Winegrowers in the Champagne area have voted to change a rule that is over a century old.

In Champagne for about 100 years, the maximum distance between rows of vines was set at 1.5 meters. A distance considered by experts to be ideal for the vine to compete for water and nutrients with neighboring plants, a struggle that helps it produce smaller but higher quality fruit loads with the right acidity content.

The entire technological process offered a lower yield of grapes per hectare but of higher quality, an ideal balance between production and quality. The small distance between the rows and between each vine makes mechanization difficult, as machines for cutting, fertilizing, or harvesting cannot easily move between rows that are too close together.

Any distance greater than this, experts say, would mean the vines would not have to compete for water and nutrients, leading to higher yields of grapes but lower quality.

However, growers have now voted to increase the maximum distance between rows of vines - a move that campaigners say is motivated by the need to adapt to climate change.

"The aim is to facilitate the necessary agro-ecological transition, by adapting the grape varieties used for the production of champagne to climate change, while preserving the unique quality of the vines, as well as the economic sustainability of the winegrowers," said Maxime Toubart, the president Syndicat General des Vignerons de la Champagne (SVG).

SVG conducted a study over 15 years. The study was carried out as a collaboration between winegrowers who produce grapes for champagne houses and scientists. It showed that a greater distance between the vines could lead to a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, according to France24, thanks to new generation viticultural machinery that would perform better and more efficiently than the tractors that are in use now. The study also found that soil work would be easier, as would pest control. And although the number of vines would be less, the increased production of each plant would make up for the shortfall in production.

"It will help us achieve our goals of zero herbicides, 50 percent fewer pesticides, and 25 percent fewer carbon emissions by 2025," Toubart said before the vote. SVG's board of directors voted to change the row spacing from 1.5m to 2 and 2.2 meters between plants in the future and allow them to grow up to a height of 2 meters compared to 1.2 to 1.3 meters currently.

“It will facilitate our work in the vineyards and has significant economic benefits. There is no obligation to adopt [the changes]; it is just an additional tool to be more successful in our quest to produce quality wines worthy of the Champagne name."

Vincent Legras, a viticulturist who experimented for several years with vine stumps planted at greater distances between rows, claimed that "the vine would become more drought-resistant and would need fewer treatments", however, critics remain skeptical.

Opponents of the move fear that the new ruling would lead to job losses, the compromise of grape quality, and the loss of local traditions.

"Under the cover of environmental concerns, producers are implementing a new business system that leads to cost reductions," said Patrick Leroy of the CGT-Champagne union.

It is anticipated that the transition will be a slow one, being able to be implemented by the following generations "one, two or even three generations ahead", predicted Toubart.

source: press release