The effects of climate change on Washington State’s wine grape industry are likely to be mixed, with some viticultural areas benefiting from conditions that favor new varieties, while other areas will have difficulty growing existing varieties. For example, some growing areas in eastern Washington might approach the upper temperature limits for growing the widely planted red varieties Merlot and Syrah and exceed the limit for the white varieties Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc, predicts Dr. Greg Jones, climatologist at Southern Oregon University. Warmer temperatures could increase the range of varieties suited to the state’s cooler growing zones, such as the […]