Global warming has been a boon for Riesling, last week's Riesling Rendezvous conference in Seattle heard. The conference, hosted by Ernie Loosen, Decanter's Man of the Year 2005, and Ted Baseler, the president of Château Ste Michelle, was attended by well over 350 professionals from all four corners of the world. Speakers suggested that warmer temperatures worldwide were opening up new regions for Riesling and guaranteeing consistency in more traditional regions - although in time growers will be forced to adapt, or move.