Rising temperatures due to climate change pose a significant threat to viticulture, intensifying summer heat stress and accelerating berry ripening. Additionally, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as hailstorms, further jeopardizes the sustainability of the viticultural sector. In recent years, mitigating these impacts has become crucial for grape production, particularly in Mediterranean regions. This study compares two mitigation strategies—using an anti-hail shading net (S) and kaolin spraying (K)—with untreated control vines (C) over three growing seasons. Vine physiology, berry ripening, grape production and pruning weight were evaluated. The S treatment significantly reduced light interception in the fruiting zone and, while limiting gas exchange, improved vine performance during extreme heat. The K treatment alleviated heat stress and enhanced the photosynthetic activity. Both S and K treatments improved grape quality by maintaining higher acidity levels and lower sugar concentrations and pH. Additionally, both treatments reduced the incidence of fungal diseases, with the net providing added protection against hailstorms. No significant changes in pruning weight were observed, and the treated vines showed a better balance between vegetative growth and production. In conclusion, both kaolin and shading nets are effective techniques for addressing the challenges of climate change, enhancing vine resilience and ensuring high-quality grape production.

Natural covering (NATC) has spread on hillside vineyards of central Italy as a replacement for tillage to reduce soil erosion, although it increased nitrogen and water needs. Therefore, in the current context of global warming, using cover crops (CCs) that require less water and provide nitrogen becomes crucial. The effects of two low-competition legume-enriched CCs in a rainfed hillside vineyard—a perennial legume–grass mixture (PLGM) and an annual legume cover crop of Trifolium alexandrinum (ALTA)—were compared with NATC over three years. PLGM and ALTA provided good levels of soil coverage, slightly lower than NATC, which had a negligible presence of legumes. PLGM and ALTA, due to low competition, enhanced vine vigor, resulting in thicker and wider canopies (as indicated by total leaf area and leaf layer number), higher pruning weight, and increased yield. PLGM and ALTA led to good qualitative levels, with higher grapes acidities, lower pH and total soluble solids content and, additionally, significantly higher yeast assimilable nitrogen content. In conclusion, implementing low-competition legume species in CCs is an effective tool to avoid soil erosion in a climate change scenario, leading to increased productivity, higher acidity, and improved nitrogen content in the grapes.