Soil Types Flashcards
What are the best soils in the Southern Rhone?
Stony to absorb heat (Galets)
What is the soil in Priorat called, what is its make up and what does it do?
Llicorella
Red slate with small particles of Mica which reflects heat into the vines, conserves heat over night. In between the layers of slate is powdered clay, which holds water.
What is the predominant soil in Champagne?
Chalk (well-drained, but retains water at depth)
What is the soil in Sherry region?What is it largely made up of?What positive attributes does this soil have for wine quality? What do vinegrowers do to help retain water?
Albariza
Very high Chalk content
Good drainage of winter rain but retains water at deep levels to sustain vine through hot summers.
Forms hard crust to seal moisture in and limit evaporation
Pits dug in Autumn to catch water, smoothed over in Spring.
How would you describe the ideal soil character for grape growing? (generally)
Well drained retaining only enough water, and low but sufficient nutrients.
What type of soil would you expect in Haut-Medoc and Pessac-Leognan?
Gravelly - Good drainage, so doesn’t hold water
Gravel soils tend to be warming, helping Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen
What type of soil produces best wines in St Emillion?
Clay - Cooling influence on vines and so slows ripening, allowing longer development of aroma without losing fresh acidity.(This is a good illustration of how ripeness works - exploring the AAA and Balance).
What are the best soils for high quality in Beaujolais?Why are they considered the best?
Granite.
Gamay typically produces high yields which can be of simple quality. Low nutrients results in lower yields of more concentration.
Where are basic level vineyards largely located?What are soil conditions?
Flat sites or bottom of slopes
Soil is deeper than slopes and often more fertile
Where are Premier and Grand level vineyards largely located? What are soil conditions?
Mid slopes, with southerly aspects for explosure and ripenning (The B in BLIC - balance).Well drained. (=concentration / the LIC in BLIC)
What type of soil do the best vineyards in Mosel have?
Slate soils - good drainage and warming influence
What is the soil type of Central Vineyards in the Loire?
Chalky and stony = well drained
How do soil types in Chinon and Bourgueil influence wine style?
Sandy soil - Light and fruity
Limestone and clay slopes - Riper - Full bodied and tannic
What the name of the soil for which Coonawarra is famous? What are its qualities?
Red Terra Rossa clay over limestone - Good drainage and low nutrients encourage low yields of high concentration fruit.
What is the highest quality sub region of Hawke’s Bay? Describe the key soil type of this region.What affect does this soil type have on style and quality?
Gimblett GravelsWell drained, heat absorbing gravels on the valley floor.Achieves sufficient ripeness (Balance), and concentration (LIC - BLIC).
What are the predomincant soils in the Maconnais?
Limestone (good for Chardonnay)
Cabernet Franc prefers what type of soils in Bordeaux?
Gravel and limestone - warm and well-drained (St Emillion, Medoc, Graves)
What are the 3 main soil types in St Emillion?
NW - gravel and limestone
SE - clay and limestone
Base of the escarpment - sandy
NW and SE are best
What is the soil like in Bas Medoc?
Clay with some gravel outcroppings
What are the soil types in Beaujolais?
North - Granite and Schist - Village and Premier Cru
South - sandy alluvial plain - simple wines
What are the main soil types in Northern Rhone?
Granite - Hermitage & Cornas (retains heat)
Granite/Volcanic/Schist - Cote Rotie & Condrieu
Alluvial/Clay - St Joseph & Crozes Hermitage
What are the best soils in Anjou?
Stony pockets to retain heat
Which region in the Loire has lots of clay soils?
Touraine
What is the main soil type in Touraine?
Clay
What are the main soils in Vouvray?
Clay
What are the main soil types in Sancerre?
Limestone-based and stony (well-drained)
What are the soil types in Alsace?
Hillsides - granite, limestone, sandstone, clay, loam, volcanic
Valley floor - alluvial (simpler)
What is the main soil type in Douro?
Schist - fractures for water stored deep underground
What is the main soil type in Santorini?
Volcanic
What are the main soils for Etna DOC?
Volcanic (well-draining)
What are the main soils in Campania?
Volcanic
What are the 2 main soil types in Soave?
Northern foothills - Limestone, clay and volcanic (slow ripening)
Southern plains - Sandy and alluvial (simple)
What are the common soils for Valpolicella and Soave Classico?
Limestone, clay and volcanic
What is the soil like in Central Valley California?
Very fertile - high yields
What are the soils like in Santa Cruz Mountains?
Low fertility, mountainous
What is the soil like in Meursault?
Low humidity due to low water table - rich wines
What is the soil like in Aloxe-Corton?
Rich in iron - good for structured Pinot Noir
What type of wines do clay and limestone soils produce vs granite / schist?
Clay & Limestone - Lithe & elegant
Granite & Schist - Tighter & rustic
