"vineyards" news and stories

Luxist reports that a recent conference on Global Warming and Wines found that traditional wine-making areas may be at risk of losing their wine-making abilities, including the Catalonian regions of Spain and Bordeaux region of France. If current warming trends continue, one speaker at the conference argued, this could be a reality "within the next 40 to 70 years." Grapes in those regions could suffer not only from an increase in temperature, but from a change in the amount of rainfall they receive. Increasingly dry areas may face water-restrictions to conserve water, while other regions may face heavy rains, since many scientists predict changing weather patterns will accompany global warming. On the plus side, some of the areas of the world that are now too cold to successfully cultivate wines on a large, commercial scale will probably be warm enough to grow grapes, leading to new varieties and blends for connoisseurs to enjoy, drowning their sorrows to forget the loss of their favorite Bordeaux.

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Brad Pitt is planning on buying a vineyard in Italy; just outside Turin, which is a short distance from his pal George Clooney's Lake Como hut.

The Daily Telegraph claims the 42 year-old actor paid a secretive visit to three wine estates, all in the Barolo region, 35 miles south of Turin. The actor stayed at the Fontanafredda estate in Serralunga, once a royal domain and 35 miles south of Turin. He visited other producers in the area including Cascina Cucco and Poderi Aldo Conterno. All three estates produce quality Barolo and Dolcetto d'Alba.

"He seemed to be interested in buying," Monica Tavella from Fontanafredda told the Telegraph.

Pitt is not the first celebrity to eye an Italian vineyard. Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall owns an estate in Sicily and Chelsea boss Roman Abramovich recently visited Tuscany, also with an eye to acquiring an estate. 

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