Attilio Scienza interview with Stevie, in Sardinia - pt. 2 | Travel Italy

L&' main topic that Stevie and the Professor explore in this session is “precision viticulture” and the emerging role of satellite technology in wine production. If this all sounds rather technical, don't worry: it's actually a really fascinating topic and The Professor, with his expertise and scholarship, can help you

Of course, one or two detours are made along the way, including a short lesson in Greek etymology, one on the importance of &' Ecomuseo della Vernaccia di Oristano, as well as a quick exploration of the best fishing opportunities on the &' island.

Back “on topic”, the conversation focuses on &' wine grape characteristic of &' island, Vernaccia di Oristano. The Professor explains how l&' oxidation can affect the sensory characteristics of wine and how its suitability for maritime transport has helped it conquer export markets. Stevie and Il Prof are even d&' I agree that this is a wine that both of them could appreciate! Finally, you can listen to the professor's best advice for pairing Vernaccia di Oristano - we recommend a strong, spicy cheese in case

Turning his attention to the Argiolas company, the professor explains how it is one of the most important wine producers in Southern Sardinia, with deep roots and a long history in &' island. Founded in 1930, the family business is now in the hands of the third generation of the Argiolas family. #39 Renowned for its intense ruby red Turriga, a wine that some experts consider to be the best red in Sardinia and that has certainly brought the spotlight to the Argiolas company

Agriolas is also renowned for L&' innovation and for L&' use of agricultural techniques at &' avant-garde, in particular for L&' use of “precision viticulture”.

Of course, this is one of the many topics that The Professor is a great expert on, and explains what is precision viticulture, how it works and why at the moment it is not yet so widespread in Italy.

As the professor explains, 'precision viticulture' is a precision agricultural technique used to optimize vineyard performance, in particular by maximizing the yield and quality of &' grape while minimizing environmental impacts and risks. It uses satellite georeferencing to map environmental variability, which can help the vineyard to operate more sustainably, all controlled by a simple cell phone

Stevie then questions The Professor about the launch of this technology and its availability for smaller producers. Given the average size of vineyards in Italy, which is around a couple of hectares, The Professor estimates that few producers are currently able to use this technology. But with proper training, l&' use of specialized contractors and collaboration between producers through cooperatives, smaller producers can pool their resources to invest in this type of technology

As for the benefits, The Professor explains that precision viticulture can not only help producers establish the current state of their crop, but it can also allow them to predict, prepare for and prevent future events, such as the spread of diseases and water stress.

English Version

Stevie Kim and the Professor return for Part 2 of another “On the Road Edition” (found here and on the Italian Wine Podcast) filmed on location at the Sella & Mosca Vinery in Sardinia. As you know, they are on a “School Trip” or “Field Trip” exploring the island, its culture, heritage, cuisine and, of course, its wine. Day three of the field trip, focuses on the area around Sanluri and the Cagliari in the southern part of the island

The main topic that Stevie and the Professor explore in this session is 'precision viticulture' and the emerging role of satellite technology in wine production. If that all sounds rather technical, don't worry — it's actually a really fascinating topic and one that the professor, with his trademark expertise and erudition, really helps

Of course, there are one or two tangents along the way, including a quick lesson in Greek etymology, explaining the significance of the island's Ecomuseo del Vernaccia di Oristano, as well as a quick dive into the best fishing opportunities on the island.

Getting back 'on-topic', the conversation returns to the island's signature wine grape, Vernaccia di Oristano. The Professor explains how oxidisation can have an impact on the sensory characteristics of the wine and how its suitability for maritime transportation helped it to conquer export markets. Stevie and the prof even agree that this is a wine that they could both enjoy! Finally, listen out for the professor's top tips for pairing with the Vernaccia di Oristano — a strong, spicy cheese in

Turning their attention to the Argiolas winery, the professor explains how it is one of the most important wine producers in southern Sardinia, with deep roots and a long history on the island. Founded in 1930, the family business is now in the hands of a third generation of the Argiolas family. Renowned for the intense ruby red Turriga, which some experts consider to be the best red wine in Sardinia, it's certainly the one that put the Argiolas winery on the

The Agriolas winery is also renowned for innovation and for its use of cutting-edge agricultural techniques, and in particular the use of 'precision viticulture'.

Of course, this is among the many topics on which the professor is a renowned expert, and he helpfully explains what precision viticulture is, how it works and why it's not more widely used across Italy at the moment.

As the professor explains, 'precision viticulture' is precision farming technique applied to optimize vineyard performance, in particular maximizing grape yield and quality while minimizing environmental impacts and risk. It uses satellite-based georeferencing to map environmental variability, which can help the vineyard to function in a more sustainable way, all controlled from

Stevie interrogates the professor on the roll out of this technology and its viability for smaller producers. With the average vineyard in Italy measuring only a couple of hectares, the professor estimates that only a handful of producers are currently able to use technology. But with the correct training, the use of specialist contractors and collaboration between producers in the shape of cooperatives, smaller producers can pool their resources to invest in this kind of technology

As for the benefits, the professor explains that not only can precision viticulture help vineyards to establish the current state of their crop, it can also enable them to forecast and prepare for and prevent future events, such as the spread of disease and water stress.