Smoke from the record-breaking wildfires this year has contaminated grapes with an ashy flavor in some of the country’s top wine regions and could portend ruined seasons to come as climate change continues to fuel worsening wildfires, according to reports. The smoke also caused hazardous conditions for agriculture workers, many undocumented, who were forced to work despite the dangerous air quality, NPR reported. The smoke could have an especially heavy toll on red wine, in part because of when the grape skins are removed in the process, and in part because some white grapes were harvested before the worst of the smoke inundated vineyards. Research shows climate change is expected to increasingly impact U.S. wineries and, according to Wine Searcher, winemakers in California and Oregon are grappling with the “realization that climate change is no longer the bogeyman under the bed, but that it’s here, and it can’t be wished away.” (AP, NPR, The Gazette, Wine-Searcher, LA Times $, San Francisco Chronicle, Oregon Public Broadcasting, The Independent; ‘Wet ashtray’: Reuters; Climate signals background: Wildfires)