you shared along the way were extraordinary.
It’s fascinating now to have you discuss with Stefanos Mystakidis of Swiss Re the intricacies of grape growing and wine production and how climate change demands adaptations to keep production vigorous for the growers and vintners.
I’m really enjoying these videos and look forward to more.
Always a very interesting topic.. Weather changes plays a crucial role in Vinyards, producing wine..The slightest change in rain, heat patterns has an immediate, domino effect and can be devastating. The same applies to Peaches, Apples.. 🐝 🐝 bees are our little angel workers. Weather changes even confuse them and that in itself has huge impact on fruit forming and pollinating. Wonderful, Intriguing and Complex world we live in. Thank you Alexander for bringing this to the Forefront and explaining the process.
Nature has a remarkable stability in all its complexity. But there are tipping points, and we have pushed nature over many already. Think for instance of all species lost; they will never return. Not even we, miraculously, would change our act for the better.
How fascinating to expose the difficulties of vintners assuring quality wines as the climate continues to change. An unusual perspective, essential to the historical value of wines in our culture as well as the challenges to income and living standards of those farming the grapes. 🍇
On my Dutch island, I see the other side of the problems that Spanish farmers have on the southern end of the wine growing region in Europe; since this wine belt is shifting north, we produce good wines now where no wine was produced in the recent past.
A life in agriculture is demanding and full of unexpected challenges. Stefanos says, "...all the effort that the farmer has invested in order to maintain quality accepted levels while trying to be at the same time, sustainable."
And the challenges for livestock farmers are likely even bigger than the already huge problems for crop farmers. Our governments have massively subsidized a system that goes against any repect for nature (and animal rights); returning to a smaller scale that is closer to nature is very much needed but politically challenging.
Absolutely. Even though I am vegan, I have joined a fight for organic agriculture including the treatment of small, local, family-owned dairy and animal farms. You know, "livestock" and "commodity" and all the terms showing disrespect for senient beings. The USDA has an abysmal record. Government favors big ag.
I took soil science in college; the study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the earth. Loved it. Turns out, as in Az, the best wines sometimes come from the poorest soils because the vines push their roots deep into the ground in search of more nutrients and water. This terroir is said to mimic regions in Spain and Italy.
With Climate Change/mitigation the growers have to look to science, risk management, culture and history to adapt. So glad to hear crop insurers/advisers like Swiss Re consider all these factors.
The thought of Spanish Jesuit explorer Padre Kino growing grapes, making wine for mass in Southern Az and those Mission Vines embedded in today's wines show the rich culture of the grapes.
Informative interview, Alex. Thank you. To drink wine while honoring its history is I feel the goal of sustainable efforts such as yours.
Which reminds me of soil depletion: a forgotten story because we have already so many other planetary challenges to deal with (on top of geopolitical ones...)
Adaptation seems to be the order of the day. That makes complete sense to me for the farmer and for an insurer of ongoing commercial enterprises. It is the unfortunate reality that the train has left the station, and the chief engineer is too distracted or busy looking at her/his/their reflection in the mirror to make a decision on which route needs to be followed for us and our fellow residents of Earth. Thanks for the interesting video. Looking forward to the next two.
Thank you Mike, it's so sad to realize that CO2 emissions increased last year instead of going rapidly down as they should. The next generations will not be mild in their criticism on our selfish misbehavior towards the planet.
As winter invades Ottawa, reliving the lush mountains and valleys along northern Spain must be wonderful to recall.
The photos you shared along the way were extraordinary.
It’s fascinating now to have you discuss with Stefanos Mystakidis of Swiss Re the intricacies of grape growing and wine production and how climate change demands adaptations to keep production vigorous for the growers and vintners.
I’m really enjoying these videos and look forward to more.
Thanks Lizzie, there will be a few more in the next weeks
Looking forward to them!
Always a very interesting topic.. Weather changes plays a crucial role in Vinyards, producing wine..The slightest change in rain, heat patterns has an immediate, domino effect and can be devastating. The same applies to Peaches, Apples.. 🐝 🐝 bees are our little angel workers. Weather changes even confuse them and that in itself has huge impact on fruit forming and pollinating. Wonderful, Intriguing and Complex world we live in. Thank you Alexander for bringing this to the Forefront and explaining the process.
Nature has a remarkable stability in all its complexity. But there are tipping points, and we have pushed nature over many already. Think for instance of all species lost; they will never return. Not even we, miraculously, would change our act for the better.
How fascinating to expose the difficulties of vintners assuring quality wines as the climate continues to change. An unusual perspective, essential to the historical value of wines in our culture as well as the challenges to income and living standards of those farming the grapes. 🍇
On my Dutch island, I see the other side of the problems that Spanish farmers have on the southern end of the wine growing region in Europe; since this wine belt is shifting north, we produce good wines now where no wine was produced in the recent past.
A life in agriculture is demanding and full of unexpected challenges. Stefanos says, "...all the effort that the farmer has invested in order to maintain quality accepted levels while trying to be at the same time, sustainable."
And the challenges for livestock farmers are likely even bigger than the already huge problems for crop farmers. Our governments have massively subsidized a system that goes against any repect for nature (and animal rights); returning to a smaller scale that is closer to nature is very much needed but politically challenging.
Absolutely. Even though I am vegan, I have joined a fight for organic agriculture including the treatment of small, local, family-owned dairy and animal farms. You know, "livestock" and "commodity" and all the terms showing disrespect for senient beings. The USDA has an abysmal record. Government favors big ag.
Like fossil fuel subsidies, governments support what is worst for our planet.
I took soil science in college; the study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the earth. Loved it. Turns out, as in Az, the best wines sometimes come from the poorest soils because the vines push their roots deep into the ground in search of more nutrients and water. This terroir is said to mimic regions in Spain and Italy.
With Climate Change/mitigation the growers have to look to science, risk management, culture and history to adapt. So glad to hear crop insurers/advisers like Swiss Re consider all these factors.
The thought of Spanish Jesuit explorer Padre Kino growing grapes, making wine for mass in Southern Az and those Mission Vines embedded in today's wines show the rich culture of the grapes.
Informative interview, Alex. Thank you. To drink wine while honoring its history is I feel the goal of sustainable efforts such as yours.
Which reminds me of soil depletion: a forgotten story because we have already so many other planetary challenges to deal with (on top of geopolitical ones...)
Bought you a wine, er, coffee in honor of this fine presentation! Salut!
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AlexVerbeek
Thank you Rena, it is always so nice to find a reward after late at night writing! :-)
Beautiful photos!
Thank you, Rain 😊