How the Piemonte Living Lab Is Rebuilding Vineyard Soils from the Ground Up

Last October, the North-Western Italy Living Lab launched a carefully sequenced programme of fertilisation, soil decompaction, and cover crop seeding across two experimental sites. The goal was straightforward: to improve soil health without compromising the productivity of the vine.

Professor Paolo Sabbatini and the Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA) at the University of Turin planned the work and implemented in close collaboration with the Living Lab members, Terre del Barolo and Vite Colte. Both members brought their land, their equipment, their local knowledge, and their genuine interest in finding better ways to manage the soils they depend on.

Preparing the Ground

The intervention followed a clear and deliberate sequence. First, pelleted manure was applied directly in the interrow space between vine rows, adding organic matter where it would be most useful. Next, a ripper or aerator with curved tines worked the soil. Crucially, this tool simply breaks through compacted zones to improve water infiltration, preserving the natural soil structure rather than disrupting it.

Finally, a fixed-tooth harrow was used to prepare the seedbed, incorporating the fertiliser and creating the fine, even surface that is essential for good seed-to-soil contact and uniform germination. As Sabbatini explains, “the preparation of the seeding bed is essential to ensure optimal cover crop growth and consequently its positive effects on the crop.”

A Carefully Chosen Mix

The team sowed a commercial tall-growing blend combining grasses and legumes. The choice of a tall-growing mixture was deliberate: the plants will eventually be terminated by rolling rather than tillage, creating a permanent mulching layer in the interrow. To make that mulch effective, high biomass production is essential.

The grass-legume combination also brings complementary benefits: legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen, enriching the soil naturally, while, grasses produce deep, fibrous root systems that improve soil porosity. Together, they generate a more favourable carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and more biomass than either group alone would produce. “We expect a high biomass that can slowly release nutrients and increase the organic matter in the vineyard,” says Sabbatini, “while reducing erosion and soil evaporation in the summer.”

The team used a rotary harrow seeder paired with a cage roller. The roller pushes seeds firmly against the soil surface, ensuring good contact. Shallow incorporation was intentionally selected, as deeper seeding could lead to uneven germination, particularly for the smaller grass seeds, while also causing unnecessary soil disturbance. This approach also helps reduce the risk of accelerating organic matter breakdown and increasing soil erosion.

The Logic of Alternate Rows

The team worked on alternate rows, following a biennial pattern rather than treating the entire vineyard at once. In sloping vineyards, Italian legislation actually prohibits tilling all rows simultaneously because of erosion risk. But the alternate-row strategy goes beyond legal compliance, as it reflects a considered balance between soil intervention and soil conservation.

“The goal is keeping at least a portion of the soil covered throughout the year,” Sabbatini explains. In summer, the team manages untreated interrows separately, typically mowing or lightly tilling them to control competition with the vines. The result is that some portion of the vineyard floor remains always protected, always alive, always working.

From Field Practice to Long-Term Soil Health

The benefits extend well beyond this season. When the cover crop biomass decomposes, it builds a stable stock of organic matter in the surface layers where grapevine roots are most active. Over time, this improves soil structure, reduces bulk density, increases water infiltration, and supports microbial diversity. Each effect reinforces the others in a cycle of gradual, cumulative soil improvement.

The approach also aligns with the core objectives of the LivingSoiLL project: reducing erosion, improving soil structure, minimising the impacts of intensive fertilisation and pesticide use, and increasing the soil’s capacity to store water. As Sabbatini notes, close collaboration between research and practice makes this possible, with implementation happening in productive, real-world conditions and in direct dialogue with the farmers involved.

Cover crops are not a new idea in Piedmont’s premium wine regions. Many estates are already investing in these practices, both for soil health and for sustainability credentials. However, the LivingSoiLL project adds something valuable: scientific rigour, shared methodology, and a framework for measuring what works and understanding why.

The soils of Piedmont’s hillside vineyards have been producing exceptional wine for centuries. The work of the Living Lab is to ensure they can continue to do so for centuries more.