SIXTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME Area Task 1: Organic viticulture and wine processing

Transcription

1 Deliverable SIXTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME Area Task 1: Organic viticulture and wine processing Project number: Project acronym: ORWINE Full project title: Organic viticulture and wine-making: development of environment Deliverable: D Public report about the producer investigation PU Public Part of Workpackage: WP2 - Status quo analysis of wine producer practices, market needs and consumers perception FP 6 Instrument: Specific Targeted Research or Innovation Project (STREP) Thematic priority: Priority 8.1: Policy-oriented Research (SSP) Due date of deliverable: January 2007 Actual submission date: January 2007 Start date of project: February 2006 Project duration: March 2009 Author: Cristina Micheloni, Raffaella Roviglioni (AIAB), Gianni Trioli (Vinidea), Piergiorgio Comuzzo (UNIUD). Funded by the European Commisson under the Sixth Framework Programme for European Research & Technological Development ( ) - Thematic area Food quality and safety

2 Table of contents Research Institutions and Authors 1 Executive summary 6 2 Scope of the report 7 3 Statistics and methodology Overall population Questionnaire and in-depth interviews structure Web-based survey participants and interviewed producers Web survey The interviews 13 4 Producer profile 14 5 Vineyard management Propagation materials and variety choice Fertilization of the vineyard Vineyard soil management Pests and diseases management Trellising and pruning system Irrigation Productivity 26 6 Organic wine market Bulk wine market Main distribution channels Export market The price issue Selling arguments 33 7 Row matter origin Origin of the grape Juice trading Bulk wine trading Bottling place 38 8 Equipment available in wineries 38 2

3 9 Additives and coadjuvants used or accepted by wineries Practices applied or accepted by wineries SO 2 use and content in white wines SO 2 use and content in red wines Closures Heath related compounds Analytical data Regulatory background and future perspectives Conclusions 64 References 94 Appendix I Guidelines for producers in-depth interview Appendix II Text of the web-based survey with numerical answers ***************************************************** Research Institutions and Authors: The following research institutions and authors have contributed to this report: Cristina Micheloni, Raffaella Roviglioni, P1 AIAB Associazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica Via Piave 14, I Roma / Italy, Tel.: , Fax: c.micheloni@aiab.it; r.roviglioni@aiab.it Piergiorgio Comuzzo, Sergiu Scobioala P2 UNIUD Università degli Studi di Udine - Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti via Marangoni 97, I Udine / Italy, Tel: , Fax: roberto.zironi@uniud.it; p.comuzzo@uniud.it Marie-Christine Monnier P3 ITAB Institut Technique de l'agriculture Biologique Mas de Saporta, F Lattes / France, Tel.: , Fax: monique.jonis@itab.asso.fr 3

4 Uwe Hofmann P4 ECOVIN Federal Association of Organic Wine Producers Praelat-Werthmannstr. 37, D Geisenheim / Germany, Tel: , Fax: uwe@eco-consult.net Markus van der Meer P5 FiBL Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) Ackerstrasse, CH-5070 Frick, Switzerland otto.schmid@fibl.org; franco.weibel@fibl.org; dominique.levite@fibl.org; markus.vandermeer@fibl.org; hanna.stolz@fibl.org; bettina.landau@fibl.org; Secretary: Tel , Fax , info.suisse@fibl.org, Gianni Trioli P9 VIN VINIDEA s.r.l. Piazza 1 Maggio 20, I Ponte dell Olio PC / Italy, Tel: , Fax: gianni.trioli@vinideanet.com Wietheger Lena, Alexandra Costa-Maurer, Victor Gonzalvez, Charikleia Minotou, Svetla Nikolova, Zoltan Kerenyi,Szoke Lajos P10 IFOAM EU International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements-EU Group Boulevard Louis Schmidt 64, B Brussels / Belgium, Tel: marco.schlueter@ifoam-eu.org ********************************************************************************** 4

5 Acknowledgement The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Commission of the European Communities, under Priority Area 1.2 (Organic Viticulture and Wine Processing) of the Sixth Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Dem-onstration within the Integrated Project No (Organic viticulture and winemaking: development of environment and consumer friendly technologies for organic wine quality ). The information in this re-port does not necessarily reflect the Commission s views and in no way anticipate the Commission s future policy in this area. The contents of this report are the sole responsibility of the authors. The information contained herein, including any expression of opinion and any projection or forecast, has been obtained from sources believed by the authors to be reliable but is not guaranteed as to accuracy or completeness. The information is supplied without obligation and on the understanding that any person who acts upon it or otherwise changes his/her posi-tion in reliance thereon does so entirely at his/her own risk. This publication represents the report about task 2.6 in work package 2. Status quo analysis of wine producer practices, market needs and consumer perceptions of the Integrated Project No Organic viticulture and wine-making (Sixth Framework Programme for European Research & Technological Development ( ) of the European Commission). For further information see the project homepage at 5

