Bridging terroir and sustainability: insights from Brazilian wine Denomination of Origin

Abstract

Sustainability is a challenge faced across all sectors of society, considering resource use, impact mitigation, and increasing pressures from climate change. In the wine sector, a key challenge lies in how to prepare for climate-change adaptation and respond to the extreme events occurring worldwide while preserving each terroir’s identity. This study aims to assess the potential for integrating sustainability guidelines into wine Denominations of Origin (DOs), combining environmental aspects and terroir issues. The research was conducted in two Brazilian DOs: Altos de Pinto Bandeira and Campos de Cima da Serra (under development). Several wine-producing regions worldwide have adopted sustainability programs; however, the integration of sustainability practices into geographical indications is not evident, particularly regarding Technical Specification Documents (Cadernos de Especificações Técnicas, CET). The inclusion of sustainability criteria in geographical indications has been discussed within the European Union. The recent EU Regulation 2024/1143, for instance, proposes aligning sustainability requirements with geographical indications. In Brazil, previous studies have identified a series of initiatives involving sustainable viticulture, yet there is a gap in systematized protocols addressing sector-specific challenges. One example is PIUP (Integrated Grape Production), based on the principles of Brazil’s Integrated Agricultural Production System (PI Brasil), an important initiative that is nevertheless limited to viticulture practices. The study was structured into: (1) diagnosis of the current situation; (2) identification of potential and convergence points; (3) proposal of sustainability criteria; and (4) validation of criteria with producers. The diagnosis was based on the BaccuS framework and adopted a broad scope, covering environmental, social, economic, political-institutional, and territorial dimensions. The assessment considered 100 indicators, summarized into 10 synthetic indicators. For each indicator, the current situation and potential actions were identified. The diagnosis revealed multiple ongoing initiatives across all wineries. These were systematized into four main categories based on converging practices: (1) circular economy, (2) biodiversity, (3) agricultural practices, and (4) valorization of the DO and territory. The proposal suggests establishing a multi-year planning approach across these four themes, with annual evaluation. Planning should be carried out both at the individual winery level and at the regional scale. The proposal will be included in the Product Specification of the new Campos de Cima da Serra DO and is currently under review for inclusion in the Altos de Pinto Bandeira DO. This proposal can be a guideline for other wine regions in order to include sustainability criteria aligned with terroir issues.