Climate Change, Wine, and Cannabis: How a Warming World Is Changing the Way We Unwind

While sipping your glass of wine in the evening, climate change might be the last thing on your mind. And yet, the wine industry is largely impacted by climate change and both scientists and producers are observing real impacts on where, how much, and what quality of wine is made. Will we see a decline in wine production and will we have to unwind with something else?

Rising Temperatures and Extreme Weather

Warmer growing seasons are causing grapevines to grow and ripen faster, which shortens the time for harvest and can lower yields. Hotter temperatures increase sugar levels and reduce acidity in grapes, changing the taste and balance of wine and often leading to higher alcohol content. Many traditional wine regions are also becoming hotter and drier, putting their classic grape varieties and wine styles at risk. If global warming continues, large areas that currently produce wine may no longer be suitable for traditional grape growing.

In France, one of the main wine producers, the drought, floods, storms or frost in the last few years make it harder to obtain quality wines. Harvest timing is earlier than in the past - In 2025 many French vineyards started picking grapes in August instead of the traditional September season because heatwaves and warmer temperatures made grapes ripen faster. For example, in parts of Bordeaux, harvest began in mid-August rather than mid-September. (source)

Why Some People Are Replacing Wine with Cannabis in a Changing Climate

Will we see a decline in wine production and will we have to unwind with something else? Take cannabis, for example. Gone are the days when people grew hemp and cannabis indoors in an effort to hide from the police. As the weather becomes more unfriendly and unpredictable, more producers are moving indoors to grow hemp and cannabis. Imagine to do that with grapes. Vineyards would have to be moved indoors such as tomatoes or strawberries and imagine the impact on prizes of wine and the climate when the glasshouses would have to be heated as is often the case with other crops.

At the same time, people are rethinking their relationship with alcohol in general. (study) Health concerns, rising alcohol levels in wine, and the environmental cost of water-intensive vineyards in drought-prone regions are pushing some to look for alternatives. In places where it is legal and regulated, cannabis has become one such alternative.

Unlike wine, which depends on increasingly fragile climate conditions, cannabis can be grown indoors or in controlled environments, reducing exposure to extreme weather. Modern cultivation methods use far less land and can be carefully managed for consistent quality. From a consumer perspective, cannabis also offers effects without alcohol’s dehydration, liver strain, or high calorie content—factors that matter more as people focus on long-term wellness.

There is also a cultural shift. Wine has long been associated with relaxation and social rituals, but cannabis is now filling a similar role for some adults: unwinding after work, enhancing meals, or enjoying music and conversation - without the next-day hangover that often comes with higher-alcohol wines.

None of this means wine will disappear. It remains a deeply rooted agricultural and cultural product. But as climate change continues to disrupt traditional vineyards and push alcohol levels higher, it is understandable that some consumers are exploring alternatives that feel more sustainable, gentler on the body, and less dependent on increasingly unstable growing conditions.

In a warming world, changing what we drink - and why - has become part of a much larger conversation about health, the environment, and adaptation. Whether you choose a glass of wine or cannabis to unwind after a long day, moderation and awareness matter. If you do drink wine, keeping it to one glass can help protect sleep quality, and choosing organic options can reduce exposure to pesticides, since grapes are among the most heavily sprayed crops. Ultimately, informed and mindful choices allow us to care for both our bodies and the planet.

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