Speech by Agricultural Technician and Viticulturist Lino Pinto, at the Meeting 'Viticulture and Madeira Wine Traditions.
Estreito de Câmara de Lobos Civic Centre, 14 December 2024.
Opening words
Good afternoon to everyone present. First of all, I would like to thank Professor António Marques Silva and Professor Naidea Nunes for their kind invitation to take part in this Meeting, representing Madeiran vine growers.
Introduction
In my speech, I will present some of the challenges facing Madeiran viticulture in general, and the Tinta Negra grape variety in particular.
Madeira Wine is the golden liquid that has brought the greatest fame to our archipelago. It has been immortalised in written plays, served in toasts at historic moments, and was a constant presence at the finest banquets of the Russian tsars. The history of Madeira Wine is intertwined with the history of our island. But this story has unfolded in cycles—some more favourable, others less so.
Next, I will present five points that I believe deserve serious reflection:
1. Ageing of vine growers / Fragmentation of plots and their transmission
It is a fact that the vine-growing population is very old, and there is no renewal on the part of the descendants of the vinegrowers. The average age is approximately 55 to 75 years old.
Viticulture is an activity that requires strength, hard work, and sacrifice. Many vine growers work for the love of the land and not just for monetary income.
Their descendants already have other ideas and, after the death of their parents, they do not continue the legacy. They end up fragmenting the plots, often abandoning the activity, because they do not reach an agreement on the division of assets among the heirs.
As it is a variable income sector and not always guaranteed, many vine growers do not work exclusively in the vineyard. This is just a supplement to their income.
2. Climate change
Currently, the climate has changed significantly compared to what was once taken for granted and guaranteed.
This is a problem that gains increasing relevance year after year, with a strong negative impact on the phenological stages of the vineyard, from bud break to harvest.
These are recent problems that are putting the future of viticulture at risk, ranging from early budding, to poor bud formation, sunburn, and the anticipation of the harvest start.
The study and adaptation to these new realities could be key to overcoming this serious problem. With the harvest starting earlier and earlier, perhaps the best way to adapt would be to bring forward the cultural management.
3. Poor valuation of Tinta Negra / reconversion
Tinta Negra is the most versatile grape variety used in Madeira Wine. Well, it allows you to make the 4 types of this wine (dry, medium-dry, semi-sweet and sweet). It is used for entry-level wines (3 and 5 years old) and, currently, it is a fact that the single cask of Tinta Negra, as well as the frasqueiras and garrafeiras of this variety, have gained market share and important awards and medals.
The Estreito de Câmara de Lobos has been producing Tinta Negra, surely for more than 250 years. The vineyard cannot be a culture of fashions. You can't plant today, to cut tomorrow. The vineyard is not lettuce; it has a long cycle that requires time and work. Therefore, it is necessary to project the culture in the long term.
It is known to vine growers that the price of Tinta Negra has not suffered major fluctuations for at least 25 years. Only in the last year was there a significant increase in the payment for grapes by the Madeira Wine cellars, with the support of the Regional Government.
In my opinion, we should not make conversions to other grape varieties, as Tinta Negra, in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, is the variety that best adapts to our altitude and our soils.
In my opinion, we should not make conversions to other grape varieties, since Tinta Negra, in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, is the variety that best adapts to our altitude and our soils.
4. Lack of manpower
I remember, when I was 8 years old, the end of the summer spent under the trellises, carrying buckets and cans of grapes. For us, at that time, that work was just part of the routine, before we went back to school. There were many of us doing this task, which, in the end, seemed like a joke.
In this last harvest, I did not have any boys or girls performing this important task. It is a fact that the beginning of the school year is getting earlier and earlier, which affects this work.
In addition, the growth of sectors such as construction, tourism, and services has led to many vineyard workers being drawn away to these industries.
5. Tourism/product promotion
The tourism sector can be an ally of the vinegrower, as wine tourism offers an opportunity to enhance the value of vineyards. Tourism can contribute by providing some manpower, with visitors paying to experience participating in the harvest. In this context, grapes would no longer be the sole source of income for the vinegrower.
Visits to the vineyards could also take place throughout the year. At the mills, traditional pressing (lagaradas) could be organised, allowing us to recreate our customs. The harvest could become a celebration of cultural exchange, where work unites us.
It would also be important to organise tourist itineraries that combine visits to the vineyards of vinegrowers with local museums and restaurants.
The type of traditional cuisine, used during the annual vineyard cycle, could be an attraction for tourists to get to know the daily lives of vine growers better.
Conclusion
Finally, I want to tell you that all the sacrifice and hard work, made with the sweat of the vinegrowers, take on enormous significance when we fill a glass of Madeira Wine and offer it to be enjoyed.
It's not just any drink we're offering; it's a goblet of tradition, a goblet of history, the soul of a people in a glass.
Madeira is an island named after wine, and a wine named after an island. Drink Madeira Wine, consume what is ours! It's the best for everyone.
Thank you for your attention,
Lino Pinto
English 
Portuguese
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