The growing environment is defined by hot, dry conditions, tempered by sea breezes moving inland from the coast, while high solar radiation drives canopy development and fruit composition. Together, these factors shape both ripening dynamics and wine style, producing structured red wines with clear varietal and regional identity.

Within this context, Principi di Butera, part of the Zonin1828 group, has embarked on a major operational rehabilitation—focused on vineyard recovery, water management and long-term sustainability.

Site conditions

Leading the transition is Paolo Tealdi, a Piedmont-born winemaker with extensive experience across the Langhe and Monferrato, appointed estate director in 2023.

“We’re on calcareous hill formations at 250–350 metres above sea level, only about 10 kilometres from the sea,” Tealdi explains. “That gives us constant natural ventilation, strong light, and a meaningful day–night temperature variation—factors that help keep ripening balanced.”

Compared to northern Italy, he notes, vine phenology runs earlier.

“Sicily’s mild winters mean we see an advance of roughly one month compared with the north. This year, even with late pruning, the canopy was already well developed by March.”

Summer conditions then slow the pace.

“High temperatures and prolonged dry periods limit vegetative growth. Harvest typically runs from early August for sparkling wine bases—where acidity is critical—through to early October for still red wines.”

Climate variability has added further complexity.

“When I arrived in 2023, vineyard condition was poor and required extensive recovery work. But the site potential was immediately clear. The task was to rebuild the vineyard system and translate that potential into consistent, identifiable wines.”

A tight team, vineyard to winery

Tealdi works closely with Gianluca Peirano, the estate’s viticulture manager and a long-time collaborator from Piedmont. Their approach is based on communication and joint decision-making.

“Gianluca and I are on the same page. I trust his experience, which is critical—especially in a climate like this, where conditions can force quick decisions.”

Together, they have restructured the estate’s operations: 125 hectares of vineyards, partial replanting with indigenous varieties including Nero d’Avola, Grillo and Inzolia, a full upgrade of irrigation infrastructure with systems designed for fertigation, winery workflow adjustments, and a gradual shift toward more sustainable vineyard practices.

Sustainability as an operating framework

For Tealdi, sustainability is not a buzzword, but an operating vision made tangible through through daily management choices.

“We’ve implemented phytoremediation systems, rainwater recovery, cover cropping, and composting of winemaking residues,” says Tealdi. “We also grow wheat, almonds and olives for agritourism, all within the estate. The goal is an integrated agricultural model where inputs and outputs are connected.”

In Sicily’s climate, water management is central. Summer drought can last for months, and vine water stress may occur as early as June. Under these conditions, irrigation decisions directly affect vine balance, yield stability and wine quality.

Using decision support to manage irrigation

To support irrigation planning, the estate has used the Vintel® decision-support system since 2018. Today, it is fully integrated into vineyard management.

“We don’t irrigate to push yields,” Tealdi says. “The objective is to maintain the vine’s physiological balance. Vintel® helps us identify when intervention is necessary—and when it isn’t.”

The irrigation module is the most actively used component. It allows the team to anticipate water stress, compare seasons, and estimate vine water requirements at different phenological stages.

“In 2023, we had virtually no rainfall from March through October. In 2024, rainfall continued until May. In that kind of variability, experience alone isn’t enough. You need objective data to make clear decisions.”

Precision where it matters most

Tealdi’s objective is clear: produce wines that reflect their Sicilian origin while remaining consistent, balanced and genuinely enjoyable to drink. Vineyard management decisions—from pruning to harvest timing—are made with defined quality targets and long-term vineyard performance in mind.

“Technology doesn’t replace the technician,” he says. “It helps us make better decisions—especially when climate becomes unforgiving.”

As Principi di Butera continues to expand its presence in international markets, the priority is building a resilient production model—one that can adapt to climate variability while remaining sustainable and maintaining wine quality year after year.

“True sustainability means making quality wines today without compromising our ability to do the same tomorrow. And to get there, every drop counts.”

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L’article Every Drop Counts : How Paolo Tealdi Is driving the sustainable turnaround of Principi di Butera in Sicily est apparu en premier sur Vintel®.

In France, sanitary pressure has reached record levels. Cognac vintages 2023 and 2024 made it clear: downy mildew is striking earlier every year. Mild winters and frequent rain boost contamination risks and make vineyard operations harder to conduct.

