S20 - Session O2 - Du vignoble au verre: the current state of robust grape varieties in Switzerland

Authors: Kathleen Mackie-Haas *, Lina Künzler, Marie Blackford, Thierry Wins, Franziska Hoffet

It is years like 2021 in Switzerland when producers begin to ask themselves what could the future of vitiviniculture look like. Late frost, hailstorms and a high pressure of downey mildew led to catastrophic losses across Switzerland, which could not be saved by increased fungicide use. Robust grape varieties had more success than traditional grape varieties and have subsequently been ordered en masse from grapevine nurseries. How do these varieties stand up in the field and in the glass? We review the results from Agroscope's grape variety testing in Wädenswil, expert tasting panels of wines from robust varieties, and winegrower and consumer acceptance projects to better understand the current state of robust grape varieties in Switzerland and which gaps in knowledge need to be filled. The vineyard area of robust grape varieties in Switzerland have increased over the last decade. Not only are Swiss varieties being planted, but also a number of internationally bred robust varieties. Generally, winegrowers are motivated by fewer fungicide applications and therefore reduced management costs and environmental consequences. Winemakers are producing both single variety and cuvee wines for the market, which has helped to increase consumer awareness of these wines. However, consumer acceptance tastings are lacking and require more attention in order to best support winegrowers in developing appropriate marketing strategies. Research institutes need to continue enological experiments in order to increase knowledge on ideal winemaking methods and potential challenges for winemakers, which due to their short history has not yet been possible.