Terroir 1996 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 La pianificazione del paesaggio agrario vitivinicolo del basso Monferrato

La pianificazione del paesaggio agrario vitivinicolo del basso Monferrato

Abstract

Monferrato is a sub region of Piedmont featuring an endless series of hills which have been moulded through the centuries by laborious farming. Vineyards have always been the protagonists of Monferrato landscape. Asti vineyards have been well-known since Roman times and Pliny the Elder mentions them. Local farmers have played the role of great architects transforming this area with their gift for cultivation. Thanks to them excellent wines and harmonious landscapes form a perfect balance. Eighteenth- and nineteenth-century documents, such as land registers, give various proofs of a constantly well-tilled soil and well-disposed cultivations. Unfortunately, since 1950 the agricultural estates have been damaged by several economic and social factors which have caused a loss of identity and deterioration in the complex articulation of the historical landscape. The European Union by financing the uprooting of vineyards has favored further deterioration and abandonment of these areas. As a result the soil of high hills is exposed to such erosion that it might lead to the complete loss of any cultivation. From this extreme change arises the need for planning the landscape in order to be ready for new economic and commercial trends.
It is now essential to try and preserve historical forms of agriculture which have been accumulating technical knowledge and common culture. The aesthetic and figurative values of this kind of landscape can be fully assessed only if we understand the complexity of the factors which were involved in its growth. Thus agricultural planning in this area is quite a different matter from a garden: first of all it means realizing the need to integrate different factors establishing links between various points which can be relevant for future developments. After focusing the rules for correct restoration and management of agriculture on the hilly countryside, some solutions to the main problems have been devised and are being discussed. Three main hypotheses have been taken into account: a traditional-functional planning, a realistic though weak project and an experimental project, all of them related to the local resources and economic possibilities. New and different landscapes result from each choice, though each takes into account the overall situation. These three projects stem from a common source inasmuch as they share the awareness of respecting the “vocation” of the territory. Since the very beginnings of the history of agriculture, in Monferrato vineyards have been the optimum means of communication between farmers and nature and they are still the most suited to local resources. It is therefore advisable that similar territories maintain their own harmoniously conceived style. It is possible to renovate while still preserving the specific aspects of the land: only in such a way will the beauty of our landscapes not be lost.

DOI:

Publication date: March 2, 2022

Issue: Terroir 1998

Type: Article

Authors

ALESSANDRO CARAMELLINO

Via Mazzucotelli 22 – 20138 Milano

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 1998

Citation

Related articles…

Novel analytical technologies for wine fingerprinting in and beyond the laboratory

For characterization, sensory designing and authentication rapid analytical technologies have become available. Some, like Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry allow a rapid spectrum of the volatile compounds of wines. Combined with chemometrics wines can be characterized. The same approach can be used to calculate the results of virtual mixtures and allow formulation of constant quality blends. Other new techniques and portable devices based on spectroscopy allow measurements on production sites and in grocery stores, even for the smart consumer. We will present some examples of the application of these techniques for authentication of wines, both in the laboratory and on site.

REDUCING NITROGEN FERTILIZATION ALTERS PHENOLIC PROFILES OF VITIS VINIFERA L. CV. CABERNET GERNISCHT WINE OF YANTAI, CHINA

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is important for grape growth and the quality of wine. It is essential to address the mismatch between N application and wine composition. Cabernet Gernischt (Vitis vinifera L.), as one of the main wine-grape cultivars in China, was introduced to Yantai wine region in 1892. This grape cultivar is traditionally used for quality dry red wine with fruit, spices aroma, ruby red and full-bodied wines. In order to regulate vine growth and improve grape and wine quality, Cabernet Gernischt grapevines were subjected to decreased levels of N treatments, compared to normal N supply treatment, during grape growing seasons of 2019 and 2020.

Rapid measurement of phenolic quality as a useful tool for viticultural zoning

Un des principaux objectifs du zonage viticole est l’individuation des zones plus indiquées à la production de vins de haute qualité en relation aux cépages. Ceperrlant depuis beaucqup d’années, entre les paramètres de qualité du raisin, on n’a pas considéré les substances phénoliques par effet de l!l difficulté d’analyse en temps rapides.

Improving the phenolic composition of cv tempranillo wines by blending grapes of different ripening state

The aim of this work was to reduce the alcohol content of Tempranillo wine. Tempranillo wines were produced by grapes harvested at different ripening dates (August 11 which was 21 oBrix and September 28 with 25 oBrix). At the second date, the Tempranillo wines were elaborated as follows: grapes were destemmed, crushed and collected into 50 L stainless-steel vats. Before preferementative maceration in cold, 50 % (M1) and 70 % (M2) of the must have been replaced by the same percentage of must from the first harvest. In addition, a control wine (C) was performed with only grapes from the second harvest.

Some applications come from a method to concentrate proteins

All techniques usually used to assay proteins was not reliable in vegetable extract due to interferences with the components included in extracts like polyphenols, tanins, pectines, aromatics compounds. Absorbance at 280nm, Kjeldhal assay, Biuret and Lowry methods, Acid Bicinchonique technique and Bradford assay give the results depending on the composition of extract, on the presence or not of detergent and on the raw material (Marchal, 1995). Another difficulty in these extracts for the quantification of proteins comes from the large amount of water included in vegetable and the low concentration of proteins. Thus in red wines, proteins are usually not taken into account due to their low concentration (typically below 10 mgL-1) and to the presence of anthocyanis and polyphenols.