And the pressure isn’t just biological. Regulation is tightening too. Active substances are being withdrawn, and allowed spray doses are shrinking. Growers must now rethink protection strategies and adapt them to both the new climate conditions and the rulebook.

Three levers: practices, optimal spraying, and data

How do we respond? By working on three fronts.

• Cultural practices such as leaf removal and careful nitrogen management improve canopy aeration and limit vigor, making vines less susceptible.
• Optimized spraying is also crucial: precise sprayer calibration and targeted applications boost efficiency while reducing inputs.
• Technology brings the final lever, helping growers anticipate risks instead of reacting to them.

Decision support: the grower’s co-pilot

Decision Support Tools (DSTs) analyze agronomic and weather data to deliver clear answers. Is the vineyard at risk of downy mildew in this moment? When will the next contamination event strike? By modeling vine growth and pathogen cycles, these tools highlight critical windows for action.

“With the climate becoming more unpredictable, DSTs are turning into essential allies — especially when paired with accurate weather forecasts. Cross-checking several sources of data sharpens decision-making.”
— Nathalie Poppe, Technical Manager, Phloème Conseil

Vintel®: seeing the invisible

Among crop protection tools, Vintel® is making its mark. It combines phenological models, epidemiological simulations, and treatment performance analysis. Its edge? The ability to “see the invisible.” By estimating pathogen development before symptoms appear — from winter egg maturation to first infections — Vintel® gives growers a head start.

Drawing on weather station data and forecast models, it helps pinpoint the best moment to spray and renew coverage, saving time and inputs while increasing effectiveness.

Innovation meets experience

Of course, no tool replaces the grower’s eye. But they can enrich it.

“Vintel® stands out for its ability to anticipate symptom emergence and track winter egg maturation. It helps growers fine-tune their protection plans. Experience remains essential — but DSTs bring valuable support alongside it.”
— Nathalie Poppe, Technical Manager, Phloème Conseil

A new roadmap for vineyard protection

Climate change and regulations are rewriting the rules of vineyard management. The only sustainable path combines good vineyard practices, precise treatments, and technological innovation. By blending field experience with digital precision, the wine industry has the keys to building durable protection strategies — and safeguarding vineyards for the next generation.

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L’article Fighting vine fungal diseases in times of climate change est apparu en premier sur Vintel®.

Nestled in the heart of Puglia, in the south of Italy, Masseria Altemura lies halfway between two seas, enjoying cool sea breezes from the Ionian and saline air the Adriatic.

The estate, acquired by the Zonin1821 group in 2000, covers 140 hectares of vineyards set in a unique terroir.  The soils, a blend of rock and clay, paired with a Mediterranean climate—hot, dry summers and mild winters—create the perfect environment for high-quality viticulture. The estate hosts a variety of prestigious grape varieties, including local gems like Aglianico and Primitivo.

Since 2005, the estate has been under the watchful eye of Antonio Cavallo, the vineyard manager and winemaker. A native of Puglia with a degree in Agricultural Sciences from Bologna, Antonio brings a no-nonsense mix of traditional know-how and scientific curiosity to his work. “My goal,” he says, “has always been to let the native varieties speak for themselves—while giving them the right tools to do it.” explains Antonio “It’s about taking everything into account: from the climate and soil to the style of wine —every detail guides our decisions in the vineyard.”

Antonio gives us a picture of the estate vineyards: “Around 70% of the vineyards are planted with reds, with Primitivo making up about half of our production. We also grow Aglianico and Malvasia Nera. For white grapes, we have Malvasia, Fiano, Moscato, and Falanghina.” Yields vary depending on the variety: “For Primitivo, we are around 70-80 quintals per hectare, while for Fiano and the rosé production, yields are a bit higher, around 110.”

  “My goal, has always been to let the native varieties speak for themselves—while giving them the right tools to do it “.

A changing climate

Like many growers across southern Europe, Antonio has watched the local weather patterns slip out of sync. “Rain is coming at the wrong times, and it’s not just a few days—it’s entire seasons that look nothing like they used to,” he says. Take spring 2023, for example:  humid, wet, and unpredictable, it ushered in one of the worst downy mildew seasons in recent memory of the region, which is not usually exposed to high disease pressures. “But luckily we were not affected” Antonio says “We were prepared. We acted fast, monitored closely, and protected the fruit.”

