00:00Jean-Pierre Riviere witnessed the first effects of climate change on his vineyards 20 years ago.
00:07The buds on the vines burst earlier than usual, fooled by a warm spell in March.
00:12The yield that year was poor, and the quality of the grapes suffered.
00:17The French farmer hoped it was a one-off, but it has become almost an annual occurrence.
00:24In 2003, we were especially disturbed because we didn't really understand.
00:29I mean, we thought it was an exceptional event.
00:34Determined to save his vineyard he inherited from his father,
00:37Jean-Pierre is adapting to the challenges posed by climate change
00:41through innovative and sustainable practices and experimenting with new techniques.
00:46We are working mainly on modifying the height of vegetation at our research organizations.
00:53We are also working on all the rootstocks.
00:57We are very hopeful because the vine is a grafted plant,
01:00the above-ground part is European plants, and the underground part is American plants,
01:05which have been grafted precisely to resist phylloxera since around 1870.
01:09We are working on these different families to find rootstocks that are more resistant to drought
01:13because they are able to develop strong roots and go deep underground
01:17to find moisture and be less sensitive to drought.
01:21The winemakers are contending with a range of obstacles.
01:24As well as carefully managing water, it's also critical to ensure the grapes do not ripen too early
01:30before the vines have been able to convert the bright Mediterranean sunshine into sugars.
01:35Despite its international reputation, Beaujolais remains relatively affordable
01:40compared with France's other traditional powerhouse wine regions.
01:44And so it has emerged as a place of experimentation where new techniques can be tested.
01:50David Ratignier, vice-president of the Beaujolais Villages,
01:54says farmers' efforts are already starting to bear fruit.
01:57Our soils are very poor, so we've added a lot of organic matter
02:01to increase water storage in the soil in summer, so it works.
02:05His confidence is born out of the numbers.
02:07For years, France reclaimed the title of the world's largest wine-producing country in 2023
02:13after a nine-year hiatus, according to the International Organization of Wine Production report.
02:19Grapes have been cultivated in fields in this area for 2,000 years,
02:23and the wine industry is much more than just a business here.
02:27So farmers like Rivier are determined to fight on against climate change
02:31to preserve the lifeblood of their land.
02:34Simon Samar, for CGTN, in Beaujolais.
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