Irrigation initiation timing is a critical annual management decision that has cascading effects on grapevine productivity and wine quality.

Developing a sustainable agricultural production system and acquiring the full potential of land resources requires employing land-use assessment. This entails knowledge of the climate, soil, and topography of the area of interest.

The marked climate change impact on vine and grape development (phenology, sugar content, acidity …) is one of the manifestations of Genotype X Environment X Management interactions importance in viticulture. Some practices, such as irrigation, can mitigate the effect of water deficit on grape development, but warming is much more difficult to challenge. High temperatures tend to alter the acid balance of the fruit with a parallel increase in sugar concentration. In the long term, genetic improvement to select varieties better coping with temperature elevation appear as a good option to support sustainable viticulture. Nevertheless, the existing phenotypic diversity for grape quality components that are influenced by temperature is poorly understood, which jeopardizes breeding strategies.

In the Champagne vineyards, spring frosts are the cause of significant variations in the volume of the harvest which are very penalizing for the trade. This variability is reflected both in time (years without frost alternating with years with severe frosts) and in space. Certain sectors of the vineyard are in fact statistically more susceptible to frost than others, but each year no municipality can consider itself immune to this climatic accident. The objective of the study is precisely to analyze the spatial distribution of frost and to determine its main mechanisms, linked to the topography of the hillsides, their orientation but also to regional meteorological variables.

Le territoire de Suzette se développe sur un grand coteau viticole et boisé situé au cœur du site naturel des Dentelles de Montmirail (40km au nord d’Avignon). Ce site est à la fois l’un des pôles d’attraction touristique du département et le lieu d’une production viticole renommée (Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes de Venise, … ). Cet ensemble remarquable de terrasses viticoles et de crêtes rocheuses et boisées, forme un des paysages emblématiques du Vaucluse. La commune est actuellement soumise à une importante pression foncière due à une forte demande résidentielle. Le paysage du coteau forme et possède de ce fait un patrimoine culturel de valeur et une image de marque importante pour la production viticole locale.