Wine, Heroic Viticulture in the Field with "Enovitis Extrême"

The alpine vineyards of the Cantina Valle Isarco – Kellerei Eisacktal (Chiusa – BZ) will become the backdrop for the most advanced technologies and equipment for heroic viticulture. Following the 17th edition of Enovitis in campo, held on 7 and 8 June this year in Valtènesi, the itinerant event organised by Unione Italiana Vini now focuses on mountain vineyards. This will involve a close look at the use of operating machines and equipment intended for use in impervious orographic conditions, with high slopes and limited manoeuvring spaces. Tractors, mini tracked tractors, transporters and tool carriers will all be on show. These are almost custom-made often by craft-scale companies specialising in this technological niche, which involves terrains with a more than 30% incline, an altitude of over 500 metres above sea level, viticultural systems on terraces and steps, and small islands.

“Enovitis Extrême aims to support and promote companies operating in areas characterised by very high production costs – the Secretary General of Unione Italiana Vini, Paolo Castelletti explained –. Suffice to say that what is done on the plain with an average of less than 100 working hours per hectare, in these vineyards takes more than 600. This kind of viticulture has specific requirements, yet it plays a historical role both in terms of oenological production and the conservation and maintenance of territories". According to the survey on the wine supply chain in Italy carried out by the Uiv-Vinitaly Wine Observatory, 51% of the national vineyards are located above 300 metres of altitude, with 42% in the hills (301-700 metres) and 9% in the mountains (above 700 metres). Specifically, 6 out of 10 vineyards in Valle d'Aosta and Liguria are concentrated in the mountains, while they account for only 30% in Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, Molise and Piedmont. On the other hand, there are a total of 281,000 hectares in Italy dedicated to hilly viticulture, which mainly concerns Abruzzo (96%), Umbria (89%), Marche (85%) and Tuscany (81%), plus the high hill productions in the province of Bolzano (86%) and Trento (40%).

Now in its second edition, Enovitis Extrême has 83 exhibiting companies and is held in partnership with Cervim (Center for Research, Studies, Safeguarding, Coordination and Promotion for Mountain Viticulture) and with the South Tyrol Wine Consortium, a protection body that today brings together over 186 members among cooperatives, companies and independent winemakers.