Switzerland: Viticulture

The slope, as steep as 90% in places, and, in some regions, rainfall make soil erosion many Swiss vine-growers’ prime concern. terraces are common in Switzerland’s steep vineyards, and cover crops are increasingly common. Sophisticated mechanization is possible only on some of the flatter vineyards on the plain, or on some of the terraces of eastern Switzerland. A wide variety of training methods are used, including cordon, gobelet, guyot, tendone (in Ticino), and the Swiss German speciality taille à l’onglet designed to protect the vines against spring frost danger there. Elaborate monorail systems, and sometimes even helicopters may be used to transport equipment and, at harvest, grapes.