Impacts of Drought on Vine and the Future of Vineyards under Climate Change: A Languedoc Case Study

Using downscaled global climate simulations under scenario A2 and a soil water balance model, this study evaluates future soil water availability for grapevines across three representative Languedoc sub-regions. Results indicate a marked increase in summer drought intensity and duration in the latter half of the century, driven by higher climatic demand and reduced rainfall. Progressive cycle shortening shifts severe water deficits to the post-harvest period when vines rebuild carbon reserves. These findings underline the need for adaptive viticultural strategies, combining existing and novel techniques to cope with decreasing water availability.