Terroir 2014 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 The vine and the hazelnut as elements of characterization of a terroir

The vine and the hazelnut as elements of characterization of a terroir

Abstract

The research examines how two characteristic cultivations of a territory like the vine and the hazelnut shape the identity of a unique terroir: Langhe (North West italy). 

The two cultivations are part of important agri-food chains for the analysed territory and its economy, while they also model its landscape. 

The vine represents a Universal Value rooted in the landscape modelled by the human work and in the culture of the place; part of this culture is the entire wine chain, which manifests itself through the presence of several settlement and architectural elements related to wine maturing and winemaking techniques. Therefore the wine landscape of Langhe is the result of a “wine tradition” which has been moving and evolving since ancient times, making up the centre of the socio-economic life of the territory. 

In this context the crop of hazelnut, which has always been present as a complementary element in the food tradition of the area, is knowing a new interest in recent decades, nurtured by the important confectionary sector developing in the territory and well known at an international level. 

The inquiry has been conducted through face-to-face interviews with a selected group of wineries and hazelnut producers. 

The research work emphasizes how the choices made by the winemakers and hazelnut producers of the territory are the key element for the preservation and transformation of the landscape, true intangible asset of the terroir, and continue to represent the main axis of its economic development. This is achieved by diminishing on the one hand the production of wine quantity in favour of wine quality, while encouraging on the other the conversion of the land less suitable for viticulture to hazelnut crop, which is giving true added value to the territory.

DOI:

Publication date: July 31, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2014

Type: Article

Authors

Alessio Marco LAZZARI (1), Danielle BORRA (1), Stefano MASSAGLIA (1)

(1) Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari, Università di Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2,10095 Grugliasco (To),Italy 

Contact the author

Keywords

Barbaresco, Barbera, Barolo, Dolcetto, Hazelnut, Landscape, Langhe, Terroir, UNESCO

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2014

Citation

Related articles…

Protein stabilization of white wines by stabilizing filtration: pilot studies

Protein stabilization is an important part of the winemaking process of white wines, and in this work we present the results of protein stabilization of different monovarietal wines (Xarel.lo, Chardonnay, and Muscat) by a continuous stabilizing filtration process using a column packed with zirconium oxide operating in a continuous regime in a closed loop at pilot scale.

Symbiotic microorganisms application in vineyards: impacts on grapevine performance and microbiome

Microorganism-based inoculants have been suggested as a viable solution to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on viticulture. However, the actual effectiveness of these inoculants when applied under field conditions remains a challenge, and their effects on the existing soil microbiota are still uncertain. This study investigates the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation on grapevine performance and microbiome. The study was conducted in a vineyard of Callet cultivar in Binissalem, Mallorca, Spain. Two different treatments were applied: control and inoculation with commercial mycorrhizae complex of Rhizoglomus irregulare applied to plants through irrigation.

Extracellular substances of lactic acid bacteria interests in biotechnological practices applied to enology

Extracellular substances (ECS) represent all molecules outside the cytoplasmic membrane, which are not directly anchored to the cell wall of microorganisms living through a planktonic or biofilm phenotype. They are the high-biomolecular-weight secretions from microorganisms (i.e. extracellular polymeric substances – EPS – proteins, polysaccharides, humic acid, nucleic acid), and the products of cellular lysis and hydrolysis of macromolecules. In addition, some high- and low-molecular-weight organic and inorganic matters from environment can also be adsorbed to the EPS. All can be firmly bound to the cell surface, associated with the EPS matrix of biofilm, or released as being freely diffusing throughout the medium.

Influence of maturity on grape tyrosinase activity

Enzymatic browning of grape must remains a major issue in winemaking, especially when grapes are affected by grey rot.

Impact of canopy management on thiol precursors in white grapes: a six-year field study

The mechanisms behind thiol precursor accumulation in grapes remain incompletely understood, nor are the ways in which they can be improved by agronomic practices. A six-year field trial studied the physiological response of the Swiss white cultivar Vitis vinifera Arvine, rich in varietal thiols and precursors, to canopy management, i.e. leaf removal and canopy height.. Five treatments were set up in a randomized block design to assess the impacts of 1) pre-flowering LR (i.e. pre-flowering or full-flowering stages) and 2) compensating for the leaf area removed in the cluster zone by increasing the trimming height (i.e. 100 or 150 cm canopy height), compared with a non-defoliated control treatment.
Intensive pre-flowering LR severely reduced yield potential (–47% on average) and reduced the concentration of 3-mercaptohexanol precursors (P-3MH) in the must (–21%; p-value < 0.10).