Tim Hearden Certain places have the ideal climate for producing the best wine, a UC scientist notes. Somewhat overlooked in the post-harvest hubbub of a coronavirus-tainted holiday season was a University of California, Davis presentation dealing with the impact of climate change on Napa Valley grapes. “Grapes are very responsive to their environment and certain places produce the best wine because those places have the ideal climate for certain kinds of grapes,” said Andrew Waterhouse, director of the university’s Robert Mondavi Institute. “Napa Valley right now is in the sweet spot for many varieties, like chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, but how will wineries in Napa and other regions cope with these environmental changes?”