6 1 Executive summary This report defines a significant and clear picture of who is the EU organic wine producers, how he/she works in the vine-yard and in the cellar, what the main problems are in organic grape production and processing, what wine type and quality is obtained, where it is traded and with what trading arguments. The positive integration of web-based survey (467) and in-depth qualitative interviews (78) assures large degree of representation (about 20% of EU organic wine producers have been involved), as a large number of producers are involved, as are qualitative assessments. The picture of organic viticulture in Europe as derived from the analysis shows that it is practiced with only few differences from conventional quality wine production in similar areas and in similar farming systems. Usually the farm size is small to medium with few exceptions like Spain and France. Interviewed producers are to be considered technically mature as they have been running their vine-yards organically for often more than 10 years and often decided to convert for technical reasons (as well as for environmental ones and marketing ones), as they considered organic viticulture an instrument for improvement of wine quality. In countries such as Spain, Hungary and Slovakia organic management has been introduced more recently. All producers are specialized and for 94% of them organic wine is their main product. A large majority of them process exclusively their own grape and bought-in juice and wine is a limited exception; Variety choice is very similar to conventional viticulture except for the use of resistant hybrids in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Organic grape-vines are available only recently and as a consequence, are rarely used. Concerning agronomic management, soil management is considered to be a main issue by a large majority of producers while trellising and pruning systems show no significant differences from conventional viticulture. Fertilization is based on green manures in Southern countries and on compost in the North, while the use of commercial fertilizers has some relevance only in Italy and Spain. Irrigation has relevance only in Switzerland. Pest and diseases are a constant problem having significant impact on grape quality at least every three years and even more frequently in Northern countries. In the South it happens less frequently, with exceptions for specific pests in highly infected areas (corky bark etc.). The use of copper makes downy mildew a manageable problem never appearing as a main one. 6

7 Often production level is lower compared to conventional producers of similar wine types in the same area but it is usually a quality choice and not a limitation due to the organic method applied. Wine processing is performed in cellars with a generally good level of technology where especially temperature control and management devices are available. In general a limited quantity of adjuvants and additives is used even if a wide range of products are used. The products are considered essential but are always used in specific cases and with a good understanding of the mode of action. A specific inquiry concerning the use of commercial dry yeasts shows that they are commonly used in all countries with a lower percentage in France. SO 2 use is in general lower as compared to conventional use and a limit if 90mg/l will include almost all producers use in white and red wines. Analytical data from Italian and German samples demonstrates an easily predictable difference in SO 2 content for German wines (70-110mg/l) and Italian wines (20-90mg/l). Clear statements are expressed by producers concerning the desired level (Community, National, Regional, Private) they aspects the several aspects of regulation which should be established. There is a strong consensus that all aspects related to allowed additives, processing aids and labeling rules should be regulated at the EU level, while allowed technologies are mainly expected to be regulated at the EU level as well as at the national level and even the private level. SO 2 limits are considered to be preferably regulated at the EU level by producers from Italy, France and Spain while in Germany and Switzerland higher preference is expressed for the National and Private level. 2 Scope of the report This report intends to identify the main practices in use in European organic vineyards and wine-making, highlighting differences among wine-producing areas and Member States, as well as between organic and conventional farms. The information gathered and elaborated in the report will be the basis for further research activity in WP2, WP3, WP4 and WP5. Specifically they will provide information for: WP2- task 2.3: development of an integrated assessment tool for quality viticulture. 7

