Water Management in Vineyards - Research Edition

The water footprint (WF) of a product is an indicator of the consumptive use of water resources along its life cycle. Water scarcity is recognized to be a major global challenge. As such, the evaluation of the WF of agro-industrial products is key, as they are widely known as having a significant footprint on water resources.  According to the Water Footprint Network The global average water footprint of grapes is 610 liter/kg. One kilogram of grapes results in 0.7 liter of wine, so the water footprint of wine is APPROXIMATELY 870 liters of water per liter of wine. This means that one glass of wine (125 ml) costs 110 liters (a). Even knowing that the vine has a capacity for survival and resilience to austere climates, as we speak, the increased production of grapes and wine, combined with droughts and climate change, sore than ever, water needs to be used efficiently. Therefore, there is a need to understand where and how we can improve water management in the wine life cycle, reduce it, or even eliminate it.   THE DISCUSSION This Climate Talk addresses this issue and tries to identify the major challenges to the use of water throughout grape and wine production in this warming climate. In this conversation, we will analyze the importance of efficient use of water and explore the best technologies and practices available both in the field and on the wineries. To do so, we will count on different guests from around the world. GUESTS Michele Manelli (Salcheto, Italy) Andrej Razumovsky (Alpamanta, Argentina) Aaron Schreiber-Stainthorp (Jackson Family Wines, USA) HOST João Barroso (WASP - Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme, Portugal)

Our first one-to-one Climate Talk will be a discussion between Greg Jones (Climatologist and CEO at Abacela) and Etienne Neethling (Head of the international master program in vine, wine, and terroir management at the Ecole Supérieure de L’Agriculture and an OIV expert within the ENVIRO group). They will be exploring what wine regions are similar in its various dimensions, from soil to grape varieties. DISCUSSION TOPICS What is a climate analogue? Which bioclimatic indices are specific to grape and wine production and how do we calculate them? Which wine regions have similar climates? Is climate change a major environmental challenge for the wine sector? Can European wine regions draw on viticultural lessons from warmer and drier wine regions in countries like South Africa or Australia? What are the opportunities and challenges for emerging cool wine production regions or regions? Click HERE for the presentation https://youtu.be/FsgmBONlkEU

Our partners at The Regenerative Viticulture Foundation challenged us to open our climate talks space for their trustee, Caine Thompson (O'Neill Vintners & Distillers). Caine will share in detail O’Neill’s transition toward regenerative organic practices and the findings from their three-year comparison studies. This is an unmissable presentation and discussion! GUESTS: Caine Thompson (Head of Sustainability, O’Neill Vintners & Distillers | Managing Director, Robert Hall Winery) Emmanuel Bourgignon (Porto Protocol Living Vineyards’ Leading Teams) Charlie Dubbe – Agrology HOST Anne Jones (Regenerative Viticulture Foundation)

We are thrilled to invite you to the official launch of the long-awaited Unpacking Wine Guide: A Practical Journey Through the Environmental Landscape of Packaging! The Unpacking Wine Guide is a game-changing resource designed to empower wine producers and professionals to make informed packaging decisions while minimizing environmental impact. To access the Guide: https://www.portoprotocol.com/product/unpacking-wine-guide/ What to expect: ✨ Keynote remarks from Jancis Robinson and Adrian Bridge – An exclusive presentation of the guide – Inspiring guest speakers sharing their packaging journeys and how this guide can drive change in the industry, namelly: GUEST: Valentina Lira (Concha Y Toro) Geraldine Dubois (La Tetue) Ana Bousquet (Domain Bousquet) Simon Mason (The Wine Society) Arthur Erdem (IPEF GmbH) Anne Bousquet (Domaine Bousquet) Moderation: Marta Mendonça (The Porto Protocol) Rita Gama Rocha (OMDesign) This event is not just a launch—it’s a celebration of innovation, collaboration, and the shared commitment to reimagining wine packaging with purpose. Be part of this moment!

