Climate resilience and adaptive value chains in the wine sector: from terroir to transformation

Abstract

Climate change is profoundly transforming wine supply chains, affecting grape yields, wine quality, resource availability, and consequently the economic stability of all actors operating within the sector. Rising temperatures, irregular rainfall patterns, and the increasing frequency of extreme events such as droughts, frosts, and hailstorms are altering vine physiology and wine sensory profiles. These shifts are forcing wine supply chain actors to rethink their strategies and management models to respond effectively to new environmental challenges and to meet consumer expectations, which are becoming increasingly sensitive to issues of sustainability and authenticity.

In this context, climate resilience has become a strategic lever to ensure production continuity and long-term adaptive capacity. As highlighted by Wieland et al. (2023), resilient supply chains can be understood as dynamic socio-ecological systems capable of learning and evolving through three key stages: persistence, adaptation, and transformation. According to Follmann et al. (2024), resilience and sustainability are closely interconnected dimensions: the former enables organizations to effectively respond to external shocks, while the latter ensures a lasting balance between economic performance, social equity, and environmental protection. The wine supply chain provides a suitable empirical context for investigating how a dynamic socio-ecological system manifests and evolves through growing risk awareness, active stakeholder engagement, strategic investment in resources and capabilities, and the diffusion of best management practices.

Building on these theoretical foundations, our research presents a comparative analysis of adaptation and resilience strategies to climate change implemented by wineries in the Bordeaux region and Northern Italy. The results reveal that the two areas have adopted distinct approaches, often shaped by cultural frameworks, governance structures, and national regulations. Nevertheless, significant points of convergence emerge, including the shared need to rethink the ampelographic landscape and to reinterpret the concept of terroir in a contemporary perspective, preserving its identity while adapting to evolving climatic conditions and market expectations.

References

Follmann, A., Dannenberg, P., Baur, N., Braun, B., Walther, G., Bernzen, A., Sulle, E. (2024). Conceptualizing sustainability and resilience in value chains in times of multiple crises. Journal of the Geographical Society of Berlin, 155(1), 29-48. https://doi.org/10.12854/erde-2024-692

Wieland, A., Stevenson, M., Melnyk, S. A., Davoudi, S. (2023). Thinking differently about supply chain resilience: What we can learn from social-ecological systems thinking. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 43(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-10-2022-0645