Sustainable vineyard management at the regional scale: insights from a Swiss winegrowing region

Abstract

Swiss wine producers are faced to high production costs and low-priced wine imports. In response, some winegrowers promote their environmental efforts to justify higher bottle prices while minimizing their environmental impacts. However, these efforts are often limited to individual wineries and lack coordination at the regional scale, undermining the potential benefits of environmentally friendly practices on the agroecosystems.

A regional-scale model of sustainable viticulture is being developed in the Swiss winegrowing region of Yvorne (Vaud), by promoting vineyard biodiversity and sustainable management practices. The main objective of the project is to develop, in collaboration with the winegrowers, a more sustainable viticulture approach that harmonizes biodiversity, soil health, and grape quality, while enhancing the attractiveness of the wines.

At this purpose a catalogue of best practices has been developed in 2022 to promote the adoption of sustainable practices. This catalogue is updated annually based on feedback from winegrowers and the results of their experiences. These guidelines aim to promote biodiversity, enhance soil and water quality, reduce the use of pesticides and optimize the application of plant protection products and fertilizers.

Research activities, tailored to local needs, include optimizing winter cover crops for inter-rows as well as low-competitive cover crops for under-rows, managing invasive species (such as Erigeron sp.), utilizing grape pomace as organic amendment, assessing drought impacts, promoting rare species, and evaluating water pollution risks.

Three years after the beginning of the project, the percentage of the vineyard area treated by herbicides has greatly decreased. Vulnerable species and species of particular interest, such as the plants Calendula arvensis and Orlaya grandiflora or the orthoptera Calliptamus italicus have become more abundant.

Continuous monitoring of experiments in the coming years will enable us to provide effective solutions to winegrowers and support the ongoing adoption of sustainable practices. The creation of a certified label will showcase the efforts made and highlight the reputation of Yvorne wines. Additionally, the insights gained from this project have the potential to position Yvorne as a leading example of sustainable viticulture at a regional scale, offering a model that can be adapted and applied to other winegrowing regions.