Esteemed chateaux such as Lafite, Petrus and Latour could be forced to make radical changes over the next few decades to accommodate the onset of climate change, experts believe.

Jean-Pascal Goutouly of the French National Institute for Agricultural Research in Paris said it is possible that the climate of Bordeaux will no longer be suitable for growing popular grape varietals by the mid-century, putting the future of claret in jeopardy.

"The pessimistic scenario indeed shows that Bordeaux's climate, by 2050, will no longer favour Cabernet and Merlot, the backbone varietals of the region's red wines," he commented.

Some producers have already begun switching to heat-resistant grape varieties as a precaution, ever since growers noticed weather patterns unusual even for Bordeaux's famously unpredictable climate.

Meanwhile, the Guardian reports that changing temperatures are being welcomed by some people in the British wine industry, and are being studied with interest by oenologists at Sussex's Plumpton College.