Warmer winters are also accelerating vine growth. “This year Moscato budded in early March,” he says  “and within two weeks we were at two leaves. This precocity makes vines vulnerable to spring frost damage—a risk that used to be rare here.”

« This (phenological) precocity makes vines vulnerable to spring frost damage—a risk that used to be rare here. »

An irrigation strategy tailored to each variety

According to Antonio, the key to resilience is precision. Masseria Altemura uses a drip system which is triggered only when vines are exposed to real water stress—what is called ‘rescue irrigation.’ It’s a system designed for a region where the dry, hot summers can quickly turn punishing. “The idea isn’t to irrigate routinely,” he explains, “but to act when the vines actually need it—and in a way that fits the character of each variety.”

The Mediterranean climate—with its long, dry, and sun-soaked summers—offers both a challenge and an opportunity for viticulture. In the ripening season, when rainfall is scarce, irrigation becomes not just a support, but a strategic tool. “At that point, the vines rely almost entirely on us,” says Antonio. “And that means we can adjust irrigation to obtain a certain wine style.”

At Masseria Altemura, irrigation isn’t about simply quenching thirst—it’s a fine-tuned balancing act. Strategies are tailored to each grape variety, guided by the wine style they aim to achieve and informed by weather patterns and lessons from previous harvests. “If one year we ended up with overly tannic musts or yields that were too low, the following season we make adjustments to ease a bit more the water stress,” Antonio explains.

Precise water management is essential—not only to maintain the vine’s vegetative balance, but to shape wine style itself. “Every variety reacts differently to water, to stress, to the rhythm of the season” Antonio emphasizes. “Understanding the water behavior of each variety is key to striking the right balance between vigor and ripening, and create good wines”.

Over time, they’ve built detailed irrigation profiles for each grape. For example, white varieties are protected from excessive water stress to preserve their freshness and minerality. “For reds, we can stress a bit more, but it depends,” he says. “Negroamaro, for example, has very little resilience to drought—once it’s stressed, it hardly recovers. So, we make sure it never crosses that stress threshold. Primitivo, on the other hand, has delicate skins, so we pay very close attention not to water in excess in the last two weeks before harvest, to avoid berry splitting.”

“Everything comes back to knowing how each variety behaves under pressure,” Antonio adds. “That knowledge is what lets us guide the vine—and the wine—in the right direction.”

« Understanding the water behavior of each variety is key to striking the right balance between vigor and ripening, and create good wines. »

From manual to digital

Such precision might seem difficult to achieve, but for years, the estate has been fine-tuning its water management practices with monitoring tools like the pressure chamber. This device measures leaf water potential—the pressure needed to draw water from a leaf—providing a direct indicator of the vine’s hydration status. Unlike soil moisture sensors, this method offers a plant-centered perspective, especially valuable in viticulture. Yet, it’s a technique that demands experience and manual effort, requiring daily dedication to maintain consistent monitoring.

“When I first arrived in 2005,” Antonio recalls, “given the size of the estate, measuring leaf water potential throughout the summer meant having one person working full-time for three straight months.”

That’s why, since 2018, the estate has adopted Vintel®, a decision support system for precision irrigation. Vintel® offers daily simulations and forecasts of leaf water potential, making vineyard monitoring more accessible and strategic. From the beginning, it proved to be an ideal partner for Masseria Altemura’s approach. The platform is powered by multifactorial agronomic models that consider soil, climate, grape variety, and winemaking objectives, tailoring its recommendations accordingly.

Thanks to this integration, the estate now benefits from highly accurate water stress forecasts, drastically reducing the need for manual measurements. The result is a streamlined, time-efficient process that doesn’t compromise on quality.

“Today, thanks to Vintel®, we can simulate and forecast leaf water potential with precision,” Antonio explains. “We only use the pressure chamber to confirm the data. It lets us work more efficiently—and with greater peace of mind.”

« Today, thanks to Vintel®, we can simulate and forecast leaf water potential with precision [..] . It lets us work more efficiently—and with greater peace of mind. »

Innovation, Sustainability, and Terroir

Masseria Altemura stands as a prime example of how thoughtful agronomic management and innovation can meet today’s viticultural challenges—enhancing the potential of a unique terroir while ensuring sustainability and resilience.

