The Wineries for Climate Protection Conference in Barcelona last Friday was attended by over 400 delegates, mainly from Spain. More than 20 scientists, climate change experts, viticulturalists and politicians from around the world gave an impassioned plea to the wine world last week – follow our example and save the world. Speakers included the former Chilean president Ricardo Lagos, now the UN Special Envoy on climate change, and some of the most senior figures in the wine world.

Detailed assessments of their environmental strategies were discussed. These ranged from new packaging technology – in Champagne 37% of the carbon footprint comes from packaging, Gouez said – to pyrolysis, breaking down organic materials without oxygen, to the extensive use of geothermics, harnessing energy from depths of 100-400m to both heat and cool wineries.

Gioia Small of Penfolds said it was certain that climate change played a part in ‘vintage time and compression’.