Learning objectives: soil types

Question 1

What is loam?

Answer 1

Typically 40% sand, 40% silt, 20% clay.

Loam soils generally contain more nutrients, moisture, and humus than sandy soils, have better drainage and infiltration of water and air than silt- and clay-rich soils, and are easier to till than clay soils.

(Image credit: By cmglee, Mikenorton, United States Department of Agriculture - SoilTexture USDA.pngand http://nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/nrcs142p2_050242.jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=88418567)

Question 2

What is marl?

Answer 2

An earthy material rich in carbonate minerals, clays, and silt.

Question 3

Soils in:
Galicia

Answer 3

Coast: granite-based. Sandy, shallow, slightly acidic.

Inland along terraced river valleys: granite with clay.

Further inland: shallow slate, shale, granitic sand.

(Granite is ideal in the wet - porous and well drained.)

Question 4

Soils in:
DO Rías Baixas in Galicia

Answer 4

Shallow, sandy soils, some granite. Some alluvial soil along Miño river.

Question 5

Soils in:
DO Ribeira Sacra in Galicia

Answer 5

Miño river: slate
Sil and Bibei rivers: granite

Question 6

Soils in:
DO Ribeiro in Galicia

Answer 6

~70% granite, rich in organic matter.
~20% schist
~10% sedimentary

Question 7

Soils in:
DO Valdeorras in Galicia

Answer 7

Mainly shallow slate topsoil atop quartzite and schist bedrock

Question 8

Soils in:
Asturias

Answer 8

Limestone mountains give way to well-drained slate soils.

VC Cangas: mostly shale with sandstone

Question 9

Soils in:
Cantabria

Answer 9

Limestone mountains, more shale and sandstone in the valley floors. Very fertile and better for apple trees and sidra (cider) production.

Question 10

Soils in:
País Vasco

Answer 10

Guipúzcoa (E): sandy topsoil, alluvial clay subsoil.
Vizcaya (W): shallow, slightly acidic clay-loam topsoil, limestone subsoil.
Álava (S): alluvial, gravelly clay.

Question 11

Soils in:
DO Arabako Txakolina in País Vasco

Answer 11

Limestone with stone and clay. All DOs are rich in organic matter.

Question 12

Soils in:
DO Bizkaiko Txakolina in País Vasco

Answer 12

Clay-loam, limestone and marl. All DOs are rich in organic matter.

Question 13

Soils in:
DO Getariako Txakolina in País Vasco

Answer 13

Sandy topsoil with alluvial clay subsoil. All DOs are rich in organic matter.

Question 14

Soils in:
Castilla y León

Answer 14

Diverse.

River valleys: clay, alluvium; or sandy-stony with some limestone. Mineral-laden. Only water retentive if clay is present.

Plains: brown limestone, clay loam and sand.

Some slate, quartz, granite. Some sandy and phylloxera-resistant.

Question 15

Soils in:
DO Bierzo in Castilla y León

Answer 15

Granite, limestone, quartzite, slate

Question 16

Soils in:
DO Cigales in Castilla y León

Answer 16

Sand and limestone topsoil, clay and loam subsoil.

Question 17

Soils in:
DO Ribeira del Duero in Castilla y León

Answer 17

32 different soil types.
Mainly sandy limestone and clay.

Question 18

Soils in:
DO Rueda in Castilla y León

Answer 18

Gravel and stone, sandy limestone, limestone.

Question 19

Soils in:
DO Toro in Castilla y León

Answer 19

Sand and clay with limestone

Question 20

Soils in:
Rioja

Answer 20

Calcareous (chalky) clay: 30%, N of Ebro in all of Rioja Alavesa and some of Rioja Alta, poor soil, difficult to cultivate and irrigate.

Ferrous clay: 25%, S of Ebro on low mountains, also lower hillsides in Rioja Alta and Rioja Oriental, compact, vine roots slow to penetrate, slopes hard to cultivate and irrigate.

