Pinot noir vineyards are now dotting Hokkaido, better known for its ski slopes, as global warming raises spring-to-fall temperatures to a point suitable for cultivating the red grapes.
But the grapes, used in expensive wine in Hokkaido, could see reduced acidity as climate change progresses further and the amount of rainfall increases.
The climate phenomenon in northern Japan has caught the eye of Etienne de Montille, president of the distinguished Domaine de Montille winery, which was established in 1730 in the Bourgogne wine region in eastern France.