Vineyard Naturalness: A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Grape Production

Strategic Insights -

Research from the Department of Sustainable Crop Production suggests that the concept of vineyard naturalness is often overlooked in favor of more well-known terms like "organic" or "regenerative" viticulture. However, vineyard naturalness is a distinct approach that emphasizes a holistic approach to grape production, minimizing the use of external inputs and promoting natural vine growth and productivity. This approach is guided by three core principles: maximizing the use of natural resources, promoting natural vine growth, and fostering tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.

Key Takeaways:

  • The concept of vineyard naturalness is distinct from "organic" or "regenerative" viticulture and emphasizes a holistic approach to grape production.
  • Vineyard naturalness prioritizes the use of natural resources, minimizing the need for external inputs and promoting natural vine growth and productivity.
  • The approach is guided by three core principles: maximizing the use of natural resources, promoting natural vine growth, and fostering tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
  • At the canopy level, research explored strategies to enhance light interception, distribution, and conversion of assimilates into dry matter.
  • Indigenous varieties and new rootstocks were identified as key tools to enhance adaptability to climate change challenges.
  • Established techniques like early basal leaf removal and late winter pruning were found to improve vineyard balance and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
  • On the soil front, research focused on enhancing the green water footprint within a vineyard ecosystem, identifying optimal combinations to achieve a carbon sink function, and increasing the ecological value of cover cropping.
  • Moving toward vineyard naturalness does not imply reverting to wild behavior, but rather maintaining a necessary remunerative yield at the desired grape quality while employing robust solutions that minimize corrections and amendments.

Statistics:

  • The study concludes that vineyard naturalness can help reduce the need for constant vineyard management corrections and amendments.
  • The approach is guided by three core principles, with a focus on maximizing the use of natural resources, promoting natural vine growth, and fostering tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
  • Research explored strategies to enhance light interception, distribution, and conversion of assimilates into dry matter.
  • Indigenous varieties and new rootstocks were identified as key tools to enhance adaptability to climate change challenges.
  • Established techniques like early basal leaf removal and late winter pruning improved vineyard balance and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses by an average of 25%.

Sources:

  • Vineyard "Naturalness": Principles and Challenges. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 2025, 2025.
  • Department of Sustainable Crop Production.
  • Stefano Poni, Department of Sustainable Crop Production.
  • Wiley.
  • https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.1155/ajgw/3247228