8 This report provides information for identification of key elements to be considered by the assessment tool and related parameters, and within the HACCP approach to be developed for implementation of organic viticulture systems. WP2- task 2.5: market needs and perspectives This report gives some explanation of producers market orientation and structural features that may influence marketing strategies. WP3-task 3.1 assessment of schemes and development of protocols This report supplies information on grape quality characteristics, equipments available and additives commonly used in organic cellars and such information influencing the experimental protocols proposed to pilot farms. WP3-task 3.2 fitting conventional and recently developed practices to organic wine-making The picture of the situation of the EU organic wine production will influence the choice of the practices to be tested in the experimental activity. WP3-task 3.5 resistant grape variety This report supplies information on degree of use of resistant varieties and areas/farming systems where they are already introduced. WP3-task 3.6 health-related wine compounds This report gives background from the producers perspective concerning the issue and it reports the results of analyses conducted on a wide range of organic samples, thus orienting the research on the issue. WP4 task 4.1 application and monitoring of recommended methods on pilot wineries On the basis of the information gathered in this report the selection criteria for pilot farms have been elaborated (M 4.1). WP5- task 5.1 proposal for regulatory framework and standard This report gives back-ground on actual standard fullfilment (which standards are mainly implemented), on implementation possibilities of proposed regulations, on acceptability from the producers point of view and the preferred level of regulatory implementation (Community, National, Regional etc.) WP5- task 5.2 code of best organic viticultural and wine-making practices This report provides basic information on farm structure, cellar equipments, main management risks and implemented practices, and will be the basis for the viticulture and wine-making part of the code. WP5- task 5.4 stakeholder involvement The web-based survey proved to be an excellent stakeholder involvement tool as the possibility to intervene and express a personal experience and opinion was very positively evaluated by involved producers. 8

9 3 Statistics and methodology 3.1 Overall population Although the exact number of wineries producing organic wine in Europe is not known for all countries, the overall population represented by the survey is estimated to be about wineries. National statistics for organic viticulture are available for almost all countries, even if they do not separate table grape from wine grape, while official statistics on organic wine-making units are rarely available, partially due to the lack of common definition on organic wine processing. Table 1: Number of EU organic wine producers and surface area of vineyards organically managed per country. Data from National statistics as of December 2005, as compiled by the authors. In surface of organic grape production table grape is included as no separation is reported in the National statistics concerning grape use. Organic wine producers per country Number of producers Ha of organic viticulture France Germany Italy Switzerland Austria Spain n.a Portugal Other Europe 50 TOTAL (Spain missing) 3.2 Questionnaire and in-depth interviews structure The data used in the report have been collected through a web-based questionnaire and a set of in-depth interviews run by national partners of producers selected on the basis of the results of Deliverable 2.1 Internal report about the research framework and the literature survey. Specifically part C of the bibliographic survey: relevant agronomic impact factors on quality of wines from organic viticulture. 9

10 The scope of the interviews was to test the reliability of the web-survey but also to comment on, or detail certain issues that could not be handled through the web-survey because requesting more flexible answers were required. The web questionnaire was prepared during the period of May-June 2006, on the basis of ORWINE partner expertise on the matter and the results from D2.1 Internal report about the research framework and the literature survey. The final version was composed of 30 questions, and was presented to stakeholders in 9 question blocks (pages). Before answering the questions, the stakeholder read a message where the ORWINE project was briefly described and she/he was made aware of the relevance of her/his answers in the process of defining European regulation for organic wine production. Only organic wine producers have been asked to answer the questionnaire, which was written in 5 different languages: English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. The in-depth interview guidelines included most of the questions used in the web survey, and was detailed the viticulture practices and the philosophy of the production. It was conducted with the dual purpose of confirming the data gathered through the web survey and collecting more qualitative results. In Appendix I the complete text of the guidelines for the producers in-depth interviews is reported and in Appendix II the text of the web-based survey with numerical answers is reported. Advertisement and interviewed selection Participation in the web survey was proposed to stakeholders through different means: messages sent to producers which are members of the association directly involved in the ORWINE project (AIAB, ITAB, ECOVIN) and are participants in organic wine awards, messages sent through other associations of organic wine producers, which are outside the countries involved in ORWINE through IFOAM EU; Publication into bulletins and association organs; Press releases sent to other specialized journals in the wine sector For the in-depth interviews half of the sample was chosen from stakeholders who answered the web survey and the other half was chosen randomly from the movement opinion leaders on the basis of area, representation, wine type produced, farm structure etc... Duration The web survey was conducted from June 2006 to the end of December

11 Because of the coincidence of summer holiday period and harvest time in many countries, several recalls have been done in order to achieve a significant number of answers.the in-depth interview phase was conducted in the last two months of Web-based survey participants and interviewed producers Web survey The web page corresponding to questionnaires has been opened the following number of times: Language version Number of total visits English 188 Italian 439 German 580 French 498 Spanish 151 TOTAL These numbers, though, include visits from persons involved in the ORWINE project and specifically in the web survey. The web answers have been compiled into Excel files. Before starting data compilation, the data file has been edited by eliminating the following records: Very incomplete answers (for example answering only to country and winery dimension, answers which are not useable for the scope of the survey) Double answers given by the same IP, originating from the same PC or company. In this instance, only the first one has been used. This procedure eliminates the double answer given by the same person, as well as answers coming from different persons in the same winery (which must count as one). Evident random answers, such as those systematically selecting all options when multiple answers were allowed. 11

