Assignment 6

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The notion of terroir, derived from the Latin word terra (which you learned last week). It’s a word coined by the

French to express a wine’s sense of place. There is no

English equivalent for this word. It was originally used to

distinguish the wine making practices of old world wine,

typically steeped in tradition, from new world wine,

influenced by swings in fashion. These days though the

idea and viewpoints on this are converging. Terroir isn't

JUST soil, but it's fundamental to our understanding.

THE ANSWER DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK.

What is terroir?

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A vineyard of albariza soil in Jerez, Spain

As the Earth as we know it today was being formed it

experienced volcanoes and earthquakes, ice ages and constantly

shifting sea levels that made mountains and valleys. Some valleys

were once oceans. This caused the formation of many types of

soil across the geography of our planet. It's one of the most

exciting - and challenging - aspects when learning about wine.

Vines thrive in a range of soil compositions from highly draining

granite and schist based soils to limestone and clay. Grapevines

react to these different soils in different ways. And on top of the

differing soils, certain areas of the world have such unique

combinations of geology and topography that interact with

specific sun exposures that the resulting wines have distinct

characteristics that cannot be found anywhere else. Recall our

lessons on climate and elevation. What else have we discussed

that contributes to "terroir"?

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The famous terrarossa soil of Coonawarra, Australia

Some of these soils run for long stretches such as the

limestone escarpment (macroclimate) in Burgundy

influencing the lean yet powerful Pinots and

Chardonnays of the Côte-d’Or. But within this

escarpment there are many different combinations that

interact with the limestone giving each vineyard a

special personality (mesoclimate). And within some of

these vineyards the soils can be different from row to

row, affecting the vines themselves (microclimate).

When wines are noticeably different within a kilometre,

we can imagine how wines from opposite sides of the

world can take on unique characteristics.

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The schist soils of the Douro Valley in Portugal

As with any other plants, soil is important to vines because it

sustains their life. Soil is the primary source of food and water for

vines, which help nourish the future fruit destined for vinification.

Soils also modulate climatic influences on vines: temperature,

rainfall, and more. For example, soils can retain heat and release

it back to plants at night, which is crucial in cooler climate areas.

Soil also plays a role in dictating water levels within vineyards.

Although rainfall is obviously a factor, soil determines the

amount of water drained and retained within the earth.

Soil also provides basic nutrients (carbon, oxygen, and other

elements) to vines. Over time, weathered soils dissolve these

nutrients (in the humus) and continue to enrich vines, which

allow growers to cultivate the same crops year after year. Even

viticulture’s most rocky and ‘dirt-free’ appearing soils contain

humus around the roots, which assure that vines get the

nutrition to regenerate year after year.

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The clay soils of the famous Pomerol estate in Bordeaux

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SOIL DRAINAGE

Stressed grapevines make better wine

A lot of work is done to control how much nutrients and water are taken up

so that grapes have small yields of good grapes instead of large yields of

dilute and mediocre grapes.

The water doesn't need to be at the surface

Vines can dig down many feet to find water and to do so strengthens them.

In poor soils like schist or limestone, vines go way down to locate water.

In some places, irrigation is not permitted

In other places, it's expensive to set up and not an ideal environmental choice.

We'll talk more about this in our viticulture unit.

How fast would water and grapevine roots move through each of these?

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IGNEOUS ROCKS

METAMORPHIC ROCKS

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

LIMESTONE Limestone is one of the most exalted soil types in all of viticulture and has long been regarded

as one of the best raw materials for nurturing vines. Limestone soils, specifically decomposed

limestone soils (limestone itself is too hard for roots’ to break into) are rich in calcium

carbonate. This calcium carbonate content is extremely beneficial for vines.

First, it offers excellent water retention capabilities while simultaneously permitting excellent

drainage.

Secondly, calcium rich limestone soils tend to have a higher pH than other soils, which

translates to easier nutrient absorption and higher acidity levels in fruit.

Third, the high calcium content in limestone also helps berries fight off diseases. When

calcium content in soils is low, grapes begin to prioritize their inner health rather than skin

health, which in turn, makes clusters more susceptible to disease and rot. 

All of this to say, fruit grown in limestone soils generally has bright acidity and solid structure,

which then lead to wines of serious ageworthy potential (hello, Burgundy!) Chalk, the

dominant soil type in Champagne, is also a type of limestone. Niagara and Prince Edward

County here in Ontario are highly-regarded for their top limestone soils.

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Major soil types to know

SAND Sandy soils are exactly what you imagine them to be. Characterized by tiny particles, these

well-draining soils are ideal for vines grown in wet climates. Wines produced from fruit grown in

sandy soils tend to be delicate and elegant (think Nebbiolo in Barolo and Grenache in the

Southern Rhône.) A benefit of sandy soils is that phylloxera cannot survive in them, meaning

that some of the world’s oldest vines are rooted into sand.

Remember phylloxera from your first wine course? We'll review it again in viticulture when we

talk about rootstocks.

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CLAY Clay soils are known for their serious retention capabilities (both for nutrients and water.) Many

experts deem that wines produced from fruit grown in clay soils lead to big, boisterous, and

round final wines. The Right Bank of Bordeaux (think Pomerol and Saint-Emilion) are known

for their clay-heavy soils. These soils are excellent for grape varieties that need less hang time

on the vines, like Merlot.

