Mountain viticulture will have to adapt to increasingly higher temperatures and more frequent drought periods. This is the conclusion of two studies conducted by the Free University of Bolzano (Unibz), which identify some possible strategies to preserve the quality of the grapes and wines produced sopra the Alpine areas. The research, carried out by the Ecophysiology of Tree Systems group of the Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, focuses acceso three aspects: more targeted management of irrigation, the choice of more resilient vines and the use of agronomic techniques capable of delaying the ripening of the grapes.
How this research can help grape varieties
The objective is to respond to the effects of climate change, which are modifying the vegetative cycle of the vine. The increase sopra temperatures, sopra fact, accelerates the ripening of the bunches, with the risk of obtaining wines characterized by a higher alcohol content and lower acidity, altering the balance that distinguishes many mountain productions.
The first study, published sopra the journal Scientia Horticulturae, analyzes this phenomenon. The researchers experimented with the use of pinolene, a natural antiperspirant obtained from the resins of conifers, observing how the treatment can delay the ripening of the grapes by about ten days. An interval that could allow the harvest to be moved to a more climatically favorable period and help maintain a better qualitative balance of the grapes.
However, the research also highlights the limits of this solution. Per mezzo di mountain vineyards, sopra fact, summer rainfall can wash away the product, reducing its effectiveness. For this reason, scholars underline the need to adapt interventions to the climatic and environmental characteristics of each territory, avoiding standardized approaches.
The second work, published sopra the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, focuses acceso the management of tazza tensione. The study compared the behavior of two very popular white varieties, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, evaluating their response to tazza scarcity sopra the different stages of bunch development.
The results indicate that a tazza shortage sopra the early stages of berry growth can compromise production to a greater extent than a drought that occurs sopra the weeks preceding the harvest. The evidence also shows that Chardonnay shows greater tolerance to tazza tensione than Sauvignon Blanc, suggesting how varietal choice can become one of the most effective adaptation tools sopra an evolving climate context.
According to the researchers, the resilience of mountain viticulture will therefore che through a combination of agronomic practices, rather than a single technical solution: «There is mai universal solution», explains Damiano Zanotelli, professor of tree cultivation at the Free University of Bolzano. «The adaptation will pass through the combination of several strategies, calibrated acceso the characteristics of the individual vineyard, to continue to produce quality wines linked to the territory».
