Climate change seems inevitable, but to what degree is a question scientists constantly explore. Even the smallest variations in climate can have a big impact on how we operate – from big initiatives like energy consumption to small niches like the wine industry. Stanford University climate scientist Noah Diffenbaugh recently worked with a group to analyze this very topic. Diffenbaugh spent two years using what he referred to as, “the most detailed climate model experiment that exists for the continental United States,” to study the impact of predicted climate change on select wine regions of the northwest. His group published their findings in the June 30 issue of Environmental Research Letters. The study assumes a moderate climate change of 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit between now and 2040. Under that assumption, Northern California wine areas in the study could see land suitable for premium wine growth shrink by 50 percent during that time.