[algol]

the world has begun to warm up again - but has still to reach the balmy temperatures of the Middle Ages.

Yep. There's a reason that the Vikings called it "Greenland", and the coast of Labrador/Newfoundland "Vine land".

[swilhelm73]

Yes, and specifically it was the cooling temperatures that killed off the Viking settlements on Greenland...

Of course, I've read some Roman history that claims that in Roman Britain they grew significant numbers of grapes!!! Just try that now in our supposedly overheated world...