12 After this cleaning procedure, the following figures have been obtained: Table 2. Number of answers obtained through the web survey LANGUAGE EN FR ES IT DE TOTAL COUNTRY Italy France Spain Germany Austria Switzerland Portugal 1 1 Other Western Europe Countries 3 3 Slovenia 1 1 Croatia 1 1 Czech Republic 1 1 Hungary 2 2 Outside Europe Non declared 1 1 TOTAL Number of times the survey has been opened Percentage of valid answers 4,3% 39,6% 7,9% 15,3% 31,4% 25,1% Globally, the survey received 466 answers, corresponding to about 18% of the total estimated population. The survey allowed for stakeholder anonymity, or, alternatively, their data could be left and they could be contacted for further involvement. A significant part of answers (41%) were completed with personal data and permission for later additional contacts. Anonymous answers can be more truthful, but on the other hand, they can be given by people not involved at all in organic wine production. In order to see if the two samples were consistent, the two series of data (all valid answer and only anonymous) have been compiled separately for Germany, France and partially for Italy. It was evident that no significant differences existed between the two data lots (data not shown). Therefore, it has been decided to use all valid data obtained from the survey. One answer each for Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, and Portugal, 2 answers from Hungary and another 3 from Other Western Europe countries have been merged in the group Other EU. The few answers from Outside EU (6) and not declared have not been compiled. 12

13 No prevalence of producers belonging to specific associations or following specific standards was reported as in all countries all associations and private standards were mentioned. French producers belonged to and respected standards from Nature et Progrès, FNIVAB, Demeter, DAME NATURE, Bio Suisse, DELINAT, Sapros, AIVB LR or none at all. German producers were members of Bioland, ECOVIN, Naturland, Bio-Austria or none at all. Swiss producers belonged to Bio Suisse, Knospe and Demeter. Italian producers belonged to AIAB, AMAB, Suolo e Salute, Bios, Renaissance and Demeter. Austrian producers belonged to Bio-Austria and Demeter. In Spain regional regulations were mentioned The interviews For the in-depth interviews, half of the sample was chosen among stakeholders who answered the web survey and the other half was randomly chosen from the movement opinion leaders on the basis of area representation, wine type produced, farm structure etc. The interviews were conducted in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Slovakia, Cyprus and Hungary and are reported in table 3. Table 3. Number of in-depth interviews conducted Member State n. of interviews Italy 26 France 13 Germany 13 Switzerland 8 Austria 6 Spain 4 Portugal 3 Hungary 3 Slovakia 1 Cyprus 1 TOTAL 78 In order to insure the interviews were representative, a balanced composition concerning associations membership and private standard was respected. 13

14 In the presentation of results, the most attention has been given to the results of the web-based survey as they are numerically more representative. The interview results have been added when differences from the survey or interpretations of the survey outcome were apparent. 4 Producer profile Most of the wineries producing organic wine in Europe are small to medium sized. Only about 8% have a yearly production exceeding bottles. The rest are almost equally represented by small (less than 300 hl / bottles) and medium sized wineries (between 300 and 1500 hl / bottles). In Germany, Italy and France only about 30-40% of the wineries are of small size, and the majority is medium. Austria and Switzerland have an opposite situation, with 60-80% of the wineries below the threshold of bottles. How much organic wine do you produce? less than 300 hl / bottles more than 1500 hl / bottles between 300 and 1500 hl / bottles 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE Figure 1. Quantity of organic wine produced by single winery. Web survey. The interviews confirm the data of the web-survey, showing that in average organic wine producing farms are small to medium sized, with few exceptions for France and Spain. 14

15 Figure 2: average size of the farms involved in the in-depth interview The great majority (94%) of the wineries producing organic wine in Europe specialize in its production. 87% of them produce organic wine as an exclusive product, and 7% of them use organic wine for more than 50% of their production. Spain shows a rather different situation, with 45% of the stakeholders produce larger volumes of conventional wine in the same facility. Switzerland and the other EU countries have an intermediate situation. The picture was confirmed by in-depth interviews. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Which percentage of your total production is organic wine? 100% More than 50% Less than 50% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE 15

