Adaptation to Climate Change in Viticulture: The Role of Varietal Selection—A Review

Climate change adaptation strategies are crucial in viticulture, with short-term strategies being widely used despite increasing concerns about their sustainability, and long-term strategies considered
promising, though costly. A promising but understudied strategy is varietal selection, as grapevines exhibit vast intervarietal diversity with untapped potential for climate-resilient varieties. By integrating research across plant physiology, biochemistry, histology, and genetics, we can better understand the traits behind the grapevine’s capability for adaptation.
Several traits, including morphological, physiological, and molecular aspects, have been shown to be crucial in adapting to environmental stresses such as drought and heat.