GRAVEL Gravel-based soils (like sand) refers to the texture of the particles in the dirt. Gravelly soils are

made up of rocky material, sized from quarter-sized pebbles to clunky stones. These particular

types of rocks, no matter the size, retain heat and reflect them back to vines at night, allowing

fruit to optimally mature. Because of this, wines from these soils tend to be bold and higher in

alcohol. The vineyards located on Bordeaux’s renowned Left Bank are prime examples of

gravelly growing sites.

LOAM Loam, like sand and gravel, is also a soil type defined by texture. Loam soils are generally

crumbly and are often made up of silt and clay. When conditions are just right, loam soils

provide an excellent home for vines and create concentrated fruit that leads to big-boned

wines. However, sometimes loam soils can be too fertile, which lead to over-vigorous vines and

flabby final wines (flabby is a description used for wines lacking in acidity). Santa Barbara in

California is one of the most popular and top-quality viticultural sites for loamy soils.

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SLATE + SCHIST Slate is similar to schist in that the two are both metamorphic rocks formed under heat

and pressure. Slate comes in a variety of colors and absorbs heat, which is beneficial in

cooler climate regions. Fruit grown in slate soils tends to create highly aromatic wines

marked by flinty notes. Germany’s Mosel region is regarded for its heat-retaining blue

and red slate soils. 

Schist soils are comprised of hard, dense rocks that are layered with minerals. These

soils are generally flaky, retain heat well, and create some of the world’s biggest and

boldest reds. Portugal’s Douro Valley and Priorat are two major regions that are

regarded for their schist soils.

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GRANITE Granite is a soil type composed of cooled quartz and magma. It is found all over the world and

comes in a variety of textures and compositions. Granite tends to have a high pH level and

rather porous make-up, which creates high-acid fruit and allows vines to dig deep into the

earth. The Northern Rhône is home to some of the wine world’s most highly-regarded granite

soils. Gamay (most famous in Beaujolais) and Mencia (in Spain) are two other grape varieties

that thrive in granite soils.

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VOLCANIC One of the most well-known components of volcanic soil is basalt, which is made from

extrusively cooled and hardened lava. These fine-grained soils are well-draining, hold water,

and generally have high contents of iron. When it comes to identifying volcanic wine regions,

think islands: Sicily, Santorini, and the Canary Islands are a few of the more popular regions. In

addition, much of Italy (Soave, Taurasi, etc.) Washington State, and Hungary are also composed

of volcanic soils. These wines are famous for their acid levels and freshness.

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Let's break down effect on wine.

Let's say you take two Cabernet Sauvignon vines and you plant one of them in really rich, fertile dense

clay soil. It rains, the water comes into the soil, and it just sort of stays there. Vines like water, so it soaks up

as much as it can.

Plant the other on a steep hillside. Broken up shale, broken up schist, really poor soil, terrible for plants.

The vine has to work harder to get the nutrients it needs. It will produce fewer grapes. The grapes have

tougher skins. They're little small grapes with big intense, big thick skins, lots of tannins and flavour.

Suddenly you've got a Cabernet that when you pour it into a glass and taste it, it's bloated with tannins,

it's massive, it's powerful. The other one (on fertile soil) is light, fruity, and kind of pleasant, but not THAT

interesting or flavourful. Very different wines, same grape. The variation is largely because of the different

soil.

So the next time you open a bottle of wine, pour yourself a glass, then take a moment. Think, I wonder

what kind of soil this grape was grown in. Is this why this wine tastes this way?

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WHAT COMPARISONS ARE

FOUND IN FOOD?

San Marzano tomatoes - VOLCANIC

The flavour profile and successful cultivation of this variety is

down to the very acidic soil in which they grow - like their

original home in the volcanic soils near Vesuvius in Southern Italy

Fruit trees - CLAY

These can thrive in clay soils because the water retention is key

for good fruit production. Where this might be undesirable for

grapes, fruit trees need LOTS of water.

Vegetables - LOAM

Vegetables like nutrient-rich loamy soil because it provides all

the food they require, as long as it doesn't dry out.

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ACID LEVEL MINERALITY AROMATICS ELEGANCE

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BOLDNESS

Not typically, but what clues do the CHARACTERISTICS of wines from those soils give us in matching?

Let's go to the whiteboard.

ALBERT BICHOT | BURGUNDY, FRANCE CHABLIS AOC LCBO #458851

A long-established family firm, Bichot's philosophy extends to the arts, culture and

gastronomy. The Bichot Chablis has aromas of apple and pear, with light mineral

notes; look for flavours of toast, green apple, pear, and citrus followed by a medium

length, citrus-driven finish.

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FIRRIATO | SICILY, ITALY CHIARAMONTE NERO D'AVOLA 2015 LCBO #121145

Dried berry and spice with hints of rose petal on the nose. Full body. Round, velvety

and ripe tannins. Gorgeous fruit.

YALUMBA | COONAWARRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON LCBO #460667

Deep and dark with intense, rich berry flavours, this popular pick reflects the unique

characteristics of this Australian region in the best possible way.

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- Mahatma Gandhi

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