The best wines for a changing climate

The Duke of Wellington is rarely remembered as a ‘wine influencer’. Yet, after The Peninsular War, the Duke popularised wines made from the Portuguese grape Arinto. It became known as ‘Portuguese Hock’ and was the toast of London society.

Today, it’s coming back – and not because we’re fighting the French, but because winemakers are fighting a bigger battle: climate change.

Its secret? Arinto is historically grown in areas that get seriously hot in the summer, yet the wine manages to keep its lovely fresh, zingy qualities. Portugal still makes exceptional Arinto, which comes in at only 12.5% alcohol – low for a hot-climate wine.

The Arinto-based wines of Bucelas, in the Lisbon region, were among the Duke’s favourites. Bucelas is a hot region, but this is zesty and fresh and keeps Arinto’s apple and lime character.

Winemakers around the world are looking at Arinto for their own vineyards, too. If you’re in Rutherglen, Australia, you are no longer making wine in the same climate you did 20 years ago.

Summers that were once 40˚C are now closer to 45˚C, so we’re seeing wines such as Stanton & Killeen Arinto, Rutherglen, Australia (13.8%, £21). Using Arinto means that Wendy Killeen and winemaker Adriaan Foot can create floral wines with a mineral lick, even in the increasing heat.

Arinto isn’t the only grape being tested in our hotter climates. Albariño, a white wine grape from Spain, also manages to keep its fresh fruit in the heat. Leftfield Albariño 2022 from New Zealand has stone fruit and white flower aromas and a fresh palate. At 13.5%, it’s £13.50 from Tesco.

It’s not just white grapes either. In 2021, Bordeaux upended centuries of tradition by approving six new grape varieties for the region’s producers – four red and two white. These include strange names like Marselan, Castets, Arinarnoa and Liliorila.

However, the most promising is another Portuguese grape, Touriga Nacional. It will take a few years for the first wines to hit the market, but in Australia you can see what they might be like with 5OS Project McLaren Vale Shiraz Touriga 2018 (below, 14.5%, £19.99). It’s chocolatey, big and a serious treat, which adds depth and a damson tang to the peppery character of Shiraz.

But for warm-climate value, Portugal still leads the way. Asda Extra Special Dão at just £6.97 (13%) is a herbal and black-fruited treat that is perfect for a midweek supper whatever the weather brings this year.