As part of my retirement gift from my colleagues at the Surgery I was given a voucher for a tour of the vineyard at Chilford Hall in Cambridgeshire. It was really interesting to hear how the grapes are cultivated on the vines, harvested and then turned into various wines – white, rose, red and sparkling, many of which have won both national and international awards.
There was a time when vineyards and wine production in the UK was unknown or unusual. Now there are over 200 registered vineyards throughout the UK with some as far north as York and Harrogate.
Part of the reason for the success of the wine industry in the UK is the chalky seam of soil that runs from north to south, (and then continues through France and the champagne region.) The other reason is the changing climate. We are having hotter and drier summers, and in fact in many regions of France the temperatures are too high for good wine production, particularly for sparkling wines.
Who knows, will the UK become the centre of champagne production in the future??
We might like the idea of hotter summers and being able to sip a refreshing glass of wine on a warm summers evening, however this is just one example of how changing climates affect whole industries and livelihoods.
There are parts of the world where this is much more serious and far reaching, where changes in the jet stream and sea currents mean catastrophic rains and arid fields.
Prayer: Sovereign Lord, you turned water into wine at the wedding so the guests could celebrate. We celebrate today the fruits of the harvest. However, we also mourn that changing climate conditions mean failed harvest for some. We pray for those suffering the effects of extreme weather events. Help us to better understand the delicate balance of nature and the consequences of our actions upon the planet. AMEN