Wine enthusiasts may well be able to buy Central Otago-grown syrah and merlot in the next few decades, former Central Otago Winegrowers (COWGA) president James Dicey, of Bannockburn, tells Yvonne O'Hara.
Fruit will be sweeter, vines may well mature earlier and there may be a longer growing season by the end of the century.
Bodeker Scientific's report "The past, present and future climate of Central Otago," was written and researched by scientist Chris Cameron and other team members and released last month.
Projections suggest a reduction of about half the number of frost days (up to 53 fewer) depending on location, can be expected by the end of the century, or even no frost days in some areas during spring and autumn.
It projects up to 64 more summer days a year, where daily maximum temperatures are above 25degC, (which is about double the present number) and increases in maximum temperatures during summer of up to 5.8degC depending on location, by the end of the century.