We’re set to clock in the warmest year on record, thanks to climate change, and that's had a major impact on industries that can't up stakes and move to avoid it—like the winemaking business. Regions that have long been at the helm of fermenting globally renowned wines, such as Italy, have seen volumes drop due to extreme weather impacting grape yields and quality.
As dynamics in the wine industry begin to change, one country has become a surprise winner. Britain has had a long viticulture history, some estimates going back to the 11th century. Still, it never rose up the ranks as a wine capital alongside its European peers, which offered higher quality and more variety—and Britain's less-than-ideal grape-growing weather was one reason why.
