From daily land-use practice to global phenomenon. On the origin and recent evolution of prosecco’s wine landscape (Italy)

In recent years Prosecco, the renowned Italian sparkling wine, has become an increasingly popular product globally, leading to a massive expansion of viticulture within Prosecco’s production zones (north-eastern Italy).

Through qualitative and quantitative methods, this paper provides the first empirical analysis of the landscape and land-use modifications generated by the planting of new vineyards. Specifically, it seeks to reconstruct both the long-term historical factors that brought about the emergence of the specific winescape (today a candidate for becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the recent conversion of croplands, grassland, and woodland to wine-growing areas. The landscape, particularly on the plains, is radically changing due to the new, large geometric plantations that are perfectly suited to mechanical viticulture.

This paper’s conclusions argue for overall regulation of such a booming monoculture in order to effectively harmonize the production needs of wine-growers with the needs of other land-uses (mostly residential), and to protect the historical landscape patterns and ecological biodiversity.