The Fladgate Partnership – Vineyard Model in «Narrow Terrace 1.5m» Land Architecture (and Estimated Cost), Planting Density and Mechanization

The 1.5 meters wide «narrow terrace» maintains all the good principles of the 2.3 meters wide «narrow terrace» which received the prestigious BES-Biodiversidade award in 2009.

Compared to the wider 2.3 meters version, there are two gains from reducing the width to 1.5m:

1. Higher planting density: +36.5% vines for equal distance from vine to vine.
2. Reduction of the relative height of the embankment associated with each terrace.

Only the «narrow terrace 1.5m» allows at least the same length of vine row per hectare as the «wide terrace – PDRITM (Trás-os-Montes Integrated Rural Development Project)», which has 2 vine rows per terrace and 3.2 to 3.6 meters in width.

The minimum planting density threshold in the post-phylloxera DDR (Demarcated Douro Region) was established by the «wide terrace – PDRITM» with two rows of vines. The new «narrow terrace 2.3m» with one row of vines is well below the minimum planting density threshold.

The 1.5 meters narrow terrace version is an improvement on the previous one with 2.3 meters and counteracts the easy way of adapting the vineyard to the machine and, with this, improves the relative occupation of the land with vines, as is required in mountain viticulture.

Its degree of mechanization is on an equal footing with all other vineyard models in the DDR, although it requires tractors and equipment that suit its width. This machinery is also capable of working in other vineyard models. It even allows for the increase in the density in “vertical vineyard” due to the narrower spacing.

The «narrow terrace 1.5m» is a good solution on hills with a slope above 30 to 35%. The rigour in its laser-guided construction, in order to guarantee a longitudinal slope of 3%, favourable to the flow of torrential rains, as well as the care given to its frame, makes its cost more.

If in the end the defence against erosion caused by rain and the beauty of the landscape stand out, it is in the investment cost that the discussion of the «narrow terrace 1.5m» is centred at the outset.

In this discussion, the following are taken into account:
1. In relation to the 1.5 meters terrace, to achieve the same length of vineyard row on the 2.3 meters terrace, 36.5% more land is required      (real average), that is, the same kilometres of vine rows of 1 Ha of «narrow terrace 1.5m» are found in 1.365 Ha of the 2.3m wide version.
2. Any other terrace width of more than 1.5 meters lowers the planting density established by the «wide terrace – PDRITM».

COMPANY SUMMARY

The Fladgate Partnership is a holding company that has businesses in Port Wine, tourism and distribution. The original company of the group is Taylor’s Port, which was founded in 1692. However, in 2001 it acquired Croft Port, which was founded in 1588 and celebrated its 430th anniversary in 2018. With its other brands (Fonseca Port and Krohn Port) The Fladgate Partnership is a leading player in producing special category Port, which it sells in over 105 countries.

SUSTAINABLE TARGET

Optimize:

• the architecture of the land;
• the plantation density;
• the mechanization.

REASON WHY/ MOTIVATION

We are committed to producing Port wine from our vineyards in a way that is both ecologically responsible and economically viable, helping to guarantee the long-term future of high-quality Port wine production in decades to come.

DESCRIPTION AND STRATEGIES

The new «narrow terrace – 1.5 meters» maintains all the good principles of the equivalent terrace 2.3 meters wide – conceived and developed by us – and which in 2009 received the prestigious BES-Biodiversidade award.

Compared to the wider 2.3 m version, there are two gains with the 1.5m width:
1. Higher planting density: +36.5% vines for equal distance from vine to vine. On steep hills (>30%) and typical Douro orography, an average of 2.8 km of the terrace is built per hectare.
2. Reduction of the relative height of the embankment associated with each terrace.

Only the «narrow terrace 1.5m» allows for the same length of vine row per hectare as the «wide terrace – PDRITM». This one has 2 vine rows (which run parallel) per terrace and is 3.2 to 3.6 meters wide.

The minimum planting density threshold in the post-phylloxera DDR was established by the «wide terrace – PDRITM» and the «narrow terrace 2.3m» is below it.

 

Land architecture cost in the «narrow terrace 1.5m» model

The construction of the «narrow terrace 1.5m» is based on 4 pillars:
1. Soil protection from erosion caused by torrential rains and the beauty of the landscape (Laser-guided construction).
2. Relative better use of land for vines;
3. Efficiency of manual and mechanical work.
4. Safety of mechanical work.

When discussing the width of the “narrow terrace” the following should be taken into account:

1. In relation to the 1.5 meters terrace, to achieve the same length of vineyard row on the 2.3 meters terrace, 36.5% more land must be occupied (real average), that is, the same kilometres of vine rows of 1 Ha of «narrow terrace 1.5m» are only found in 1.365 Ha of the 2.3m wide version.
2. Another landing width of more than 1.5 meters lowers, even more, the planting density established by the «wide terrace – PDRITM».
3. The use of land for vines is an instruction in mountain viticulture, but crucial in the Douro, whose viticulture is in a hot and dry climate,    on a relatively poor soil base, and directed towards Port Wine, whose natural rainfall is the exclusive source of water for the vines.

As a general rule, to plant 1 hectare of vineyard on a steep slope it is necessary to intervene in about 1.25 hectares. The ±0.8 ratio between the interventioned Ha and the effective Ha is explained by the work roads and the gravel framing and the waste of earth (marginal slopes, above all) for the efficiency and safety of mechanical work in the vineyard.

In the Douro, the cost of land architecture (construction of the terrace and gravel) is random, as it depends on the slope of the hill, its orographic configuration and the depth of the soil.
The accumulated experience allowed the construction of Graph 1 of expected hours of mechanical traction rented in the 1 hectare of ground preparation in Cima-Corgo, with a medium degree of difficulty. However, let us bear in mind the aforementioned randomness.

The 1 hour in the opening of the terrace corresponds to an average of 2.5 hours in its ground preparation.

Mechanization

The degree of mechanization of the «narrow terrace 1.5m» is on par with all other vineyard models in the DDR, although it requires tractors and equipment that suits its width. This machinery is also capable of working in other vineyard models. It even allows for the increase in the density of “vertical planting” due to the narrower spacing.

The traction unit chosen was: Reversible mini-crawler TR 635/50, engine 50 Hp, with 90 centimetres wide (narrow version), metal track, reversible operator’s seat and equipped with a speed controller. https://www.fratellicamisa.it/.

In November 2020 we had the opportunity to experiment at Quinta do Junco with a mechanization unit in such a revolutionary way that at work we see it as an ordinary tractor: https://www.vitrac.it/en/.

The demonstration lived up to our best expectations. Our «narrow terrace 1.5m», as we conceived and built it, was born for this traction unit and associated equipment of the VITRAC brand.

The VITRAC 80 SLOPE-TOOL CARRIER (tires) is an alternative/complementary to the Reversible mini-crawler TR 635/50 (metal track). The cost of the two units (considering the extras that truly complete the VITRAC 80) is practically the same.

The VITRAC 80 offers the inherent advantages of a tractor with tires (ease of movement, speed and comfort at work) without losing safety. The very short turning radius is another advantage.

The operator’s seat is reversible, as in the Reversible mini-crawler TR 635/50, but it has a unique and decisive possibility for working efficiency on the landing with 1 row of vines (asymmetrical work): implement support column with a rotating system and which allows you to choose the more favourable direction in which you work.