That path, however, hasn’t always been smooth. “In the beginning, there was a lot of trial and error,” Antonio admits. “It took time and effort to calibrate the DSS, to define irrigation strategies and the water response profiles of each variety.”

And each year, the challenge begins anew.  As climate patterns shift and conditions evolve, strategies must be constantly reassessed. What worked one year may no longer apply the next. But at Masseria Altemura, years of field experience, combined with a data-driven approach, have shaped a resilient and adaptable system—one that not only navigates uncertainty but showcases the full potential of Apulian viticulture.

Today, thanks to Vintel®’s predictive power, Antonio can finally step away from the vines for a few days, even during the peak of summer. A short break, perhaps, but one that was once unthinkable.

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L’article Masseria Altemura: where terroir and innovation meet to create resilient viticulture est apparu en premier sur Vintel®.

What is YAN ?

To convert grape sugars into alcohol efficiently, yeasts need sufficient quantities of assimilable nitrogen, mainly in the form of ammonium and amino acids… Among amino acids, some, such as proline, are not assimilable by yeast. This is because Saccharomyces cerevisiae, unlike other yeasts, lacks external proteases (enzymes that digest proteins) and therefore cannot hydrolyze peptides and proteins to extract amino acids. Therefore, YAN includes only ammonium ions (NH4+), free amino acids, and some peptides, which means that assimilable nitrogen can represent less than 50% of the total nitrogen.

Nitrogen requirements of yeast during fermentation

Scientific studies show that a YAN level above 180-200 mg/L is optimal for ensuring regular and complete fermentation. Lower levels can lead to incomplete fermentation, leaving residual sugars and producing wines of lower quality. According to the Institut Français de la Vigne et du Vin (IFV), the minimum YAN level in a should be at least 140 mg/L, including 50 mg/L in the form of ammonia, toto prevent fermentation from stalling.

Furthermore, YAN also influences the aromatic profile of the wine. The production of aromatic compounds, particularly esters, largely depends on the amount of assimilable nitrogen available to the yeast. Generally, the initial concentration of assimilable nitrogen in the must is directly related to the quantity of aromatic compounds produced during alcoholic fermentation

Nitrogen fertilisation to improve must quality

YAN level is therefore a key indicator for winegrowers seeking to optimise the quality of their musts. Proper nitrogen fertilisation increases the nitrogen content of the berries. For example, trials carried out by the IFV between 2005 and 2009 showed that urea-based foliar fertilisation can boost the nitrogen content of berries by 50% to 100%, depending on the dose applied.

If musts are low in nitrogen, adding YAN as a nutrient during fermentation is an option. However, this method can result in different aromatic profiles compared to wines from vineyards with adequate nitrogen fertilization.

For example, a recent study on Chardonnay revealed that, while adding nitrogen in the form of diammonium phosphate or organic nitrogen during fermentation can achieve fermentation kinetics similar to those from vineyard fertilization, they produce wines with less pronounced tropical fruit aromas.

In summary, while cellar additions of nitrogen are effective for completing fermentation, conducting a balanced fertilization in the vineyard is preferred as it enhances the aromatic characteristics of the wine.

Using decision-support tools to control nitrogen nutrition

Decision-aid tools such as Vintel® are particularly useful for improving nitrogen nutrition in vineyards and, consequently, the fermentation process. These tools enable winegrowers to forecast the nitrogen requirements of their vines based on environmental conditions (soil, weather, cover crops) and the specific characteristics of plants (phenological stage, growth, target yield). Thanks to this data, winegrowers can fine-tune their fertilisation practices, optimising nitrogen uptake and, ultimately, the quality of their musts, ensuring that they ferment evenly to produce quality wines.

In short, precise fertilisation adapted to each vineyard is essential for producing high quality grapes and ensuring optimal fermentation. Effective management of assimilable nitrogen helps to prevent fermentation issues and produce top wines.

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L’article The importance of precise fertilisation for wine quality est apparu en premier sur Vintel®.

Nitrogen (N) plays a major role in all grapevine physiological processes. It is considered as a macronutrient, as it is required in larger amounts than the other mineral nutrients. It controls plant vigor and its absorption by the roots is dependent on the availability of water. A nitrogen deficient grapevine will not grow well, forming short inter-nodes, chlorotic (yellow) leaves and will produce less fruits with a reduced grape N content and possible delayed maturation.

