The soil composition of vineyards is one of the most important
viticultural considerations when planting grape vines. The
soil supports the
root structure of the vine and influences the drainage levels and amount of
minerals and nutrients that the vine is exposed to. The ideal soil condition for a vine is a layer of thin
topsoil and
subsoil that sufficiently retains water but also has good drainage so that the roots do not become overly saturated. The ability of the soil to retain heat and/or reflect it back up to the vine is also an important consideration that affects the ripening of the grapes.[1]
There are several minerals that are vital to the health of vines that all good vineyard soils have. These include
calcium which helps to neutralize the
soil pH levels,
iron which is essential for
photosynthesis,
magnesium which is an important component of
chlorophyll,
nitrogen which is assimilated in the form of
nitrates,
phosphates which encourages root development, and
potassium which improves the vine metabolisms and increases its health for next year's crop.[1]
List of soil terms
Unless otherwise noted the primary reference for this list is Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia 2005
Calcareous soil –
Alkaline soil with high levels of
calcium and
magnesium carbonate. Soil typically cool in temperature and that provides good water retention and drainage. Calcareous clay soils have high
limestone content, which neutralizes the natural acidity of the soil. However, the cool temperatures of the soil normally delay ripening in the grape, which tends to produce more acidic wines.
Chalk – Very
porous soft limestone soil that vine roots can easily penetrate. It provides good drainage and works best for grapes with high acidity levels.
Clay –
Sedimentary rock-based soil that has good water-retention ability but poor drainage. The soil is often very cool and high in acidity. The Right Bank of
Bordeaux is dominated by clay-based soils.[2]
Flint – Siliceous stone that reflects and retains heat well. The
Pouilly-Fumé wine of the
Loire Valley is generally produced from flint-based soil and is said to have "gun-flint" smell in the wine.
Granite – Composed of 40–60% quartz, 30–40%
Orthoclase and various amounts of
hornblende,
mica, and other minerals. This soil warms quickly and retains heat well. The soil's high level of acidity works to minimize the acid levels in the grapes which works well with acidic grapes like
Gamay. It is the main soil type of the Brand region of
Alsace.[2]
Gravel – Loose siliceous pebble soil that has good drainage but poor fertility. Vines planted in this type of soil must penetrate deeply to try to and find nutrients in the subsoil. Wine made from vines produces on clay gravel beds have less acidity than those planted on limestone gravel beds. The
Graves and
Sauternes regions of Bordeaux consist predominantly of gravel-based soil.[2]
Hardpan – A dense layer of clay or other material that is impermeable to water. In some areas of
Bordeaux, a
sandy iron-rich layer is located deep enough below the surface to act as a
water table for the vine.
Kimmeridgian soil – A gray-colored limestone-based soil originally identified in
Kimmeridge, England. Kimmeridgian clay is calcareous clay containing Kimmeridgian limestone. This is the principal soil type of the
Loire Valley,
Champagne and
Burgundy regions.[2]
Lignite – Soil type used as fertilizer in
Germany and
Champagne. It is a brown-colored carbonaceous soil that is intermediate between
peat and
coal.
Limestone – Sediment-based soil consisting of
carbonates. The most common colored limestone found in wine-producing area is buff-gray in color (with the exception of white
chalk). The water-retention abilities vary by composition, but limestone is consistently
alkaline and is generally planted with grapes of high acidity levels. This is the main soil type in the
Zinnkoepflé region of Alsace.[2]
Llicorella – A soil type found in the
Priorat appellation of Spain. The soil is a mix of slate and quartz that dates to the
Paleozoic era. The soil is very porous and drains well.
Syrah,
Grenache and
Carignan have done well in this soil type.[2]
Loam – Warm, soft, fertile soil composed of roughly equal amounts of
silt,
sand and
clay. It is typically too fertile for high-quality wines that need to limit yields in order to concentrate flavors.
Loess – A very fine, predominantly silty soil composed of
wind-borne sediment that is typically angular and decalcified. Commonly known as
brickearth in the UK, the soil is very fertile and has good water retention and warming properties, but drains poorly.[3]
Marl – Calcareous-clay-based soil that adds acidity to the wine. Vines planted in this type of soil normally ripen later than in other soil types. Marl soil is typically deep and lacking in stone fragments; it is the main soil type in the
Piedmont wine region of Italy. Marlstone is the indurated (well cemented) metamorphic form of Marl.
Mica –
Silicate-based soil composed of fine, decomposed rock formations.
Quartz – Common material found in most vineyard soils—especially sand and silt-based soils. The high
soil pH of quartz can reduce the acidity of the resulting wines, but its heat-retaining property (it stores and reflects heat) can increase ripening of the grape, which can result in wine of higher alcohol content.
