06/25/08 Vineyard Soil

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. In the past we have discussed the terms terroir and appellation and the fact that it gives special meaning to the location where the grapes are grown. So today I thought we'd look at what the soil has to do with how well the vineyard works. You may have heard it said that the worse the soil the better the wine. It is often debated as to whether the nature of the soil really has that much to do with the resulting wine. Most of the Old World especially France and Germany believes it is essential and a vital part of the wine; where often in the New World its role is a bit minimized. But what we do know is that vinifera or wine grapes have a need for very well-drained soil. It is important that the soil retains moisture but doesn't become waterlogged. Rocky, gravel and sandy soils retain heat and promote good drainage, which speeds up ripening. Stones will absorb heat during the day and will radiate it back into the vineyard at night, which is a great advantage in cooler climates or cooler vineyard locations. Sloping vineyard property may also provide more concentrated sunlight and good drainage as a bonus. However, altitude affects the vineyard and if it is too high the cooler temperatures will make the grapes take longer to ripen. Sometimes the nature of the soil is apparent in the finished wine and you may actually recognize and earthy or mineral like quality that is reminiscent of the vineyard. So in the future you may find it interesting to join a vineyard tour and then taste some of the differences in wines made by the same winemaker with the grapes that come from different vineyards. And thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.