Within the AgriDataValue project, wine pilots play a key role in validating the Agri-environmental Data Space, which is deployed across 23 pilots in nine European countries and spans a wide range of crops and production systems. Viticulture is represented through pilot activities in France and Italy, ensuring that high-value vineyard systems are fully integrated into the project’s smart farming and agri-climate monitoring framework.
IoT technologies are transforming vineyard management by enabling continuous monitoring of environmental conditions such as temperature, soil moisture, and humidity. This real-time data empowers growers to optimize key agricultural practices, including irrigation, fertilization, and disease prevention, leading to improved efficiency and sustainability.
As part of the AgriDataValue pilot activities, SynField smart agriculture systems, developed by Synelixis, have been deployed in selected vineyards to deliver real-time environmental, climatological, and soil data. By continuously monitoring key parameters such as temperature, humidity, soil moisture, and leaf wetness, the system provides a clear and up-to-date picture of field conditions. These data-driven insights support optimized irrigation and more effective overall vineyard management, enabling informed decisions that optimize yield and overall vineyard performance. As a result, SynField contributes to higher product quality while promoting environmentally sustainable viticulture practices. Furthermore, within the AgriDataValue project, machine learning models are being developed to support the prediction of diseases. The ML models aim to identify risk periods and early warning indicators for disease development
The integration of IoT, ML and AI-driven analytics result in a more sustainable, efficient, and reliable wine supply chain. For vineyards participating in AgriDataValue, this technological ecosystem represents a significant step toward resilient farming practices and transparent business models, with broader relevance for other agri-food sectors.
AgriDataValue Vineyard Pilots in France and Italy
The vineyard pilots rely on in-situ IoT sensor installations provided by SynField smart agriculture systems. These installations collect real-time field data through a network of sensors deployed at pilot level. The captured data are integrated into the AgriDataValue platform, enabling secure data sharing, advanced analytics, and AI-based decision support tools for farm-level monitoring and management. Furthermore, AgriDataValue utilizes machine learning to predict Downy and Powdery Mildew outbreaks. By analyzing weather patterns and historical disease data, the models provide early warnings that allow for targeted interventions. This approach helps viticulturists optimize plant protection, minimize losses, and improve long-term sustainability.
Vineyards, Climate Risks, and Frost Monitoring
A central pillar of the AgriDataValue pilot activities is the mitigation of climate-related risks in viticulture. By integrating climate indicators with in-situ sensor networks and Earth Observation data, the project provides a high-resolution assessment of environmental variability. This data-driven framework is particularly vital for the early prediction of spring frost events. Such precision is critical, as frost can be catastrophic—destroying primary shoots, buds, and inflorescences, which represents the most yield-critical form of crop injury.
Vineyard Pilot in Saint-Émilion, France
The Saint-Émilion wine pilot represents a premium viticulture region with strict requirements for traceability, environmental monitoring, and regulatory compliance. Within the project, SynField smart agriculture systems were installed at multiple locations across vineyards cultivating Merlot varieties.
Each installation includes several SynField devices, specifically SynField X5 head nodes and SynOdos peripheral nodes, supporting a wide range of sensors for comprehensive data collection. Meteorological stations were deployed to monitor ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and rainfall. In addition, soil sensors measuring soil moisture and soil temperature, leaf wetness sensors, and a pyranometer were installed, providing valuable insights into vineyard microclimatic and soil conditions.
Vineyard Pilot in Tebano, Italy
In Italy, SynField smart agriculture systems were installed as part of the AgriDataValue pilot activities in a vineyard located in Tebano (RA), within the Emilia-Romagna region of northeast Italy. The vineyard covers an area of seven hectares and is situated on flat terrain with clayey loam soil. Cultivation follows an integrated management approach, combining sustainable practices to maintain a balanced ecosystem. The vineyard cultivates Sangiovese and Trebbiano varieties, grafted onto KOBER 5BB rootstocks. Planting took place in 2021 using the Guyot training system, with row spacing of 2.6 meters and one meter between vines within the same row.
The SynField installation includes a SynField X3 head node, a meteorological station monitoring ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and rainfall, as well as soil sensors measuring soil moisture and soil temperature. These systems continuously collect real-time environmental data, providing actionable insights that support precision vineyard management.
Data Integration and Benefits for Growers
The AgriDataValue pilots are designed to collect large and diverse datasets from multiple sources and operating environments. The deployment of SynField smart agriculture systems enables continuous monitoring of environmental, climatological, and soil conditions, supporting informed decision-making and more precise vineyard management. This data-driven approach enhances vineyard performance, contributes to improved grape and wine quality, and strengthens the long-term sustainability of vineyard operations.
Overall, AgriDataValue illustrates how the integration of digital technologies can deliver tangible value to viticulture by enabling smarter, more resilient, and more sustainable practices. By combining real-time field data, advanced analytics, and secure data-sharing mechanisms, the project empowers growers to better understand their vineyards, manage climate-related risks, optimize yields, and reduce environmental impact. At the same time, increased traceability and transparency across the wine supply chain build trust and add value to premium wine products. By linking on-farm decision support with data-driven innovation across the value chain, AgriDataValue establishes a strong foundation for the future of sustainable and competitive vineyard management.