Maintaining Viticulture Under Dry-Farming: Does an Upper Limit Exist?

Climate change is increasingly threatening viticulture in the Northern Mediterranean, where irrigation is often impractical due to water scarcity and high management costs. Rising temperatures have accelerated grape ripening and intensified summer stresses related to heat, light, and water deficits. This review examines, with a narrative style, vineyard design and management strategies to enhance resilience under these conditions. Key recommendations include careful selection of scion-rootstock combinations, particularly considering their iso- or anisohydric behavior, and the use of super hydrogels to support vine establishment. Wider row spacing and sprawl canopy systems can improve water-use efficiency, while vigorous, deep-rooting rootstocks may enhance drought tolerance. Soil management should focus on maximizing rainfall retention, minimizing deep water losses, regulating cover crop competition, and promoting mulching practices. Canopy management should be adapted through late, intense shoot trimming and late-season apical defoliation to reduce transpiration. Among mitigation measures, kaolin applications effectively lower canopy temperatures and protect vines from heat stress at low cost. Agrivoltaic systems offer a multifunctional approach by reducing evaporation and overheating, preventing sunburn damage, supporting dual land use, and delaying ripening. Together, these practices provide an integrated framework for improving vineyard sustainability and productivity under increasing climatic stress.