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Spanish Wine Scholar > Learning objectives: soil types > Flashcards

Learning objectives: soil types Flashcards

1
Q

What is loam?

A

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)

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2
Q

What is marl?

A

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

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3
Q

Soils in:
Galicia

A

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.)

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4
Q

Soils in:
DO Rías Baixas in Galicia

A

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

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5
Q

Soils in:
DO Ribeira Sacra in Galicia

A

Miño river: slate
Sil and Bibei rivers: granite

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6
Q

Soils in:
DO Ribeiro in Galicia

A

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

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7
Q

Soils in:
DO Valdeorras in Galicia

A

Mainly shallow slate topsoil atop quartzite and schist bedrock

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8
Q

Soils in:
Asturias

A

Limestone mountains give way to well-drained slate soils.

VC Cangas: mostly shale with sandstone

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9
Q

Soils in:
Cantabria

A

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

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10
Q

Soils in:
País Vasco

A

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

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11
Q

Soils in:
DO Arabako Txakolina in País Vasco

A

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

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12
Q

Soils in:
DO Bizkaiko Txakolina in País Vasco

A

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

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13
Q

Soils in:
DO Getariako Txakolina in País Vasco

A

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

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14
Q

Soils in:
Castilla y León

A

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.

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15
Q

Soils in:
DO Bierzo in Castilla y León

A

Granite, limestone, quartzite, slate

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16
Q

Soils in:
DO Cigales in Castilla y León

A

Sand and limestone topsoil, clay and loam subsoil.

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17
Q

Soils in:
DO Ribeira del Duero in Castilla y León

A

32 different soil types.
Mainly sandy limestone and clay.

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18
Q

Soils in:
DO Rueda in Castilla y León

A

Gravel and stone, sandy limestone, limestone.

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19
Q

Soils in:
DO Toro in Castilla y León

A

Sand and clay with limestone

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20
Q

Soils in:
Rioja

A

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.

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21
Q

Soils in:
Rioja Alavesa

A

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

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22
Q

Soils in:
Rioja Alta

A

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

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23
Q

Soils in:
Rioja Oriental

A

Alluvium and ferrous clay.

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24
Q

Soils in:
Ebro River Basin

A

Throughout: sedimentary loams, marls and sands.

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

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25
Q

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

A

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.

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26
Q

Soils in:
Aragón in Ebro River Basin

A

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

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27
Q

Soils in:
DO Calatayud in Aragón

A

Grey and red slate, clay, sand

28
Q

Soils in:
DO Campo de Borja in Aragón

A

Brownish-grey limestone, clay

29
Q

Soils in:
DO Cariñena in Aragón

A

Reddish-brown limestone, slate, clay

30
Q

Soils in:
DO Somontano in Aragón

A

Brown limestone, clay

31
Q

Soils in:
Cataluña

A

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.

32
Q

Soils in:
DO Cava in Cataluña

A

Calcareous, clay, high limestone.

33
Q

Soils in:
DO Empordà in Cataluña

A

Plains: alluvium.
Mountains: slate, granite.

34
Q

Soils in:
DO Montsant in Cataluña

A

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

35
Q

Soils in:
DO Penedès in Cataluña

A

Limestone, loamy-clay

36
Q

Soils in:
DOQ Priorat in Cataluña

A

Llicorella (exclusively): quartz-rich slate

37
Q

Soils in:
DO Terra Alta in Cataluña

A

Loamy-clay with high limestone content

38
Q

Soils in:
Valencia

A

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

39
Q

Soils in:
DO Alicante in Valencia

A

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

40
Q

Soils in:
DO Utiel-Requena in Valencia

A

Limestone with reddish-brown topsoil

41
Q

Soils in:
Murcia

A

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

42
Q

Soils in:
DO Bullas in Murcia

A

Limestone, chalk, alluvium

43
Q

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

A

Reddish-brown limestone, sandy-clay

44
Q

Soils in:
DO Yecla in Murcia

45
Q

Soils in:
Castilla-La Mancha

A

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.

46
Q

Soils in:
DO La Mancha in Castilla-La Mancha

A

Limestone, chalk with sandy-clay topsoil

47
Q

Soils in:
DO Manchuela in Castilla-La Mancha

A

Limestone, clay topsoil

48
Q

Soils in:
DO Valdepeñas in Castilla-La Mancha

A

Limestone, sandy-loam, clay

49
Q

Soils in:
VP Finca Élez in SE DO La Mancha

A

Sandy-clay, limestone

50
Q

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

A

Clay over limestone subsoil

51
Q

Soils in:
Communidad de Madrid

A

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

52
Q

Soils in:
DO Vinos de Madrid by subzone

A

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

53
Q

Soils in:
Extremadura

A

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

54
Q

Soils in:
DO Ribera del Guadiana in Extremadura

A

Clay, limestone

55
Q

Soils in:
Andalucía

A

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.

56
Q

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

A

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

57
Q

Soils in:
DO Málaga in Andalucía

A

Limestone, clay, decomposed slate

58
Q

Soils in:
DO Montilla-Moriles in Andalucía

A

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

59
Q

Soils in:
Las Islas Baleares, by island

A

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.

60
Q

Soils in:
DO Binissalem, NC Mallorca

A

Limestone, large limestone gravel

61
Q

Soils in:
DO Pla i Llevant, Mallorca

A

Call vermell: limestone, red clay topsoil

62
Q

Soils in:
Las Islas Canarias

A

Nutrient rich, water-retentive. Volcanic, especially up to 800m. Above that: clay, sand, volcanic.

Lanzarote, La Palma: lapilli/picón, small volcanic pebbles over topsoil.

63
Q

Soils in:
DO Lanzarote, Las Islas Canarias

A

Lapilli/picón over sand/clay

64
Q

Soils in:
DO Tacoronte-Acentejo, NE Tenerife

65
Q

Soils in:
DO Valle de la Orotava, NC Tenerife

A

Volcanic, sandy clay

66
Q

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

A

Volcanic, sandy clay

Spanish Wine Scholar (25 decks)

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