Terroir 2008 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Historical terraced vineyards – heritage and nature conservation strategies

Historical terraced vineyards – heritage and nature conservation strategies

Abstract

Historical terrace vineyards are simultaneously impressive documents of the human inclination to design, sites for the production of high quality wines and habitats for a rich variety of flora and fauna. In the past they have often also been the setting for questionable developments. Radical land consolidation processes rendered these sites high yield utilisation areas, but also resulted in their conversion to plain monocultures. Where the rationalisation of terrace vineyards was not profitable, these were often abandoned entirely. Only a modest proportion of the vineyards have managed to retain their historical character. It is necessary to develop strategies for the sustainable use of these sites in order to secure first and foremost their very existence, but also their historical, social, economic and ecological worth.
The aim of the transdisciplinary ‘HISTORISCHE WEINBERGE’ project is to heighten both users’ and conservationists’ awareness of the values associated with these landscapes, so as to counter an unsustainable intensification of land use, or alternatively the total abandonment of these areas. A guideline for the conservation of the vineyards is being developed in cooperation with winegrowers and representatives from politics, nature protection and heritage conservation. The guideline will be developed on the basis of criteria corresponding to both use and protection needs. This process seeks to harmonise the interests of the various actors and to optimise the path towards an integrated approach to the tending of the cultural landscape. The knowledge and the perspectives of the stakeholders are being continuously assessed through interviews, working groups and local events so as to ensure the practical relevance of the project.

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: December 8, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2008

Type : Article

Authors

Claude PETIT, Franz HÖCHT, Werner KONOLD

Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg i. Brsg., Institut für Landespflege, Tennenbacherstraße 4, D-79106 Freiburg

Contact the author

Keywords

vignoble historique, conservation du patrimoine, genèse de paysage culturel, terrasses, transdisciplinarité

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2008

Citation

Related articles…

Identification and characterization of polyphenols in fining precipitate

Polyphenols are secondary metabolite widely distributed in plant kingdom such as in fruits, in grapes and in wine. During the winemaking process, polyphenols are extract from the skin and seed of the berries.

Read More

Diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on grapevine roots across an edaphoclimatic gradient

Challenges associated with climate change, such as soil erosion and drought, have impacted viticulture across wine regions globally in recent decades. As winegrowers struggle to maintain yield and quality standards under these conditions, methods to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change have become more prevalent. One potential mitigation strategy is to enhance symbiotic interaction of grapevine roots with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).

Read More

Dynamics of soil and canopy temperature: a conceptual approach for Alentejo vineyards

Climate change imposes increasing restrictions and risks to Mediterranean viticulture. Extreme heat and drought stress events are becoming more frequent which puts in risk sustainability of Mediterranean viticulture. Moreover row crops e.g. grapevine for wine, are increasingly prone to the impact of more intense/longer exposure time to heat stress. The amplified effects of soil surface energy reflectance and conductance on soil-atmosphere heat fluxes can be harmful for leaf and berry physiology.

Read More

Importance of the Terror Variability Map (TVM) in Precision viticulture (PV): choice of methodology for soil classification

The Precision Viticulture (PV) is defined “as a management system that is information and technology based, is site specific and uses one or more of the following sources of data: soils, vigour, nutrients, pests, moisture, and yield among others, for optimum profitability, sustainability, and protection of the environment” (OIV, 2018, in process). The elements mentioned in the definition are an important part of the terroir components. The terroir is a tool In Viticulture, it is the analysis and study unit, and the variability of a certain situation can be due to any difference in every element or property of each factor that constitutes it, including the management.The soil and its management are those that bring the most variability to terroir.

Read More

Anticipating consumer preference for low-alcohol wine: a machine learning analysis based on consumption habits and socio-demographics

The global wine consumption landscape is undergoing a transformation, marked by a growing trend towards reduced consumption and a preference for healthier lifestyles. In line with this shift, european union regulation (regulation eu 2021/2117) has recently redefined dealcoholized or partially dealcoholized wine within the wine category.

Read More