171 is to understand how varieties tolerate heat and drought to safeguard and preserve Portuguese grape varieties from the pressures of extreme weather. The data gathered from each vine is carefully mapped to conditions with an eye toward future conditions to make sure port wines continue. “It’s not just for us. It’s for the region,” Leal da Costa said Adapting to the Location and Conditions Maps aid the connection between viticulture, the cultivation of the grapes, and enology, the winemaking. The common language involves the micro terroir of each vineyard, which relates the influence of altitude, temperature, and proximity to the river in the taste of the grapes. The level of detail and precision of this knowledge improves the quality of the grapes and determines the right mix of grapes in each wine. “We are always talking between the winery and the fields with maps,” Leal da Costa said. The maps go to field managers to show exactly where to harvest. Changes to the map inform every one of the work ahead and keep them centered on quality. Wine Spectator commended the 2011 Dow’s Vintage Port for its chocolate and spice flavors and its “almost endless finish.” All the workers at Symington can relate to the endless comment, since that’s how they approach the work—learning from the data to make constant improvements. “I meet with Charles Symington every two days,” Leal da Costa said. “We can see where problems are, where we have advanced ripeness, and where we should slow down because we’re going too fast.” GIS is a perfect fit for an organization that emphasizes quality over quantity. “We can do an excellent job using this microscopic viticulture in big areas,” Leal da Costa said. Photos and data about grape maturity are collected for each vine and grape bunch to time treatments and harvest. A map and graph of grape maturity over time helps the viticulture team make decisions about treatment and harvest timing. Operating Farms and Timberlands More Efficiently
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