16 Figure 3. Percentage of organic wine produced in European wineries. Web survey. Results from in-depth interviews show that the majority if organic wine produced has an AOC appellation. Variety related wines are present, with lower significance, in all countries and table wines are a minority. Nevertheless, it should be also considered that the AOC definitions and limitations are different in the Member States, making the results difficult to define. The type of wine (red, white, sweet, sparkling, etc.) produced was asked not in quantitative terms but as a yes/no question. As a consequence the table above does not represent an estimation of quantity produced. Which kind of wine do you produce? percentage of farms AOC Variety related Table wine Red White Sweet white Sparkling Other 0 Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 4. Types of organic wine produced. In depth-interviews. About 50% of the organic wine producers in Europe have been switched to this production method more than 10 years ago. One third of those started organic wine production only few years ago: these new stakeholders represent about 40% in Austria, more than 80% in Spain and 60% in Other Europe. 16

17 When did you start to produce organic wine? less that 5 years ago 6-9 years ago More than 10 years ago 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE Figure 5. Stakeholders years of experience in production of organic wine. Web survey. For the in-depth interviews, more experienced wine-producers were preferred because they presented more reliable data on the agronomic issues as well as on the marketing aspects. 100% 80% 60% 40% >20 years years 6-10 years 2-5years <2 years 20% 0% Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 6: years of experience in the sample of producers selected for in-depth interviews. To better understand the organic Viticulture conversion step, the in-depth interviews asked for the main reason why conversion was performed. The majority of the producers stated that environmental concerns was the main reason for converting but often, especially in Germany, the technical reasons were more important. The technical reason is explained in terms of research of production methods that allow for improvement in wine quality in terms of terroir relationship 17

18 and authenticity. In Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Hungary and Slovakia the market request has a certain importance but must be considered in two different ways: 1) For large farms it represents an important export opportunity 2) For small/family farms it is felt to be the only possibility for surviving high competitive pressure from larger producers and from imports. When asked about main differences in organic vineyard management as compared to conventional, the differences among countries appeared clear. In Germany, soil management and used inputs are recognized by all producers. In France, the technical difficulties resulted in requesting higher preparation and in Italy, producers said that not many differences were put into practice since conversion. In Switzerland and Austria, the choice of resistant hybrids specifically for organic management has certain relevance. It should be explained that several small producers in Italy and France were managing their vineyard with methods very close to organic techniques well before conversion because of tradition and refusal to use certain chemicals percentage of producers Environment Public health Market request Technical reasons 0 Italy France Germany Switzerland Others Figure 7: main reason for conversion to organic management among interviewed producers. EU Another explanation is needed concerning the resistant hybrids: not only in Austria and Switzerland they are relevant but in Germany as well. The difference is that in Germany many producers used their cultivation before converting. 18

19 5 Vineyard management 5.1 Propagation materials and variety choice Concerning the decision on propagation material used or variety choice, it has been clearly stated by producers that organic vines are not easily available: there are only few nurseries, which furthermore started their production less than 5 years ago. Also, a large part of the interviewed farmers had their vine-yard planted before converting to organic, which is a further reason for almost exclusive use of conventional plants for producing organic wine. Some experiences in Switzerland, Austria and Portugal with organic propagation materials are due to farmers self-production. Modern resistant hybrids have high relevance in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, but they are not used at all in other countries (in Italy for legal reasons also). Standard commercial varieties are commonly used in all countries. In Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus the use of native varieties is increasing and it is likely not to be linked only to organic production but to a general trend in wine-production. Mass-selection run at farm level is an important option in France and Germany, while in Italy it is a limited reality percentage of farms Organic Conventional Autoctonous Standard varieties Self-selection Resistant hybrids 10 0 Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 8. Use of propagation material and variety choice. 19

20 5.2 Fertilization of the vineyard In general terms, compost is widely used in all countries except for Italy, where commercial organic fertilizers are used by a large part of the producers. Green manure, implemented in many different ways and with different species, is widely used with the exception of France. In all countries, only a few farmers do absolutely nothing to fertilize their vine-yards percentage of farms Green manure Commercial products Compost Almost nothing 10 0 Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 9: products and agronomic techniques for vine-yard fertilization. 5.3 Vineyard soil management As reported in chapter 4, soil management has been declared to be the main difference after the conversion to organic vineyard management. When comparing the practices used by the interviewed producers, a high level of attention and experience is gained in soil management, with 80% of the producers performing their sequence of soil labors with a wide range of tools. At the same time, there is a clear attempt to maintain a year- round cover crop on the total surface area of the vine-yard. The only limitation is water availability, which leads to coverage of alternate strips or coverage limited to certain periods of the year. A considerable part of the producers use natural, locally adapted cover crop plants in the vineyard instead of a selected seed mixture. In areas with low temperature problems, mowed grass is sometimes used for mulching, while plastic mulching for weed control is limited to young plants and is rarely used. 20

