The SW Summary: On shading soils, rural robotisation, anxious growers, and more

Have you heard of Benedicto and Moribel?

These two relatively unknown Tempranillo grape relatives may just be the future of Spanish winemaking, reports Noah Chichester in Decanter. Tempranillo makes up over 201,000 hectares of Spanish vineyards, but production has come under threat from higher temperatures and water stress over the last decade. Grappling with the impacts of climate change, Spanish producers are turning to climate adaptation strategies such as planting at higher altitudes, changing pruning techniques, and experimenting with different grape varieties.

This is where Benedicto and Moribel come in. A climate study by the Spanish Institute of Vine and Wine of Castilla-La Mancha (IVICAM)  found the two varieties, parent and descendant of Tempranillo respectively, are able to withstand heat and water stress. Over in the tasting room, the two grapes actually outperformed Tempranillo, as tasters preferred wines made from Benedicto and Moribel over the latter. According to IVICAM, the alternative varieties  “could help winemakers to not only preserve but even improve wines made from Tempranillo in the increasingly harsh conditions of a warming climate.” Read more here.

Why shading soils is important

In Wine-Searcher Vicki Denig explains the importance of not just shading grapes, but soils too. A cool soil microclimate helps to limit vine stress and to preserve acidities and soil fertility. By shading the soil, not only are temperatures kept lower, but the decreased chance of evaporation also helps maintain moisture levels.

Pergola training is the traditional method to provide natural shade coverage from the plants’ foliage. As pergolas can’t provide coverage where leaves are not present, some growers also use dense cover crops, hedge vines with trees, or rely on grass. When it comes to shaded soils, winemaker and owner of Domaine Bott explains the importance of no tilling, “which is very positive in regard to respecting the soil structure.” 

Shaded soils tend to be “more humid and darker in color,” with a higher number of worms, fungi, and bacteria present. This is important as the bacteria digests the organic matter and combines it with soil elements, leading to improved soil structure, water infiltration and retention capacity, and overall fertility. 

What, then, is the impact of all of the above on final wines? The five winemakers Denig spoke to all echo the positive impacts. Production director at Ornellaia Marco Balsimelli sums it up: “A well-functioning soil gives life to a healthy and balanced plant, which will produce higher-quality grapes, and therefore, wines.” Read the article here.

France leads the way in rural robotisation

The global wine industry has suffered from labour shortages in recent years, but shortages have been especially pronounced in France. In The Times Adam Sage discusses how some French vineyards are turning to robots for help. In fact, France is the global leader in rural robotisation, says French daily financial newspaper Les Echos.

Hundreds of robots are used in French agriculture, with around half employed in vineyards to till the soil. Coming in at a cost around £170,000, the robots aren’t cheap. Christope Gaviglio, vineyard mechanisation engineer at the French Institute of Wine and Vine, explains that the number of French vineyards has risen significantly over the last two years, “partly because of the state subsidies without which they would not be competitive.”

Many winemakers stand behind their investments. Edouard Descamps, owner of Viti Morley, a company that provides services to ­châteaux in Bordeaux, explains why: “People are no longer interested in working in the world of viticulture. It’s hard, fastidious and physical labour…[the robot has] an autonomy of between ten and 12 hours and it only costs €10 to recharge. I ­absolutely don’t regret it,” he said. French law requires operators to be within 300m of the robot at all times for safety purposes, but Descamps notes that Viti Morely’s operator is able to do so whilst undertaking other tasks.

Not only can robots help fill the labour gap and increase productivity, but they’re also “more precise than humans at weeding,” more energy efficient than tractors, and are “more respectful of the soil because they [weigh] less.” Read more here.

Hail, wildfire, and anxious growers

Extreme weather events continue to wreak havoc for growers across the world. In late June Northwestern Spain was hit by hail storms, with DOs Bierzo and Valdeorras most severely affected. Writing for Decanter Noah Chichester reports on the damage.

With only two months to go until harvest, growers lament that both the 2024 and 2025 vintages may be affected from the damage. Having recently flowered with grapes, the vines were hit at a delicate time. Chichester explains how “[berries] are very sensitive to attacks by fungal diseases up until veraison, and currently there’s a high risk of diseases like downy mildew, black rot and powdery mildew due to wet conditions and high temperatures.” Read the article here.

Meanwhile, wildfires are raging across the Atlantic. In the drinks business Sarah Neish reports on how several wineries were forced to evacuate in Santa Barbara, California in early July. The fire tore through more than 19,000 acres across the region, posing significant risks of smoke taint for growers. Winemakers worldwide have been repurposing spoiled grapes, using them to create alternative products such as brandies and BBQ sauce.

According to a statement by Cal Fire, “a heat wave this intense, and lasting this long, has not been experienced in [the] region in 20 years.” An excessive-heat warning for inland California has been issued. Read more here.