Nordic wines now possible as weather warms up

Better known for extreme cold weather and polar bears, Nordic countries such as Norway, Finland and Sweden are now enjoying warmer temperatures and summers due to global warming. This has meant that wine production has been possible and, together with the advent of new, cold-resistant vines, several vineyards are thriving. The extent of Nordic wine production was previously limited to ice wines, made from the Vidal grape, but some wineries are now able to produce Merlot and Chardonnay too. Crops grow better in the Nordic region than at similar latitudes elsewhere because the sea is warmed by the Gulf Stream current. A comparable latitude in the southern hemisphere would be far south of New Zealand, towards Antarctica and Siberia or Alaska in the North. A generation ago the most northerly vineyards were to be found in the UK but these days it's a moving target.