Whereas nitrogen must be available to grant an adequate growth and photosynthesis, in viticulture too much nitrogen is also detrimental. Excess vigor leads to an extended vegetative growth period and competition with grape ripening. In addition, denser canopies and higher N content in leaves can increase vulnerability to fungal diseases.

In addition to controlling vegetative vigor, nitrogen affects the composition of grapes and the activity of yeast during winemaking. Indeed, nitrogen is a key yeast nutrient needed to carry out a successful fermentation and its presence as part of complex N-compounds in musts can affect the aromatic quality of wine.

All these functions make it difficult to control and to manage nitrogen fertilization in the best way. Since 2021, Vintel Nitrogen module by ITK provides a monitoring and forecasting service that can be used on a large scale to make the best decisions concerning N fertilization in a quick and cost-effective way to attain production goals.

How do you know how much nitrogen is needed by your vineyard ?

Fertilization is a regular practice for vinegrowers, and one which demands a particular expertise to attain the optimal balance between vigor and grape composition.

This expertise is even more relevant in a world that is more and more concerned with soil and environmental preservation. Indeed, wine growers are becoming increasingly aware of the detrimental effects of excess nitrogen leaking into the environment, causing water pollution and eutrophication. For this reason, over the past decades, the application of N in vineyards has been reduced with the aim of adjusting vigor and yield while preserving the environment.

In the last decades cover cropping has made its come-back in many vineyards, after a long period in which it was abandoned, as it was considered harmful for production. Indeed, whereas using cover crops have several benefits, ranging from soil protection to the control of  yield, in vineyards with low vigor, there is a concern of excessive competition for N resources with vines. In these cases, N-fertilizer application needs to be tailored to suit grapevines needs while considering the type of cover crop and its practices.

All these factors need to be considered when creating the nitrogen (N) management plan, to make the best use of N fertilizers. To conceive such plans it is very helpful to monitor vine N status and have a global vision of all the elements affecting its balance in the vineyard. A decision support tool  (DST) like Vintel Nitrogen module can provide these data in real time so that nitrogen management becomes easy and effective.

Vintel Nitrogen module predicts nitrogen availability

The new service within the Vintel DST, Nitrogen module boosts growers insight into the nitrogen status of their vineyard, informing decision-making.

This powerful solution makes it possible to visualize nitrogen stress and measure the impacts of nitrogen inputs on vine growth during the production season.  And off-season it helps adjust nitrogen application so that vines maximise their reserves and can re-start growth adequately. Because Vintel Nitrogen module considers the soil-plant water balance, it allows to apply fertilizer in the right amount to avoid leaking or wash out.  Moreover, the system provides a long-term weather forecast ranging several months in the future, that can help planning N purchase and application in the long term.

A nitrogen expert for winery management by the side of growers

Vintel Nitrogen module calculates daily nitrogen demands and consumption by plants, depending on nitrogen soil stocks, fertilizer application, cover cropping and other vineyard practices, and weather. This is possible because at the heart of Vintel Nitrogen module there are agronomic models of soil water balance, nitrogen mineralization and nitrogen allocation whose output provides an instant picture of your vineyard N status. Soil nitrogen dynamics over time are displayed through easy-to-interpret detailed graphs. Long-term weather forecasts allow to simulate the in season evolution of vineyard nitrogen, for a better planning of N-fertilizer applications.

Vintel Nitrogen module : for each plot, you can visualize detailed graphs showing nitrogen demands by the plant (top), nitrogen and water availability in soil (middle) and weather (bottom)

Vintel is a complete tool for the management of nitrogen allowing growers to :

• Visualise the peaks of nitrogen consumption in their vineyard for the ongoing season.
• Know when plants are stressed and consuming their own nitrogen reserves so to avoid their depletion
• Compare different fertilization strategies to see what is their potential impact over plant nitrogen and soil stocks
• Select the best cover crop for your vineyard and optimize its management (type, planting date, removal date etc.)
• Analyze the use of nitrogen in your vineyard after harvest. Is there sufficient N for building adequate plant stocks?
• Maximize the effectiveness of N applications by considering present and future water availability in the soil
• Save money by applying just the right amount of fertilizer at the right moment.
• Preserve soil and environmental resources by avoiding excess N application and N leak into the environment

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L’article Nutrient management planning in the vineyard: how to optimize nitrogen fertilization ? est apparu en premier sur Vintel®.