Terroir 2012 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 International Terroir Conferences 9 Terroir 2012 9 Ancient and recent construction of Terroirs 9 Vineyard soils and landscapes of the Burgundy Côte (France): a historical construction worth preserving

Vineyard soils and landscapes of the Burgundy Côte (France): a historical construction worth preserving

Abstract

The construction of vineyard landscapes along the Burgundy Côte is the result of geological processes and of human labour. Substratum diversity in this vineyard is the result of a very long history explained by the diversity of Jurassic sedimentary facies and Tertiary tectonic activity. The nature and thickness of Quaternary deposits (Weichselian scree debris and alluvial fans) reflect sediment dynamics concurrent with the last glaciation. As soon as humans started to occupy and cultivate these slopes, the changes they made in the land through crop development and roads began to structure the vineyard plots in a lasting way. The footprint of vine work in soils can be traced back over a millennium. It results mainly from a significant removal of stones when the land was first cultivated and from land management to fight against erosion (construction of retaining walls, transport of earth upslope, etc.). In recent centuries, the expansion of the vineyard follows a complex history (the phylloxera crisis, changes in the way quarries, in particular, were run). Today’s vineyard soils and landscapes are cultural objects that have been shaped over time. The mechanised labour linked to recent replanting cannot be allowed to destroy this natural and cultural heritage. The effects of trenching and other often irreversible actions (e.g. excessive embankments) affect both the visible landscape (the extension of plots and removal of drystone walls and mounds) and the invisible heritage (nature and diversity of soils, buried archaeological heritage). The people of Burgundy who are seeking recognition and listed status for the diversity of climats, their exceptional heritage, must consider the consequences of such practices in the medium and long term.

Publication date: September 25, 2023

Issue: Terroir 2012

Type: Article

Authors

Christophe PETIT1, Emmanuel CHEVIGNY2, Pierre CURMI3, Amélie QUIQUEREZ2, Françoise VANNIER-PETIT4

1 University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne UMR 7041 ArScAn, 3 rue Michelet, F-75006 Paris, France
2 University of Burgundy, UMR CNRS 5594 ARTeHIS, University of Burgundy, France
3 UMR CNRS Agrooécologie Dijon, University of Burgundy, Agrosup, INRA, France
4 Geologist, La Rente Neuve, F-21160 FLAVIGNEROT, FRANCE

Contact the author

Keywords

Vineyard soil, geological history, Burgundy, natural and cultural heritage

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir | Terroir 2012

Citation

Related articles…

Impact of temperature and solar radiation on grape composition variability in the Saint-Emilion winegrowing area 

Grape composition is strongly influenced by climate conditions. Their expected modifications in near future, notably because of increased temperatures, could significantly modify the biochemical composition of berries at harvest, and thus wine typicity and quality. Elevated temperatures favor sugar accumulation in grapes, enhance malic acid degradation and modify the amino acid content. They also reduce significantly anthocyanin accumulation in Merlot, leading to the imbalance between anthocyanins and sugars, while no significant effects on final anthocyanin levels were reported in Tempranillo[1] and finally affect aromas or aroma precursors.

Application of UV-B radiation in pre- and postharvest as an innovative and sustainable cultural practice to improve grape phenolic composition

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a minor part of the solar spectrum, but it represents an important ecological factor that influences many biological processes related to plant growth and development. In recent years, the application of UVR in agriculture and food production is emerging as a clean and environmentally friendly technology.
In grapevine, many studies have been conducted on the effects of ambient levels of UVR, but there are few considering the effects of UV-B application on grape phenolic composition under commercial growing or postharvest conditions.

Influence of mixed fermentations with Starmerella bacillaris and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on malolactic fermentation by Lactobacillus plantarum and Oenococcus oeni in wines

Over the last years, the potential use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts to modulate the production of target metabolites of oenological interest has been well recognized. Among non-Saccharomyces yeasts, Starmerella bacillaris (synonym Candida zemplinina) is considered one of the most promising species to satisfy modern market and consumers preferences due to its peculiar characteristic (enhance glycerol and total acidity contents and reduce ethanol production). Mixed fermentations using Starm. bacillaris and Saccharomyces cerevisiae starter cultures represent a way to modulate metabolites of enological interest, taking advantage of the phenotypic specificities of the former and the ability of the latter to complete the alcoholic fermentation. However, the consumption of nutrients by these species and their produced metabolites may inhibit or stimulate the growth (and malolactic activity) of lactic acid bacteria (LAB).

Histoire des Vitis depuis leurs origines possibles sur la Pangée jusqu’aux cépages cultivés : un exemple de résilience liée à la biodiversité des espèces

The first forms of life on earth were bacteria and single-celled blue-green algae. They evolved into land plants around 500 million years ago, developing mechanisms for surviving on land, such as roots, stems and leaves. This evolution also led them to coexist with other organisms, such as insects and animals, for pollination and seed dispersal, as well as to resist environmental factors such as drought and disease.

Effects of long-term drought stress on soil microbial communities from a Syrah cultivar vineyard

Changes in the rainfall and temperature patterns affect the increase of drought periods becoming one of the major constraints to assure agricultural and crop resilience in the Mediterranean regions. Beside the adaptation of agricultural practices, also the microbial compartment associated to plants should be considered in the crop management. It is known that the microbial community change according to several factors such as soil composition, agricultural management system, plant variety and rootstock.