Alluvium, 45%: 1m thick over limestone hardpan, Rioja Alta and Rioja Oriental along banks of Ebro and tributaries, shallow soil prone to drought and waterlogging. Flat, mechanised.

Question 21

Soils in:
Rioja Alavesa

Answer 21

Calcareous (chalky) clay, high limestone content: poor soil, difficult to cultivate and irrigate.

Question 22

Soils in:
Rioja Alta

Answer 22

The most diverse. The bit north of the Ebro is calcareous clay. The rest is alluvium and ferrous clay.

Question 23

Soils in:
Rioja Oriental

Answer 23

Alluvium and ferrous clay.

Question 24

Soils in:
Ebro River Basin

Answer 24

Throughout: sedimentary loams, marls and sands.

N (numerous rivers): more alluvium.
S (nearer Sierra de la Demanda): more limestone.
Along Ebro: more clay.

Question 25

Soils in: DO Navarra in Ebro River Basin, and its subzones

Answer 25

Mainly marl, loam, sand. Some limestone in south. Clay along Ebro. Differences from marl, loam, sand: Tierra Estella (NW): clay, gravel. Valdizarbe (NC): alluvium, less sand. Baja Montaña (NE): limestone, gravel. Ribera Alta (C): more clay, limestone (on high terraces). Ribera Baja (S): limestone.

Question 26

Soils in: Aragón in Ebro River Basin

Answer 26

Diverse wine regions but similar soils. Limestone and clay, with surface scree of pebbles, stones and rocks. Pockets of slate, granite.

Question 27

Soils in: DO Calatayud in Aragón

Answer 27

Grey and red slate, clay, sand

Question 28

Soils in: DO Campo de Borja in Aragón

Answer 28

Brownish-grey limestone, clay

Question 29

Soils in: DO Cariñena in Aragón

Answer 29

Reddish-brown limestone, slate, clay

Question 30

Soils in: DO Somontano in Aragón

Answer 30

Brown limestone, clay

Question 31

Soils in: Cataluña

Answer 31

From Mediterranean Sea to Cordillera Litoral: sedimentary: alluvium, limestone, clay. Pockets of granite, slate. From Cordillera Litoral to Cordillera Prelitoral: more metamorphic and igneous: slate, granite with limestone and calcareous clay. Some llicorella (decomposed slate/shale) All low in organic content. Drainage varies.

Question 32

Soils in: DO Cava in Cataluña

Answer 32

Calcareous, clay, high limestone.

Question 33

Soils in: DO Empordà in Cataluña

Answer 33

Plains: alluvium. Mountains: slate, granite.

Question 34

Soils in: DO Montsant in Cataluña

Answer 34

Panal: silty-loam. Sauló: limey clay with granitic sand. Llicorella: decomposed slate/shale.

Question 35

Soils in: DO Penedès in Cataluña

Answer 35

Limestone, loamy-clay

Question 36

Soils in: DOQ Priorat in Cataluña

Answer 36

Llicorella (exclusively): quartz-rich slate

Question 37

Soils in: DO Terra Alta in Cataluña

Answer 37

Loamy-clay with high limestone content

Question 38

Soils in: Valencia

Answer 38

Diverse. Coast: marl, clay, sandstone. Inland: limestone, loamy-sand.

Question 39

Soils in: DO Alicante in Valencia

Answer 39

La Marina (NE coast): clay. Vinalopó (the rest of the coast and inland): limestone.

Question 40

Soils in: DO Utiel-Requena in Valencia

Answer 40

Limestone with reddish-brown topsoil

Question 41

Soils in: Murcia

Answer 41

Vineyards on Altiplano de Jumilla-Yecla: limestone. Some topsoils of clay, sand. Topsoil must often be mechanically broken before planting.

