, and Bordeaux is the source of benchmark blends, but if you look beneath the surface even in those regions, the ground is already shifting.
In Bordeaux, the Big Five grape varieties—Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec—are now legally allowed to be joined by a handful of more warm-weather-resistant grapes for wines labeled as Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Superieur. They’re not yet approved for use in the more prestigious appellations, but that day may come.
Thrilling wines are being produced farther south in Patagonia and farther north in Europe than ever before. Shrewd collectors will take advantage of this, building cellars of not just classic regions but up-and-comers, too. People can argue about the causes of climate change all they want, but the men and women who grow the grapes and make the wine don’t have the luxury of getting drawn into that debate: They’re living with the very real impacts of it every vintage.