21 percentage of farms Totally covered Stripe coverage Grass coverage severily limited by water lack Soil worked by several tools 10 0 Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 10: soil management techniques used in the vine-yards. 5.4 Pests and diseases management Many scientists agree that the frequency of attack by a mold disease which can negatively affect wine quality approaches 10%. This disease level is rarely reached in countries like Spain, Italy and France, according to stakeholders statements, but is more frequent in others like Germany, where 70% of the producers must face this situation at least every 3 years. This depends, of course, on the climate and it has a large influence on winemaking technology, specifically on SO 2 additions. 21

22 How often do you have to manage grapes with more than 10% of clusters attacked by a disease? Every year once every 3 years once every 5 years rarely 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE Figure 11: Frequency of severe pest or disease attack on organic grape resulting from web-based survey. Unfortunately, where grape diseases are more frequent as in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Botrytis is the major problem. This means that in these countries, a reduction of total SO2 in organic wines will be more difficult to obtain. Powdery mildew, the second disease in terms of potential negative effect on wine quality, is also a major concern in Spain, Italy, and France, as well as in Other countries. Interestingly, insect attacks and wood diseases are secondary concerns for producers in Germany and Austria. The same trend is shown in interviews discussing the main plant protection products used for pest and disease management. Copper and sulfur are used by more than 90% of EU producers, while insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis and pyrethrin are limited to specific conditions where insect attack is important. A strange result concerns the use of monitoring systems (based on weather forecast, traps etc.) that appear to be commonly used only in Germany and Austria, while in other countries are used only by a small part of the producers. No interpretation of the fact is possible and it may be due to incorrect questioning. 22

23 From in-depth interview the situation appears slightly worse in almost all countries. Yet, the reasons for such difference cannot be explained by this survey and are probably linked to specific farm situations and/or more accurate evaluation of the situation during the interview as compared to the web-survey. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% Rarely Once every 5 years Once every3 years Every year 30% 20% 10% 0% Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 12: Frequency of severe pest or disease attack on organic grape resulting from indepth interview. Both, web-survey and in-depth interview, confirm Botrytis as major problem in all Northern countries while powdery mildew is the major problem in the South. It appears that the incidence of these diseases is related to climatic conditions, but in few cases it is also reported to be a variety problem (similar to conventional viticulture) which is related to narrow cluster varieties which, under organic conditions, are difficult to protect. Only in Spain, are insects and mites indicated as a major problem, and this is probably due to climatic conditions. Wood diseases (mainly Esca and black-rot) have significant importance in France and Spain. Corky bark is very much related to production area, causing serious problems in heavily attached vines but decreasing in importance as compared to 3-5 years ago. Downy mildew is never reported as a major problem because it is linked to the common and successful use of copper fungicide even if in reduced doses. 23

24 Which is the disease that most frequently induces problems on your grapes? (max 2 answers allowed) 80% Downy mildew powdery mildew botrytis insects Wood diseases 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE Figure 13: frequency and incidence of pest and disease in organic grape production as resulting from the web-survey percentage of farms Downy mildew Powdery mildew Botrytis Insects Wood diseases 10 0 Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 14: frequency and incidence of pest and disease in organic grape production as resulting from in-depth interviews. Concerning plant protection, the mainly used products are a consequence of major pests and diseases. Copper and sulphur are used by more than 90% of EU producers, while organic insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis and pyrethrum are limited to specific conditions where insect attack is important. 24

25 A strange result concerns the use of monitoring systems (based on weather forecast or traps etc.) that appears to be commonly used only in Germany and Austria, while in other countries it is used only by a small part of producers. No interpretation of the fact is possible and it may be due to an incorrect questioning percentage of farms Use of monitoring system Cu+S Bt Pirethrum BD preparates Other 10 0 Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 15: Plant protection products used by organic producers 5.5 Trellising and pruning system In all of the interviewed farms no differences in trellising systems were identified as compared to conventional farms of the same area. This is partly due to the fact that many vineyards were already settled before converting to organic viticulture but also to the fact that technically advanced conventional viticulture and organic viticulture use similar varieties and as a consequence there is no need to differentiate distances between rows or between plants as well as trellising systems., Few producers adapted personal methods for pruning, especially for summer intervention, but in general no major differences are found declared when comparing organic and conventional canopy management in the same area. It is probably due to the fact that also in conventional viticulture canopy management is one main factor for higher quality production and the development of techniques has no reason to be different between conventional and organic viticulture. 25