Question 42

Soils in: DO Bullas in Murcia

Answer 42

Limestone, chalk, alluvium

Question 43

Soils in: DO Jumilla in Murcia/Castilla-La Mancha

Answer 43

Reddish-brown limestone, sandy-clay

Question 44

Soils in: DO Yecla in Murcia

Answer 44

Limestone

Question 45

Soils in: Castilla-La Mancha

Answer 45

Homogenous with pockets of water-retentive clay, sandy-clay. C,E: Quality wine regions: well-drained limestone, often limestone hardpan beneath topsoil that must be broken up. W,NW: clay, sandy-clay. NE: clay, alluvium, granite.

Question 46

Soils in: DO La Mancha in Castilla-La Mancha

Answer 46

Limestone, chalk with sandy-clay topsoil

Question 47

Soils in: DO Manchuela in Castilla-La Mancha

Answer 47

Limestone, clay topsoil

Question 48

Soils in: DO Valdepeñas in Castilla-La Mancha

Answer 48

Limestone, sandy-loam, clay

Question 49

Soils in: VP Finca Élez in SE DO La Mancha

Answer 49

Sandy-clay, limestone

Question 50

Soils in: VP Dominio de Valdepusa in NW Castilla-La Mancha

Answer 50

Clay over limestone subsoil

Question 51

Soils in: Communidad de Madrid

Answer 51

N: granite SW: granite SC/SE: alluvium, limestone, loamy-clay

Question 52

Soils in: DO Vinos de Madrid by subzone

Answer 52

Arganda (SE): alluvium, limestone, loamy-clay. Navalcarnero (SW): alluvium, loamy-sand. San Martín de Valdeglesias (W): granite, alluvium. El Molar (N): granite.

Question 53

Soils in: Extremadura

Answer 53

E near Montes de Toledo: granite, slate, sand S near Sierra Morena: limestone. SC near Guadiana river: sand, clay. W near Portugal: limestone, sand.

Question 54

Soils in: DO Ribera del Guadiana in Extremadura

Answer 54

Clay, limestone

Question 55

Soils in: Andalucía

Answer 55

Large diverse area. N near Sierra Morena: shallow limestone, clay. E near Sistema Bético: deep slate, clay, limestone. Marco de Jerez / DO Montilla-Moriles: albariza/albero.

Question 56

Soils in: DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry and DO Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Answer 56

Albariza: chalk, limestone, clay, sand. Barros: clay. Arenas: sand.

Question 57

Soils in: DO Málaga in Andalucía

Answer 57

Limestone, clay, decomposed slate

Question 58

Soils in: DO Montilla-Moriles in Andalucía

Answer 58

Albero (albariza): chalk. Ruedos: sand over clay.

Question 59

Soils in: Las Islas Baleares, by island

Answer 59

Generally: topsoils nutrient-poor, calcareous. Subsoils of limestone high in calcium and magnesium carbonate. Areas of Mallorca have limestone hardpan which must be broken. Pockets of loamy-clay. DO Pla i Llevant: call vermell, free-draining reddish clay, limestone gravels. Menorca: marl over limestone, sandstone. Ibiza: clay-loam over limestone. Formentera: limestone, sand.

Question 60

Soils in: DO Binissalem, NC Mallorca

Answer 60

Limestone, large limestone gravel

Question 61

Soils in: DO Pla i Llevant, Mallorca

Answer 61

Call vermell: limestone, red clay topsoil

Question 62

Soils in: Las Islas Canarias

Answer 62

Nutrient rich, water-retentive. Volcanic, especially up to 800m. Above that: clay, sand, volcanic. Lanzarote, La Palma: lapilli/picón, small volcanic pebbles over topsoil.

Question 63

Soils in: DO Lanzarote, Las Islas Canarias

Answer 63

Lapilli/picón over sand/clay

Question 64

Soils in: DO Tacoronte-Acentejo, NE Tenerife

Answer 64

Volcanic

Question 65

Soils in: DO Valle de la Orotava, NC Tenerife

Answer 65

Volcanic, sandy clay

Question 66

Soils in: DO Ycoden-Daute-Isora, NW Tenerife

Answer 66

Volcanic, sandy clay