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EDITORIAL
– FRANÇOIS GILBERT –
Editorial Director
ITALY AND THE BENEFITS OF MOUNTAIN WINEGROWING
Heroic, steep, mountain viticulture – it comes with a range of monikers but
ultimately, they all share the same defining feature, which is the challenge
of growing vines on high elevation, steep vineyard sites. The vineyards only
represent approximately 7% of Europe’s area under vine but they cover a variety
of aspects, primarily historic, heritage and identity. Several regions around the
world are practitioners of heroic viticulture and to gain a better understanding of
this style of winegrowing the Centre for Research, Environmental Sustainability
and Advancement of Mountain Viticulture (CERVIM) was established. This
international organisation, based in the Aosta Valley, is charged specifically with
promoting and safeguarding heroic viticulture. To carry out its mission, a number
of criteria have been defined: the gradient of the land must be over 30%; the
elevation must be over 500 metres above sea level; and the vines must be grown
along terraces or steps. Italy is a leading proponent of this style of winegrowing,
mainly its northern provinces fanning out amongst the foothills of the Alps. Its
vineyards offer some very interesting features, as seen through the current lens
of climate change. The elevation allows the grapes to ripen more slowly and the
cooler climate reduces production of sugar whilst also increasing the overall level
of acidity. Good soil drainage prevents water from stagnating and constant wind
helps keep the grapes healthy. Despite the challenges of growing vines in these
conditions, and the costs involved, we will undoubtedly see a rise in the number
of vines planted at increasingly high elevations in years to come. And that’s
because the resultant wines resonate with the mood of the times.
4 AUTUMN 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE