The Príncipe de Viana Group contains 4 of Spain’s most revered wineries in equally famend areas: Rioja Vega (DOCa Rioja), Finca Albret (DO Navarra), Bodegas Príncipe de Viana (DO Navarra) and Bodegas Clunia (Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla y León). Every of those names bears the duty of preserving a novel heritage of landscapes and vines (lots of that are centenary), handed down by successive generations of passionate growers.
Conscious of this privileged obligation, Príncipe de Viana has had a sustainability program in place for the previous twenty years, encompassing a variety of initiatives throughout all 4 wineries. These are yielding actual and measurable outcomes with an affect not solely on the standard of the wines but additionally, and really importantly, on the vineyards they hail from.
Information-driven pioneers
The primary steps had been taken, 20 years in the past, with the pioneering set up of superior monitoring sensors within the vineyards. Management stations had been put in in strategic factors so as to accumulate granular information on climate situations and patterns, soil well being, nutrient availability and water stress degree. The gathering of all this info allowed the adoption of a data-driven, precision viticulture that optimises sources and deeply understands the dynamic of every plot and vine.
Information assortment has additionally been the muse for different initiatives, particularly CLIMAVIN, a number one and progressive undertaking that promotes the adaptiveness of the winery to local weather change by way of the optimisation of sources. To date the undertaking has led to a discount of water and power consumption of between 20 and 30%.
Challenges forward
The struggle in opposition to soil depletion, rightly perceived as one of many basic pillars of winery sustainability, is the aim of one other of Príncipe de Viana’s R&D initiatives, BIGSOTSBIOMA. Once more, a data-driven method is the idea of the methodology: the knowledge gathered by the a number of management stations peppered across the vineyards is interpreted along with evaluation of the microbiological exercise within the soil, in flip harnessed by new ‘soil-water-plant’ sensors. An entire understanding of vine and soil well being ranges have an effect on selections about totally different cultivation strategies in order to advertise a pure regeneration, variety and resilience of the soil microbiome. The final word aim is to enhance nutrient availability and management pests and illnesses in a pure means, thus supporting the secure and powerful well being of the vines.
In parallel, the group can be taking a look at methods to struggle particular threats and illnesses with out using chemically synthesised phytosanitary merchandise.. BIOVID, the most recent analysis undertaking developed by Príncipe de Viana, focuses on measures to stop the expansion of Botrytis Cinerea (gray rot) by inhibiting the exercise of particular yeast strains current within the winery, in what’s going to hopefully be a sustainable different to fungicide use.
Perceivable outcomes
Analysis and improvement have all the time been a basic a part of the corporate’s ethos and help a renewed, day by day dedication to sustainability and the conscious use of sources. This philosophy is utilized holistically, from the vine to the cellar, and materialises within the rational consumption of water and power (by way of drip irrigation and selection of environment friendly tools and equipment), diminished use of phytosanitary merchandise (making use of, alternatively, insect sexual confusion strategies and natural fertilisers), waste administration, promotion of biodiversity and panorama preservation, with a selected dedication to native varieties.
The outcomes of those ongoing, relentless efforts might be finest measured within the constant high quality of the wines produced and their continued recognition, at dwelling and overseas. Within the final version of the Decanter Wine World Awards (DWWA), the Príncipe de Viana Group counted 31 medals throughout its totally different wineries. Among the many DWWA 2022 accolades are the Platinum Medal (97 factors) awarded to Agramont Graciano 2021, the Gold Medal (96 factors) received by Rioja Vega Tempranillo Blanco Reserva 2018 and the Silver Medal (92 factors) fetched by the Príncipe de Viana 1423 Reserva 2017.
Such success is the product of the two-decades lengthy dedication to the well being of the vines and the proof that the buildup of expertise and data are one of the best instruments to supply essentially the most characterful of wines.
Uncover extra about Príncipe de Viana’s sustainability initiatives
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