Bodegas Martín Códax has turned its Pé Redondo estate in Meis into Spain’s sole research site for an international project examining biochar use in sustainable vineyard management. According to project leaders, the cross-border “Viti-Valmo” initiative investigates whether biochar can improve soil fertilization, health, and water retention to help vineyards withstand drought and climate change.
Pé Redondo Estate Becomes Spain’s Sole Viti-Valmo Research Hub
The Universidade de Vigo and Inorde—an agency dependent on the Diputación de Ourense—direct the Viti-Valmo project. Similar trials are underway in Alentejo, Portugal, and Occitania, France, making the Meis property the only Spanish testing ground for the research, according to project documentation.
Field Testing Biochar and Mobile Pyrolysis Furnaces
Xaquín Martínez, technical manager of viticulture at Martín Códax, states that field work began in spring following the production of the biochar itself. The material is created through pyrolysis, which involves heating uprooted grapevine biomass in an environment with very low oxygen.
A key innovation of the project involves using a mobile, pilot-scale furnace designed to operate directly in the field. If trials yield positive results, researchers aim to transfer the technology directly to the agricultural sector for practical application.
Three-Year Control Trials and Soil Strategies
Researchers have set up control plots across a 4,000-square-meter surface area of the vineyard to test three distinct soil management strategies:
- Standard fertilization, representing conventional practices.
- Application of biochar derived from grapevine waste.
- A combination of biochar and a measured dose of compost.
According to project representatives, analytical data collection will run for three years with sufficient statistical repetitions to ensure robust conclusions. Once the monitoring period ends, the research team plans to publish its findings.
Advancing Circular Economy and Carbon Sequestration
Martín Códax utilizes the removal of old vines to supply its biocomposting plant, framing the initiative within circular economy principles. Reusing agricultural waste as a soil conditioner helps improve structural stability while reducing the need for external fertilization.
Project participants highlight carbon footprint reduction as a primary advantage. Charcoal serves as a stable form of soil carbon fixation, remaining intact over long periods. This structural enhancement helps anchor other soil components and prevents nutrient leaching while providing a stable habitat for beneficial soil microbiology, according to firm representatives.
Building Climate Resilience for Galician Wines
Manuel Conde-Cid, the project’s principal investigator, notes that the research focuses on developing practical solutions to bolster vineyard resilience against increasingly extreme weather patterns. Servando Álvarez, technical director of Inorde’s agro-livestock development center, emphasizes that the initiative aims to help Galicia maintain top-tier wine production standards without compromising the unique soil characteristics that define regional wines.
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