Wine production by using grape varieties resistant to the main vine diseases and agronomic practices to increase the sustainability of typical high-quality products in the Prealpi - Dolomiti area
To develop the winemaking protocols suitable to produce new high-quality wines and sparkling wines by using four grape varieties resistant to powdery mildew and downy mildew which are in recorded the Register of Variety of Veneto. A red variety (Cabernet Cortis) and three white varieties (Bronner, Souvigner gris and Johanniter) to produce a red wine, two white wines and a sparkling wine, respectively, have been selected. Also a sparkling wine by using a Glera/Johanniter blend, will be produced. If the final wines match the quality and typicality parameters expected, at the end of the project they will be proposed to the market.
Mangement of a vineyard with varieties resistant to downy mildew and oidium (Cabernet Cortis, Bronner, Souvigner gris, Johanniter) and planting of a Souvigner gris vineyard. In this latter will be used corrective and phytochemicals in the soil, to increase the adaptability of plants to the ecosystem. On the grapes and musts will be performed the chemical analyses of the varietal aromatic profiles. On monovarietal wines produced and a sparkling wine from a Johanniter/Glera blend will be performed chemical analyzes and organoleptic quality evaluation. Informative events for the population and a conference aimed at presenting the final results of the project will be organized.
The territorial and socio-economic environment of reference (middle mountain marginal areas) is characterized by a general tendency to depopulation and a consequent weakening of agricultural activities. The main points of weakness are represented by the abandonment of the territory, the degradation of the woods, a not economically convenient agriculture, the reduced surfaces of the land plot. To help overcome these problems it is important to promote the economic survival of the local community, diversifying and integrating the sources of income through the establishment of a sustainable and quality wine supply chain based on the use of vines suitable for the environment and less sensitive to pest diseases. At the same time, it is possible to recover the existing winemaking tradition in the Belluno area, create new wine products that can act as a driving force for other sectors of the local economy and transform disadvantaged mountain areas into resources. The information activity addressed to the population pointing out the sustainability and the low environmental impact of these types of vineyards, would lead to overcoming possible resistance on the introduction of new productive activities by residents, and stimulate a process of aggregation linked to new working opportunities.
The innovative contribution of the project is linked to the production of new wines by using grapevine varieties resistant to the main vine diseases. This innovation leads to a diversification of the products which can help to improve the productive capacity of the farms and encourage the development of the mountain territory economy. Vineyard management by reducing the chemical inputs also contributes to the environment protection. Some resistant varieties are characterized by high productivity and are suitable for growing at higher altitudes in areas that, also because of climate change, are becoming more interesting for grapevine cultivation.