Moderated by Jihany Brecci, founder of Stella Pietro Vineyards, this special research edition of the Climate Talks features Dr. Kees van Leeuwen, Professor and Researcher at Bordeaux University’s Institute of Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin (ISVV), Dr. Hervé Quénol, Geographer-Climatologist of France’s National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and Helena Ferreira Manuel, Head of Agriculture Management and Sustainability at Herdade dos Lagos.  This was an extremely insightful talk, bridging research with wine producers. For Additional resources from this talk and on the topic: https://www.portoprotocol.com/solution/water-in-vineyards-research-edition/

As vineyards face climate challenges and biodiversity loss, agroforestry offers a promising way forward—blending trees, shrubs, and diverse flora to enhance soil health, biodiversity, and resilience. Yet, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions, and much remains uncertain. This second edition, in partnership with the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation, deepens the conversation, sharing insights, case studies, and ongoing learning in the journey toward climate-conscious, sustainable wine growing. January 16Th 🕔 5pm London | 🕕 6pm Paris | 🕘 9am California Panelists:🍇 Anne Jones (Regenerative Viticulture Foundation)🌿 Emmanuel Bourguignon (LAMS-21/France)🌿 Katia Nussbaum (San polino/Italy)🌿Olga Barbosa (Universidad Austral de Chile)

This was the first of a series of talks in partnership with The Regenerative Viticulture Foundation! It focused on the topic of Agroforestry in Vineyards. In a nutshell: how to combine trees and vineyards to benefit soil health, ecosystems, and wine quality. As always, we’ve gathered a fantastic panel that bridges the Old World and New World of wine. Caro Feely will serve as our host and moderator, bringing her experience in fostering biodiversity at Chateau Feely, to guide the discussion and explore with our panelists how agroforestry can (or can’t) be applied in a vineyard context. Panelists: 🍇 Caro Feely (CHATEAU FEELY/France) – Host 🌿 Ted Lemon (Littorai Wines/USA) 🌿 Juliette Combe (Château Cheval Blanc /France) 🌿Alain Canet (BHBZ Agroforestry Strategy/France)

In this Climate Talk we will be decoding and exploring the concept of managing ecosystems, with vineyards at its core. This also represented the launch of our project “Living Vineyards” Cristina Crava (The Porto Protocol) will talk to Emmanuel Bourguignon (LAMS21), Nuno Gaspar de Oliveira (Natural Business Intelligence) and Tom Croghan (The Vineyards at Dodon, USA).

Within the New York Climate Week, Porto Protocol, in partnership with the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (Boldly NY), bring you various players and countries to discuss the topic: Saving Every Drop: Water Management and Conservation Strategies in Wine Production. During this Climate Talk we will identify the major challenges in the use of water throughout the production cycle of grapes and wine in our warming climate. During this conversation, we will analyze the importance of efficient use of water and explore the best technologies and practices available in the vineyard and the winery. Kenn Pogash (The Porto Protocol) will host the talk with Caro Feely (Chateau Feely), Sebastian Trámon (Emiliana Organic Vineyards), Robin Ross (Arrowhead Spring Vineyards).

Within the New York Climate Week , Porto Protocol, in partnership with the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (Boldly NY), bring you various stakeholders of the value chain to discuss the topic: Seeding the Future: Building Paths to Sustain Wine Legacy and Production for Future Generations. In this Climate Talk we will debate the why and the how of internalizing climate change in wine businesses: Where do you start? How does this materialize into a balance sheet? What are the fundamental changes this decision will bring into the modus operandi of the business? What barriers may one encounter? What opportunities arise from it? What are the risks? How does it affect your relationship with your stakeholders, from employees to providers? How do you address it and communicate it? How do you pass it on to your consumers? We will seek to present practical approaches to these questions by players from the industry worldwide that have decided to address climate emergency in a proactive fashion, committed to build a path to sustain their wine legacy for generations to come. Justin Jackson (Boldly NY) will host the talk with Adrian Bridge (The Fladgate Partnership), Cecilia Pasqua (Pasqua Wines), Shannon Brock (Silver Thread).