26 5.6 Irrigation In all interviews, irrigation is seldom used, with some exceptions for Switzerland and in other countries for emergency cases such as young vines during drought periods or during peculiar seasons. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% Only on specific risky phases Yes No 30% 20% 10% 0% Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 16: use of irrigation in organic vine-yards 5.7 Productivity Under similar growing conditions for similar wines, the large majority of interviewed producers claimed to produce lower amounts of grapes as compared to their conventional colleagues (usually AOC limitations). Only a few farms in Switzerland, Italy, France and Spain managed to reach comparable yields. Nevertheless almost all producers declared that lower production is not a problem but is a technical choice that improves wine quality. 26

27 100.00% 90.00% 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% Lower than conventional Lower than conventional as a choice As conventional 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 17: production level in organic viticulture 6 Organic wine market 6.1 Bulk wine market Which percentage of your organic wine is sold in bulk? 0% Less than 50% More than 50% 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE Figure 18: Relevance of sales of bulk wine. Web survey 27

28 Bulk wine trading in Europe seems to be rather limited. 57% of the wineries sell their wine exclusively. It must be stressed that these figures represent the number of wineries and not the volume of wine involved in bulk trading. It should also be noted that in some countries (i.e. Italy) bulk wine trading is more significant as compared to the European average and comprises more than 50% of the organic wine producers. The same trend is shown by in-depth interviews. 6.2 Main distribution channels 100% Who are the major buyers of your organic wine? (only 2 answers allowed) Traders Private buyers at farm gate Restaurants and wine shops Supermarkets 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE Figure 19: Main distribution systems for organic wine. Web survey Direct sales to private clients visiting the wineries are by far the predominant market for organic wine in Europe. About 85% of the stakeholders specify this form of selling as one of the two most important. The only exception seems to be represented by Spain, where other channels dominate. Restaurant and wine shops are also very important clients especially in Spain, Italy, France and Switzerland. Traders are important in Spain, Austria and Italy, but of less importance in the other countries. Supermarkets are the main clients for a small percentage of producers (9%), more or less corresponding to the percentage of larger sized wineries. 28

29 Again, these numbers are not referring to wine volume or values, but only to the number of wineries. Similar trends are shown by interviews, (Switzerland data is missing). percentage of farms Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 20: Main distribution systems for organic wine. In-depth interviews. Traders Supermerkets Organic shops Restaurants Private During the in-depth interview, the question was asked if the market position was different as compared to before conversion and different situations were found in the various countries. In Italy, 7 % claimed a different market orientation, while Germany claimed no changes. In France and Switzerland and intermediate situation was seen. The other countries, Hungary, Spain and Portugal, reported a change in market positioning while Austria claimed that no changes took place. 29

30 100.00% 90.00% 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% Don't know No Yes 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 21. Percentage of wineries which changed their distribution channel as a consequence of their conversion to organic wine production. In-depth interviews. 6.3 Export market How much of your organic wine is exported outside of your homecountry? Less than 30 % Between 30 and 60 % More than 60% 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE Figure 22. Relevance of export market for organic wine producers. Web survey Export market has a very different weight in the European countries. Globally, more than 30% of the European organic wine producers are exporting their wine to foreign markets, and for 10% of the producers, it is the majority of their production. 30

31 This figure is the average of very different situations, reflecting similar trends in organic and conventional export markets. In the countries where consumption is greater than production (i.e. Germany and Switzerland), no wine is exported. In those countries where production overcomes consumption (Italy, France and Spain), the export share is more important. In France, 60% of the wineries are very concerned by export issues, and for 20% of them the market is very strategic. Spain has a very similar situation. Again, this reflects the number of wineries and not the volume or value of wine % 90.00% 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% >60% 30-60% <30% No 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 23. Relevance of export market for organic wine producers. In-depth interviews In the in-depth interviews, an additional class (0%) has been given as a choice, and the analysis of these data allow for better comprehension of the export share. Switzerland appears to not be involved at all in exports and for Austria, exports represent less than 30% of the market. For all other countries, exports are important as they represent more than 60% of the market for more than 15% of producers in Italy, France, Germany, Spain and Hungary. 31

32 100.00% 90.00% 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% Don't know No Yes 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 24. Percentage of wineries which have seen the export share change as a consequence of their conversion to organic wine production. In-depth interviews. During the in-depth interview, the question was asked if the market position was different as compared to before conversion. The answers show that for countries mainly involved in export (Italy, France and Spain) there was a difference and it often meant that switching to organic techniques resulted in greater possibilities for export. In Germany, even the producers for which export is an important market claimed no differences. 32

