04/10/06 Email, Soil

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and today we are answering a question from the email. Recently a listener wrote to ask "Have you ever heard it said that the worse the soil the better the wine?" What we do know about vineyards 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. Sometimes that 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. 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 Winemakers believe that it is essential and a vital part of the wine; where often in the New World its role is minimized. I recently read an article by Paul Gregutt , a wine writer whom I admire. He was lamenting the style of much of the new wine world where grapes are left to hang until very ripe and the resulting wines are high in alcohol, and in an effort to achieve balance, are heavily oaked. All of this at the expense of truly recognizing the earth from which it came. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.