Australian wine regions won't be able to grow the grapes they are famous for because of global warming,

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Lawyers from Adelaide-based Finlaysons rate climate change as the biggest long-term challenge facing Australia's wine industry.

Wine quality could suffer from reduced harvest times, more extreme weather and reduced water supplies, Finlaysons partner Will Taylor said.

"Climate change is probably the biggest long-term issue facing the wine industry all over the world and individual Australian winemakers and grape growers need to be planning for it now," Taylor said.

"We're likely to see changes in vine phenology and wine styles," Taylor said, "including potential reductions in quality, shorter optimum harvest times, reduced water supply in most areas, different disease and pest pressures, and changes in the varieties of grapes that can be grown successfully in particular areas across Australia."

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