Abstract
Vine cultivation is strongly dependent on local terrain conditions, including geology, landforms and soils. This offers an opportunity to develop interpretation and geo-education that would holistically relate wine culture to abiotic environment. Wine-related cultural landscapes inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and those UNESCO Global Geoparks, where wine production is an important economic activity or leaves a distinctive imprint on the landscape, are particularly suited to emphasize local geoheritage in this specific context. We analyzed official web-based resources of UNESCO World Heritage Committee, UNESCO Global Geoparks programme, individual World Heritage properties and individual global geoparks to evaluate whether causal relationships between geoheritage, geodiversity and wine culture are indicated at all, and if so, how they are presented and linked to geotourism and geo-education. Our analysis involved 14 World Heritage properties and 38 global geoparks, all located in Europe. General observation is that given web-based information alone, the theme is insufficiently explored and poorly communicated to the public, although more recent nomination dossiers for World Heritage contain extensive presentations of abiotic environment. These are, however, not very likely to be consulted by the general public. In global geoparks, wine culture is mainly presented as a sustainable local activity, with local wine as one of brand products, whereas geoheritage context is seldom considered in depth. Growing interest in wine tourism and increasing appreciation of the value of cultural landscapes provide a good background to develop geo-interpretation and thereby to raise awareness of geoheritage matters.
Highlights
IntroductionWine production is a human activity that is both firmly embedded in the long-term cultural history of the mankind and exploits the natural environment in sustainable way, taking advantage of favourable soil conditions, derived in turn from weathering of the underlying rocks, topography and local climate, all accounted for in the overarching term ‘terroir’ (Van Leeuwen and Seguin 2006; Dougherty 2012)
The outstanding universal value (OUV) statement for The Climats in Burgundy emphasizes that individual vineyard parcels ‘differ from one another due to specific natural conditions as well as vine types and have been shaped by human cultivation’, whereas in the case of Prosecco Hills ‘The landscape is characterized by ‘hogback’ hills, ciglioni – small plots of vines on narrow grassy terraces – forests, small villages and farmland
Whereas the primary aim of UNESCO World Heritage properties is ensure safeguarding of inherited values and conservation remains a priority, UNESCO Global Geoparks focus on sustainable local development (Frey 2021), geotourism and geo-education towards increasing awareness of geoheritage and geodiversity
Summary
Wine production is a human activity that is both firmly embedded in the long-term cultural history of the mankind and exploits the natural environment in sustainable way, taking advantage of favourable soil conditions, derived in turn from weathering of the underlying rocks, topography and local climate, all accounted for in the overarching term ‘terroir’ (Van Leeuwen and Seguin 2006; Dougherty 2012). These two aspects converge in specific cultural landscapes, created through centuries-long modifications of natural conditions to ensure successful vine cultivation. The wide interest in wine culture may be seen as an opportunity to develop geoeducational activities, focused on comprehensive exploration of linkages between rocks, soils, landforms and topoclimate, raising thereby awareness in geoheritage matters and geoecosystem services
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
