VOA科学技术2023--Climate Change Has Sweden Growing its Wine Industry

Climate Change Has Sweden Growing its Wine Industry

Most people would not connect the country of Sweden with the tradition of fine wine making. It is far north of the famous wine-growing areas in France, Italy or Spain, where the tradition is ancient.

However, climate change is making for warmer and longer growing seasons in Sweden. There are also new kinds of grapes created especially for the country's environment.

As a result, winemaking is a growing industry.

Its growth comes as drought, rising heat and other extreme weather are forcing traditional winemaking areas to re-think their growing methods.

The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute reports temperatures in the country's south have increased by about 2 degrees Celsius¹ over the past 30 years compared to the 30 years earlier. The experts also say Sweden's growing season has lengthened² by about 20 days.

Felix Åhrberg is the chief oenologist, or expert winemaker, at the 14-hectare Kullabergs Vingard, near the North Sea.

He noted³ that the rising temperatures are hurting vineyards in traditional winemaking countries. At the same time, "we are gaining momentum⁴," he said.

Kullabergs produces about 30,000 bottles of wine yearly. Some of their wines have won prizes in different competitions. Costly⁵ restaurants from Hong Kong to Europe sell the wine.

Even some oenologists from France are settling in Sweden to grow grapes and careers.

"It is the new frontier of wine making and grapes grow best on their coolest frontier," Åhrberg said.

Emma Berto is one such winemaker from France who now works at Thora Vingard, about 20 kilometers from Åhrberg's land.

She and her partner, Romain Chichery, moved to Sweden for the chance to lead a vineyard just after completing their education. They say Sweden's climate is more predictable than France's. There, the early spring weather can be too warm and the grapes begin to develop before they should.

In addition, Berto and Chichery said they want to use more sustainable grape-growing methods, including limits on insect poisoning.

Chichery said France has been making wine for so long, there are many rules winemakers must follow. In Sweden, it is a newer business so there is more freedom.

However, there is still a lot to learn about growing grapes in Sweden. The main grape grown in the country is Solaris, which began in Germany, and grows well in Northern Europe.

The winemakers treat the vines differently, too. In Sweden, the leaves are removed from the vines so the grapes can receive more sunlight. In France and Spain, sometimes winemakers are worried the grapes will get too much.

The Thora owners who hired the French winemakers are Johan and Heather Oberg. They depend on wine experts from the traditional winemaking countries because Swedish universities do not have study programs in the science and practice of winemaking.

Maarten van Aalst is a climate professor at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. He said businesses are often first to identify and react to climate change. He said it is good that "climate change is partly something we can adapt to."

But, he warned, it is not all good weather in Sweden. He pointed⁷ to recent heavy rains that caused flooding, resulting in $150 million in damage. He said bad weather is becoming more common because of human-caused climate change.

In Sweden, vineyards account for about 150 hectares of land. The number is one million in Spain and about 800,000 in France.

Swedish winemakers hope that as the industry grows, the government will make rules that help them expand their businesses. For example, right now in Sweden, wine makers⁶ cannot sell their own wine. People who want a bottle must purchase from a government-run store.

Mikael Molstad writes about wine. He said the Swedish government is not in favor of making it easier to buy alcohol.

"Politicians," he said, "still see alcohol as a social problem."

Goran Amnegård is a prize-winning winemaker who started 20 years ago. He is pleased to see more wineries opening in Sweden.

He thinks more people will come to take advantage of the warmer temperatures and longer growing time.

"I can see things growing here that were unthinkable 30 or 40 years ago," Amnegård said as he looked out over his small vineyard.

"We're seeing fruit trees like peaches and apricots. I'm getting beautiful peaches in August."

Words in This Story

wine –n. an alcoholic⁸ beverage⁹ made from fermented¹⁰ grapes

grape –n. a fruit that grows on a vine that is used to make wine or juice

momentum –n. forward movement or progress toward a goal

frontier –n. an unexplored area, or a place far away from a developed part of the world

sustainable –n. something that can be done often and in a repeatable way

practice –n. the way of doing something

adapt –v. to change and adjust to outside forces or pressure

1 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

2 lengthened   

（时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The afternoon shadows lengthened. 下午影子渐渐变长了。
• He wanted to have his coat lengthened a bit. 他要把上衣放长一些。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

8 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

9 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

10 fermented   

v.（使）发酵( ferment的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）激动；骚动；骚扰

参考例句：

• When wine is fermented, it gives off gas. 酒发酵时发出气泡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His speeches fermented trouble among the workers. 他的演讲在工人中引起骚动。 来自辞典例句