Enhance the relationship man-vineyard through the rediscovery of traditional agricultural practices scientifically and technically up to date: this is the assumption that shapes our Biointegrated viticulture. But beware: this is not simply an agronomic practice but a modus operandi in which each action builds a new awareness..
Here there are, briefly, the general principles:
· Go beyond the approach of monoculture.
· Honor the natural cycles.
· Build a production system that values the living systems of soil, plants and animals.
· Safeguard the quality of soils, beginning from the rationalization of mechanical equipment.
· Encourage the longevity of wine structures.
· Respect the natural physiology of the plant.
· Maintain and increase long-term fertility and biological activity of soils.
· To raise awareness and educate the consumer.
And here is some operational guidance to understand in practice, how to behave:
· Interpose one or more crops that make your company multifunctional: Have you ever thought of short chains for the production of bread, beer, fodder?
· Consider animals on the farm as an all-round resource: geese or sheep bred in the wild not only keep the rows clean but may create a short chain of small meat production for local markets and eggs to clarify wines.
· Use draft animals to replace, when possible, the tractor: the oxygenation of the soil will increase, your vines will thank you.
· How to protect the soil? First of all, choose to harvest with manual transport, always put light or tracked vehicles first when animal traction is not possible, use means for multi-row treatment (in one transit, you work on both sides) or multifunctional machines (in one transit, you perform different actions).
· Avoid cyclical grubbing: rationally designed the facility, plan annual re-thickening, give preference to only rootstocks, graft the scion reusing varieties already in the company, and you’re halfway there.
· And if you have to face a removal, let the soil rest for at least four years, with a rotation of improving herbaceous essences.
· Limit your intervention on the plant: avoid scions and prefer rolling up the branches along the row’s tallest wire (“accapannamento) , pay attention to risks of necrosis (choose cuts on wood of maximum a year or two), irrigate only when absolutely necessary.
· Plan the reduction of external chemical inputs – do not exceed the maximum dose of copper metal of 3 kg / ha, in addition to sulfur. And privilege the technique of “sexual confusion” to control noxious insects.
· Take care of the land: use only organic fertilizers, produce compost internally, check that the manure comes exclusively from non-intensive farming and without use of antibiotics, use only mineral of natural origin (chalk, silt, clay).
· Practice combination with herbaceous covers: plan sowing of herbaceous essences (legumes, grasses, crucifers) based on a correct rotation and your soil type.
· Indicate everything in the label: tell the products used both in the vineyard and in the winery, giving reasons for choices and reasons. The Biointegral consumer is educated!