Wet summers are nothing new, but only the most obstinate critic would deny that something peculiar is happening to the world's weather patterns. During the past two years I have visited vineyards in Chile, France, India, Italy, South Africa and England. Every winemaker I have spoken to is worried about climate change. Many are reluctant to talk publicly about the issue, but behind closed doors, when the day's work is done, they open up one by one and discuss their fears for the future.

And yet just three years ago I was writing about what was being hailed as the 'vintage of the century'. Near-perfect conditions had swept across Europe in 2005, resulting in immaculate wines. Two years before that, France recorded one of its hottest summers on record – in the vineyards surrounding Bordeaux, winemakers had talked of 'oven-like' temperatures. The red wines initially achieved favourable reviews, but tasting them now reveals a stewed, baked character, where the acidity is less pronounced. Tasted against a decade of vintages, they appear anomalous, and it is my opinion that these wines will not age particularly well. In Bordeaux they refer to the 2003 vintage as 'special'. Read into that what you will.

Climate change is as confusing as Italy's wine classification system. It isn't just about the world getting hotter. Springs are sunny and warm, summer months are cloudy and wet, the growing seasons are longer, the temperature during ripening is higher and there is less likelihood of frost. The consensus is that over the next 50 years the temperature during the growing season will rise by between 2°C and 4°C. Compare this with the 1.7°C increase noted between 1950 and 2004. Northern European countries, including Scotland, will be among the beneficiaries of this rise. So are we going to see vines on Arthur's Seat? Not just yet. What is more likely to happen is that the traditional growing areas of France (which, unlike their neighbours in Spain, are not protected by altitude) will be severely affected. A rise of 2°C in Burgundy would be catastrophic for its principal grape variety, pinot noir. The same applies to the merlot grown in Bordeaux.

Of course, as temperatures become unsuitable in Burgundy, pinot noir could be grown further north. But that is not necessarily a solution; grapes thrive as a result of the soil and the micro-climate that surrounds their vineyards, which in many cases have been selected over thousands of years of trial and error. Pinot noir grown in a warmer Belgium or Holland would taste nothing like that produced in Burgundy.

Herein lies the crux of how climate change will affect wine. It is not that wine will disappear or that unlikely countries will be able to produce it; it is that a fundamental change in style will emerge. It could be argued that this is already starting to happen – with riper, fruitier, more alcoholic wines now a part of everyday drinking. Perversely, France may look back at this period as its golden age when conditions were near-perfect. In the meantime, for those who want a taste of the future, here are three to try.

2005 Enchanté Merlot Cabernet, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Bordeaux, France, 13%, £7.20

At the time of going to press, this was still on promotion, bringing its price down to around £5.50. It's very forward and ripe, and even at this relatively young age for Bordeaux it is ready to drink. Perfect if you're looking for a decent house claret. Threshers, Sainsbury's

2008 Windy Peak Pinot Noir, De Bortoli, Victoria, Australia, 13%, £7.99

If it wasn't for the distinctive warmth of alcohol, this could easily be mistaken on the nose for Ribena. Pomegranate-red, it's an acceptable pinot, ideal for washing down a midweek supper. Sainsbury's

2007 Ona Pinot Noir, Anakena, Casablanca Valley, Chile, 14.5%, £8.99

An altogether more robust beast. Rich, lush and warmly spicy, it has notes of black cherry and mocha, and a lively autumnal kick. But, with an alcohol content of 14.5%, this is one to be sipped and savoured. Oddbins