Terroir 2014 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Does the sustainability perception depend on the Terroir?

Does the sustainability perception depend on the Terroir?

Abstract

The main scope of this research has been to investigate what values are attributed to the concept of “sustainability” by the wine producers of two different wine territories of Piedmont; the terroir of the Barolo DOCG and the the terroir of the Gavi DOCG. The research wants to emphasize how much the characteristic elements of each terroir influence the perception of the concept of sustainability among producers. 

In the present work, sustainability has been assessed under three criteria: 

  • environmental (choice of farming techniques for the vineyard, adoption of environmental certifications and best practices, defence of vineyard biodiversity and landscape preservation);
  • socio-economic (type of business conduction, type of work contracts, forms of remuneration for the grapes, relations with professional associations).
  • productive (estimate of emissions generated during the production processes and, in the case of the carbon footprint, during the product’s life cycle). 

The inquiry has been conducted through face to face interviews with members of a selected group of wine firms, wine cooperatives and other producers located in the investigated territories with the objective of evaluating the existence between their distinct categories of relevant differences in the perception and interpretation of the concept of sustainability. 

The processing of the obtained data has noticed the coexistence of different forms of judgment and sensitivity toward the analysed subject. At the same time it has been observed a non homogeneous perception of the value of “sustainability” in the different fields investigated due to the lack of an univocal definition of the same concept of “sustainability” in the wine sector. 

In the terroir of Barolo DOCG, a traditional productive area of certified wines, there is a certain quota of producers who can be identified as “sustainable” without a clear awareness on their part. In the terroir of Gavi DOCG, on the other hand, it seems that sustainability is experienced with more attention due especially to the precise strategy of some producers oriented to the concept of sustainability for reasons of company and market policy. 

Therefore “sustainability” could be influenced effectively by the territorial context in which the producer operates and could substantially reinforce both the image of Piedmontese wines and their terroir of production, intercepting that growing segment of final consumers who uses the attributes related to the sustainability of a wine as a discriminating element of their purchasing choice.

DOI:

Publication date: August 18, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2014

Type: Article

Authors

Stefano MASSAGLIA (1) , Danielle BORRA (1), Alessio Marco LAZZARI (1), Elena MANIA (1) , Silvia GUIDONI (1)

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

Contact the author

Keywords

Barolo, Gavi, Terroir, Sustainability

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2014

Citation

Related articles…

From vineyard to a glass of wine: the effect of abscisic acid application on mouhtaro, a rare autochthonous variety of greece

In a context of a sustainable viticulture, a new uprising strategy to improve grape and wine composition (or quality) is the exogenous application of plant activators(Gil-Muñoz et al., 2017)

Estimating bulk stomatal conductance of grapevine canopies

In response to changes in their environment, grapevines regulate transpiration using various physiological mechanisms that alter conductance of water through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. Expressed as bulk stomatal conductance at the canopy scale, it varies diurnally in response to changes in vapor pressure deficit and net radiation, and over the season to changes in soil water deficits and hydraulic conductivity of both soil and plant. It is necessary to characterize the response of conductance to these variables to better model how vine transpiration also responds to these variables. Furthermore, to be relevant for vineyard-scale modeling, conductance is best characterized using data collected in a vineyard setting. Applying a crop canopy energy flux model developed by Shuttleworth and Wallace, bulk stomatal conductance was estimated using measurements of individual vine sap flow, temperature and humidity within the vine canopy, and estimates of net radiation absorbed by the vine canopy. These measurements were taken on several vines in a non-irrigated vineyard in Bordeaux France, using equipment that did not interfere with ongoing vineyard operations. An inverted Penman-Monteith equation was then used to calculate bulk stomatal conductance on 15-minute intervals from July to mid-September 2020. Time-series plots show significant diurnal variation and seasonal decreases in conductance, with overall values similar to those in the literature. Global sensitivity analysis using non-parametric regression found transpiration flux and vapor pressure deficit to be the most important input variables to the calculation of bulk stomatal conductance, with absorbed net radiation and bulk boundary layer conductance being much less important. Conversely, bulk stomatal conductance was one of the most important inputs when calculating vine transpiration, further emphasizing the need for characterizing its response to environmental changes for use in vineyard water use modeling.

Analysis of primary, secondary and tertiary aromas in Vitis vinifera L. Syrah wines with an extemporaneous production cycle in two regions of São Paulo – Brazil, using GC-MS

The aromatic perception is one of the main factors that influence the
consumer when determining the wine’s quality and acceptance. Numerous factors (soil, climate,
winemaking style, cultivar) can influence the volatile compounds. Some of these compounds are released directly from the grape berries while others are formed during the fermentation and aging processes. However, little is known about the quality and aromatic formation of Syrah variety in the winter cycle cultivated in São Paulo.

Application to grapevine leaves of different doses of urea at two phenology stage: effect on the aromatic composition of red wine

This research aimed to study the effect and efficiency of foliar application of urea on the aromatic composition of red wines elaborated from Tempranillo grapes.

Firmness of the grapes. Mechanical tests and definition of indices. Study of the evolution of berry skin resistance during alcoholic fermentation

The mechanical strength or firmness of a fruit is considered an important parameter to characterize its state of maturity or conservation, as other parameters such as sugar level or color.