The current climate change is certainly one of the greatest and most serious environmental, social and economic challenges the world is facing, and of course this also has a significant impact on the wine-growing sector.
In order to ensure that you always enjoy the best wines, at Vinchio Vaglio we use adaptation and counteracting techniques, both in the vineyard and within the cellar, aiming at compensating the effects of climate change.
The challenges of climate change in viticulture
While it is true that the Barbera vine has great resilience to climate change, it is also true that rising temperatures:
- lead to earlier phenological phases,
- increase the risk of spring frost damage,
- prolong the vegetative cycle,
- affect the composition of the grapes by modifying the concentration of sugars, tannins and organic acids.
To overcome these problems, last November the Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato set up AGEBA, a research project aimed at addressing the issue of climate change from a genetic point of view. The purpose of the study is to assess the intra-varietal variability of the Barbera vine through frontier molecular methodology (Genotyping by Sequencing) combined with detailed phenotyping.
The goal is to be able to identify genotypes with characteristics of adaptability to climate change that have greater resistance to biotic and abiotic agents and a lower capacity for sugar accumulation within the berries.
Changes brought to… the vineyard
The climate change we are currently going through has led to a redefinition of vineyard management techniques: from pruning to harvesting the grapes.
While usually in July and August the vines would be worked on by uncovering the bunches so that they would ripen better with the help of sunrays, summer temperatures now require a completely different procedure. It is with this approach that winegrowers proceed with stripping only the north-facing leaves, thus allowing better air circulation, while still maintaining good shade for the bunches.
Similarly, the timing of the grape harvest has become crucial: more sampling of the grapes is conducted in order to keep a close eye on their ripeness. In some cases, it may be necessary to harvest twice in the same vineyard so that the grapes are picked at the right time.
For new plantings, we also look for rootstocks that are more resistant to drought.
The Vigne Vecchie project has proved to be far-sighted, if not providential, in this respect as well. In fact, the vineyards that are 50 to 80 years old, which have been preserved thanks to this project, react better to climate change because the roots have already pushed deeper down in the soil, and it is here that they are able to find water reserves that are not there on the surface.
… within the winery
In addition to the constant use of our in-house laboratory, which allows us to check the acidity and sugar content of the sampled grapes in real time, the winery organises the harvest to ensure the grapes are picked during the coolest hours, with timely delivery to the winery for destemming.
Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature to preserve and enhance the typical characteristics of our wines.
… and in the choices for the future!
It is reductive to think that the climate change we are going through is only about rising temperatures in the vineyard and extreme weather phenomena. It is a situation that concerns us all and also affects our choices on a daily basis.
Not only adapting, but also counteracting: this is our commitment to reducing our impact on the environment, the certificate obtained as a Cantina Sostenibile (‘Sustainable Winery’), the choice to use lightweight bottles, the use of Bag in Box for everyday wines, the reduction of our carbon footprint, the use of renewable energy and all the choices we make everyday that have been engaging us for years.
You can read here what Sustainable Winery means as certified by Equalitas.