Many wine regions around the world yield "heroic" viticulturists.

This is a practice where the vine farmers work in extreme conditions and requires an intense amount of effort to maintain and harvest. More than often, the result is excellent wine in pursuit of maintaining a local agricultural tradition. This type of agriculture also often demands a large economic investment. 

In Italy, the first that get mentioned are usually Valtellina and Cinque Terre right away as the vines are grown steep and dangerous terraces than can sometimes require the use of a helicopter or boat to take the grapes safely to the cellar during harvest.

There are however other regions where the extremity of a vineyard isn't just based on the the steepness of the slopes, but instead on the countless other challenges that vines and winemakers undergo such as poor soils or extreme weather conditions.

 

• Vines planted on slopes greater than 30%.

• Vineyard sites at altitudes over 500 meters (1600 feet).

• Vines planted on terraces or embankments.

• Vines planted on small islands in difficult growing conditions.

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