In today’s blog, we are delighted to spotlight one of our project partners: Arribas Wine Company (AWC). AWC serves as both a user and a provider of piloting facilities in the SmartVitiNet Project, contributing some of its vineyards as field study sites. The knowledge gained will help SmartVitiNet enhance the value of its technology for agricultural use.
The Story of Arribas Wine Company
AWC is a small wine producer from northeastern Portugal, specifically a region traditionally called Arribas do Douro. They are located in a larger zone designated as the “International Douro”, where the famous Douro River comes in from Spain and flows south, becoming the border line between Spain and Portugal.
The story of AWC was traced back to 2017 by two winemakers, Frederico Machado and Ricardo Alves. What started as a small garage production now produces roughly 30.000 bottles and manages 11 hectares of vineyard area.
Located in a biologically, environmentally, and geologically important region of the country, the area is integrated into the Parque Natural do Douro Internacional, home to several endangered species. Culturally, across the border is located the Spanish DO Arribes - a certified wine region in northwestern Spain, near the Portuguese border, known for its unique tradition and grape varieties.
The AWC High-Quality Wine from AWC
AWC works with old vineyards and traditional varieties, in an attempt to preserve the amazing genetic and viticultural heritage that is still found in this region, as well as unique wine profiles that are being lost to time and fashion.
“There is an incalculable value in these vineyards and in the traditional (sometimes called old-fashioned) way of managing them. Every wine we produce aims at expressing the value and potential of a single site, much in the image of Burgundy, where every village has an expression,” stated AWC owners.
In that vein, AWC cultivates vineyards and works closely with local farmers from eight different villages who supply them with grapes. They bottle the wine separately, always searching for a lighter and more elegant style of wine, with controlled extraction and let the wine carefully age in the barrel.
The Current Challenges and Sustainable Solutions
More and more of the focus turns to maintaining and managing the vineyards. In recent times, and with the general ageing of the local population (as well as the gradual abandoning of the rural world, and the need to make farming more economically sustainable and easier than ever) the management of the vineyard of the region depends on the use of pesticides, herbicides and industrial synthesised fertilisers.
Ever since its inception, the AWC has moved on from those practices and back to a more sustainable system of management, with the use of organic compost, organic and sustainable fertilisers, ecologically sound vineyard treatments and a focus on soil preservation. This means that, particularly in the early years, the vineyards may produce lower yields, but the quality of the crop improves significantly— a trade-off AWC believes is well worth it.
SmartVitiNet- the Modern Technologies for Old Vineyards
To be part of SmartVitiNet is something valuable for AWC. It’s not every day AWC gets to experiment with technologies in the vineyards — let alone explore the potential of drones. These innovative tools enable mapping and monitoring of everything, from disease outbreaks to the impacts of extreme sunlight and drought on vine health and behaviour, offering invaluable insights.
The insights gained from the trials and experiments done with SmartVitiNet are incredibly valuable for understanding the varieties and field blends. They highlight the importance of these old vineyards in the future of viticulture, especially as they demonstrate remarkable adaptability and resilience to a warming climate, evolving disease pressures, and unpredictable local weather events. All these factors threaten the production of grapes and represent growing costs for producers everywhere. Any tool that can be developed to reduce and control these costs, as well as to aid the production of a better crop and field, is one that will surely benefit the industry.
"We aim to continue collecting data from our vineyards to draw more detailed conclusions, contributing to the development of new tools and resources for the viticultural community. There is still a significant knowledge gap regarding old vineyards and grape varieties, and SmartVitiNet has the potential to identify key varieties and practices to combat global warming and ensure the future of grape production."
- Ricardo Alves, Owner of AWC
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