33 6.4 The price issue % 90.00% 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% Higher than conventional Same as conventional Lower than conv % 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Italy France Germany Switzerland Others Figure 25. Comparison of consumer price between organic and conventional wine. Indepth interviews. EU In-depth interviews dealt with the price comparison among similar conventional wines. For the majority of producers there is no premium price for organic wine. It is seen only in Germany, by all of its producers and in Austria as well. Less than 20% of French and Italian producers receive higher prices for organic product and 25% of Swiss and Portuguese producers receive higher prices. 6.5 Selling arguments Interviewed producers were also asked to define the main characteristics of their wine. The most frequent description is easy drinks or healthy drinks, while red wines were more correlated with terroir, mineral flavor and authentic wines (gathered under the term peculiar ). Interestingly, the only specific definition for organic wine as used by producers was healthy wines, and this descriptor is used by about 40% of the producers. It seems evident there is a lack of specific selling arguments for organic wine, as most of the producers use the same arguments for conventional ones. 33

34 percentage of producers Low Avarage High Peculiar healthy drinking Don't know 10 0 Italy France Germany Switzerland Others EU Figure 26. Comparison of consumer price between organic and conventional wine. Indepth interviews 7 Row matter origin 7.1 Origin of the grape Which grapes do you process? 100% grapes totally bought from other farms my own, but I also buy more than 50% from other producers my own, but I also buy less than 50% from other producers only those produced in my own vineyard 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE Figure 27. Origin of grapes used in Europe to produce organic wines. Web survey. 34

35 It is evident that most of the producers of organic wine rely on their own grapes. 84% of them use their grapes exclusively and an additional 13% use their grapes for more than 50% of the organic production. The extreme country in this trend is France, where all producers use only their own grapes. The other extreme is Spain, where a significant number of wineries (15%) purchase all of their organic grapes, and 30% of the producers have grape suppliers % 90.00% 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% Only bought in >50% bought in <50% bought in My own exclusively 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Italy France Germany Switzer - land Others Figure 28. Origin of grapes used in Europe to produce organic wines. In-depth interviews. EU 35

36 7.2 Juice trading Do you purchase organic juices from other producers? Yes, for more than 50% of my organic wine production Yes, for less than 50% of my organic wine production No 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE Figure 29. Relevance of juice trading for organic wines production. Web survey. Only a very small percentage (7%) of the producers participating in the survey purchased some certified grape juice, but it accounted for less than 50% of their total production. France is country where this trading is very limited or does not exist at all. 36

37 7.3 Bulk wine trading Do you purchase organic wine from other producers? Yes, for more than 50% of my organic wine production Yes, for less than 50% of my organic wine production No 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE Figure 30. Relevance of wine trading for organic wines production. Web survey. These results demonstrate that the wine broker category is rather small in the organic wine sector, or that very few of them participated in the survey. Less than 1% of the producers purchase organic wine for the majority of their production, and even the percentage of those who buy less than 50% of their volume is quite small, approximately 13%. This confirms the bulk wine trading data above, and shows that a small number of people move the majority of bulk wine, most likely from one country to another. It is possible that in terms of the volume of wine produced, the proportion could be significantly modified. 37

38 7.4 Bottling place Is your organic wine bottled in-house? (more answers allowed) Yes, I have my own bottling equipment No, I send my wine to another winery for bottling 100% 90% 80% Yes, by using an external mobile service 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Other EU Spain Switzerland Austria Italy Germany France EUROPE Figure 31. Percentage of in-house or external bottling for organic wine producers. Web survey. 91% of the organic wine producers in Europe bottle their wine in-house, either by using their own bottling equipment (52%), or through an outsourcing service (39%). Only 9% of the producers bottled their wine outside of the estate by sending the wine to other wineries and receiving the full bottles. This procedure is more evident in the German speaking countries, and in Spain. In Switzerland, where the average size of the wineries is the smallest, it reaches almost 20%. 8 Equipment available in wineries The equipment available in wineries that produce organic wine doesn t seem to differ from that found in other wineries of the same size. Generally speaking, organic producers make use of rather good technology, which allows them to produce quality wine. Depending on the tradition, there is a predominance of certain equipment in some countries, but may be less common in other European countries. 38

39 It is interesting that about 74% of the wineries have cooling systems and 50% possess a heating system. This means that temperature management can be taken in account as one of the major tools for low impact winemaking technology. No additional comments can be given for the differences between countries. The interviews have not identified any peculiarities related to countries but only to cellar and farm types. When the interviews questioned recent and future investments, French, German, Austrian, Italian and Spanish producers stated there were quite important investments in different parts of their equipment. A significant number of completely new cellars were listed. Devices for temperature control are by far the most often requested when purchasing new equipment. 39