The European project took part in the first edition of VINTEC, held from 21 to 23 October in Vilagarcía de Arousa, where researchers, wineries and businesses shared experiences and perspectives on sustainability, the circular economy and technological innovation.
The European project Soil&WineResidues, co-funded by the Interreg Sudoe programme, participated in the first edition of VINTEC, the Wine Industry Machinery and Supplies Trade Fair, held from 21 to 23 October 2026 at FEXDEGA in Vilagarcía de Arousa (Pontevedra, Spain).
The project’s participation was spearheaded by the Mancomunidade do Salnés, a project partner, which hosted an exhibition stand throughout the three-day event to showcase Soil&WineResidues’ activities and introduce wine industry professionals to its research on soil protection, waste valorisation and the circular economy.
On Friday 23 October, the event brought together the project’s four Galician partners: Mancomunidade do Salnés, Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Paco & Lola and Fundación Juana de Vega, strengthening collaboration between researchers, wineries and organisations involved in regional development.
Sustainable viticulture requires an integrated approach
One of the main events at VINTEC was the roundtable discussion “Sustainability and Recycling in Wineries”, organised by the Mancomunidade do Salnés on Friday 23 October.
The discussion was attended by David J. Castro Mougán, President of the Mancomunidade do Salnés, and moderated by Juan José Villaverde, a researcher at the Misión Biológica de Galicia (CSIC) and coordinator of Soil&WineResidues, who also presented the project and some of its findings relevant to the sector.
During his presentation, Villaverde emphasised that progress towards more sustainable viticulture requires a combination of strategies: sustainable soil management, reduced use of agricultural inputs, water-use efficiency and the valorisation of lignocellulosic residues.
He explained that integrating these practices, alongside more efficient resource use and the application of circular economy principles and eco-efficiency strategies, is key to addressing the environmental challenges facing the wine sector.
This approach is closely aligned with the objectives of Soil&WineResidues, which is investigating ways to transform plant residues from vineyards and winemaking into valuable new resources, while also assessing their potential applications in conserving and improving vineyard soils.
Regulation, the circular economy and precision technologies
The roundtable brought together different perspectives on the challenges and opportunities involved in making the wine sector more sustainable.
Francisco García Verde, Head of Public Affairs and Sustainability for the Iberian Peninsula at Syngenta, discussed the European regulatory framework for plant protection products and the challenges its evolution presents for the wine sector, particularly the need to adapt to new regulatory requirements.
Ángela Yusta, from Paco & Lola, shared the cooperative’s experience of implementing a circular economy model and the difficulties of putting it into practice in an area characterised by fragmented vineyard ownership.
She also outlined the winery’s expectations of Soil&WineResidues, particularly its aim of transforming plant residues into useful resources, enabling more efficient use of by-products generated by winegrowing and winemaking activities.
Technological innovation was represented by Jorge García Caamaño, Managing Director of Aeromar Drones, who presented the potential of drones and precision technologies to optimise agricultural operations and contribute to more efficient and environmentally responsible viticulture.
The discussion also included César Carballo, Head of ABANCA Agro, who participated on behalf of the financial institution.
Following the presentations, Juan José Villaverde moderated a discussion in which participants exchanged views on the sector’s environmental challenges and the opportunities offered by innovation, eco-efficiency, the circular economy and the Soil&WineResidues project.
Bringing research closer to the needs of the sector
Soil&WineResidues’ participation in VINTEC helped raise awareness of a collaborative model that brings together research centres, wineries, public authorities and regional development organisations from Spain, France and Portugal.
The project is exploring solutions to improve the management of wine sector residues and contribute to soil conservation and restoration through research, experimentation and knowledge transfer.
In this context, events such as VINTEC provide an opportunity to connect scientific advances with the practical needs of the wine industry, share experiences and identify common challenges.
An extensive programme of scientific and industry events
Participation in VINTEC forms part of a programme of six scientific conferences and industry events attended, or scheduled to be attended, by different Soil&WineResidues partners between July and the end of October 2026.
This programme began with CIADICYP2026, held from 7 to 10 July in Graz (Austria), where researchers from the **Instituto Superior de Agronomia at the Univer
