“Un grande theatro di amenissimi colli”: “tutti coltivati et abondanti di frutti eccellentissimi e di buonissime viti”

Cet article répertorie les intérêts et problèmes du zonage viticole dans une perspective mondiale. Le zonage est un besoin pour chacun des vignobles mondiaux où il correspond à des applications, définitions et approches variées. Les objectifs du zonage changent de concert avec les besoins du marché mondial du vin, qui ne cesse de croître.

Current environmental, ecological and economic issues require a better vineyard production management. In fact, a poor use of fertilizing could lead to harmful impact on environment. Another issue concerns the cultures themselves which couldn’t use fertilizers efficiently, leading to a loss of income or too much expense for farmers. Presently, estimation of fertilization’s needs is realized by the laboratory analysis of leaves selected through a random sampling. The present study aims at optimizing fertilization’s management by using a map of biophysical parameters estimated from satellite images.

Vine water status was measured on 96 plots of three vines inside a vineyard block of 0.28 ha during three years: 2003, 2004 and 2005. Three physiological indicators were implemented: stem water potential, carbon isotope discrimination measured on grape sugars at ripeness (δ13C) and canopy temperature measured by high resolution remote sensing. For stem water potential, measurements were taken on every single vine of each plot.

Forest fires in the vicinity of vineyards have significantly increased in the last decade and are a concern for grapegrowers and winemakers in many wine producing countries. The fires cause smoke drift throughout vineyards which cannot be avoided and may result in the production of wines described as ‘smoke tainted’. Such wines are characterized by undesirable sensory characters described as ‘smoky’, ‘burnt’, ‘ash’ aromas and flavours, and also may cause a lingering, unpleasant ashy aftertaste [1; 2].

Climate change has been influencing viticulture and changing wine profiles in the past years, and effects are expected to get worse.