Raziskovalni projekti

Project description

The concept of terroir is reflected year after year in the characteristics of wines from a particular wine-growing region, district or site, which cannot be replicated elsewhere, even under identical production conditions. In addition to anthropogenic factors, terroir is also shaped by geogenic factors. These include macro- and microclimatic conditions, soil composition, and morphometric and geological parameters.

To characterise the geogenic features of wine-growing areas in Slovenia, more detailed information on soil, geomorphological and geological characteristics of individual wine-growing districts, sub-districts and sites is needed. Terroir studies make it possible to identify sites or growing areas within wine-growing districts that have the potential to produce high-quality wines. Detailed pedoclimatic characterisation of vineyard terroirs can also contribute to higher wine prices. Digital tools enable rapid and automated monitoring of climatic parameters, while the collected data can provide valuable support when planning new vineyards.

Within the CRP project V4-2263, we established a model and developed a platform for improved evaluation of the terroir of Slovenian vineyards. The vinograd.si portal provides detailed agrometeorological parameters, 10-year comparative tables and graphs of meteorological parameters for each wine-growing district with at least one meteorological station, as well as environmental and satellite imagery for selected locations on the map. During the development of the methodology and the platform, we identified the need to further upgrade the platform to improve its functionality and usability for winegrowers, competent institutions and agricultural advisers.

The aim is for vinograd.si to become the central viticulture and winemaking portal in Slovenia, combining information on the characteristics and specific features of terroirs with data on grape ripening. The proposed upgrade will support winegrowers in making decisions on technological measures in the vineyard. Data will be systematically collected and recorded in a format suitable for further processing and machine-readable access via an application programming interface (API). The digital portal will also serve as a source of essential expert information for decision-makers when developing policies and legal frameworks for the future development of the sector.

Project objectives

The project will upgrade the vinograd.si portal at three levels:

1. At the level of selected vineyard sites (or larger vineyard complexes), the portal will be upgraded with more detailed grape-ripening data and agrometeorological parameters. The upgrades will include grape-ripening data, meteorological data for approximately 100 of the most important vineyard sites in Slovenia, annual agrometeorological reports for individual wine-growing districts, a model for displaying phenological stages in selected vineyards, and maps of temperature and precipitation for selected vineyards.
2. At the level of wine-growing regions, districts and sub-districts, lithological and morphometric (geomorphological) maps at different scales will be developed, together with descriptions of the geogenic factors of terroir at two levels: an expert description and a user-oriented description for winegrowers. The existing soil map will also be supplemented with descriptions. A system for automatically generating reports on the geogenic factors of individual sites will be developed, including lithological and pedological data and morphometric information on slope, aspect, elevation and relief.
3. A data storage system for future processing will be developed. As existing data and analyses are highly dispersed, the project will establish a system for storing data in a way that enables their future use for modelling and other purposes.

Activities

The project is divided into three work packages (WPs), comprising a total of 14 activities.

WP1 – Upgrade of the terroir portal
This work package focuses on evaluating the terroir of Slovenian vineyards and individual vineyard sites. The vinograd.si portal will be upgraded with agrometeorological parameters for the most important vineyard sites and complexes, improved presentation of grape-ripening data, automatically generated agrometeorological reports, a module for recording and comparing phenological stages between years, and maps of temperature and precipitation. An important part of the activities will also be the systematic collection of data for future research, modelling and planning.

WP2 – Bedrock, soil and landform characteristics
This work package will characterise the lithological, pedological and morphometric characteristics of Slovenian wine-growing areas. Lithological maps and maps of slope, aspect, elevation and relief will be prepared, together with descriptions of geogenic characteristics at both expert and winegrower-oriented levels. Users will be able to select their vineyard on the portal and obtain a detailed report on the site’s natural characteristics, including bedrock and its composition, soil and morphometric factors. The activities will result in a new “Geogenic Factors of Terroir” module on the vinograd.si platform.

WP3 – Dissemination of results
The third work package will focus on disseminating project results to the contracting authority, the professional and scientific communities, and other stakeholders. An important project output will be a strategic advisory document with proposals for the use of the terroir monitoring system, measures for further implementation and recommendations for future activities. Dissemination will also support awareness-raising, promotion and the continued use of innovative approaches to terroir to increase the visibility of Slovenian viticulture and improve the economic performance of the viticulture and winemaking sector.

Partnership

• Agricultural Institute of Slovenia (lead partner)
• Geological Survey of Slovenia
• Geodetic Institute of Slovenia
• University of Ljubljana – Biotechnical Faculty