S–Z
Sand – Warm, airy soil that is composed of tiny particles of weathered rocks. One of the few soils that the
phylloxera louse does not thrive in, the soil drains well but does not have good water retention. Sandstone is a
sedimentary soil composed of sand particles that has been pressured bound by various
iron-based minerals. This is the main soil type of
Kitterlé in Alsace.[2]
Shale – Fine-grain sediment-based soil that can turn into
slate when under pressure. The soil is moderately fertile and retains heat well.
Siliceous soil – Soil composed of
acid rock that is crystalline in nature. The soil has good heat retention but needs the added composition of
silt,
clay and other sedimentary soils to have any kind of water retention. The range of this soil can include organic materials like
Kieselguhr and
flint, or inorganic materials like
quartz. This soil type covers half of the
wine regions of
Bordeaux.
Silt – Soil type consisting of fine grain deposits that offer good water retention but poor drainage. It is more fertile than sand.
Silex – A flint- and sand-based soil type found primarily in the
Loire Valley that is a formed from a mixture of clay, limestone and
silica.[2]
Slate – Soil type that is the most common found in the
Mosel region. Slate is a metamorphic, plate-like rock formed when shale, clay, or
siltstone is subjected to pressure deep within the earth. The soil retains heat well and warms up relatively quickly.
Terra Rossa – A sedimentary soil known as "Red Earth" that is formed after
carbonates have been leached out of limestone. The breakdown leaves behind iron deposits which
oxidize and turn the soil a rustic red color. This soil type is found in some areas along the
Mediterranean and in
Coonawarra. The soil drains well and is relatively high in nutrients. Australian winemakers have found some success with
Cabernet Sauvignon plantings.[2]
Tufa – A highly friable calcareous bedrock that breaks down into a fine crumb structure.
Ultisol – A highly weathered, largely infertile, clay-based soil—usually brilliant red in colo—rfound in the
American South.
Volcanic soil – Soil that is derived from one of two volcanic activities. 1.) Vent-based soil is formed from rock material (including
pumice and
tuff) that has been ejected into the air and cooled before settling to the earth. 2.) Lava-based soil is the product of
lava flows from the volcano. Ninety percent of lava-based soil is composed of
basalt with the other ten percent composed of
andesite,
pitchstone,
rhyolite, and
trachyte.
^Bell, F. G. & Culshaw, M. G. (2001). 'Problem soils - a review from a British perspective', in Jefferson, I., Murray, E. J., Faragher, E. and Fleming, P. R. (eds). Problematic soils, 11–17, Thomas Telford.
ISBN0-7277-3043-6
The soil composition of vineyards is one of the most important
viticultural considerations when planting grape vines. The
soil supports the
root structure of the vine and influences the drainage levels and amount of
minerals and nutrients that the vine is exposed to. The ideal soil condition for a vine is a layer of thin
topsoil and
subsoil that sufficiently retains water but also has good drainage so that the roots do not become overly saturated. The ability of the soil to retain heat and/or reflect it back up to the vine is also an important consideration that affects the ripening of the grapes.[1]
There are several minerals that are vital to the health of vines that all good vineyard soils have. These include
calcium which helps to neutralize the
soil pH levels,
iron which is essential for
photosynthesis,
magnesium which is an important component of
chlorophyll,
nitrogen which is assimilated in the form of
nitrates,
phosphates which encourages root development, and
potassium which improves the vine metabolisms and increases its health for next year's crop.[1]
List of soil terms
Unless otherwise noted the primary reference for this list is Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia 2005
Calcareous soil –
Alkaline soil with high levels of
calcium and
magnesium carbonate. Soil typically cool in temperature and that provides good water retention and drainage. Calcareous clay soils have high
limestone content, which neutralizes the natural acidity of the soil. However, the cool temperatures of the soil normally delay ripening in the grape, which tends to produce more acidic wines.
Chalk – Very
porous soft limestone soil that vine roots can easily penetrate. It provides good drainage and works best for grapes with high acidity levels.
Clay –
Sedimentary rock-based soil that has good water-retention ability but poor drainage. The soil is often very cool and high in acidity. The Right Bank of
Bordeaux is dominated by clay-based soils.[2]
Flint – Siliceous stone that reflects and retains heat well. The
Pouilly-Fumé wine of the
Loire Valley is generally produced from flint-based soil and is said to have "gun-flint" smell in the wine.
Granite – Composed of 40–60% quartz, 30–40%
Orthoclase and various amounts of
hornblende,
mica, and other minerals. This soil warms quickly and retains heat well. The soil's high level of acidity works to minimize the acid levels in the grapes which works well with acidic grapes like
Gamay. It is the main soil type of the Brand region of
Alsace.[2]
Gravel – Loose siliceous pebble soil that has good drainage but poor fertility. Vines planted in this type of soil must penetrate deeply to try to and find nutrients in the subsoil. Wine made from vines produces on clay gravel beds have less acidity than those planted on limestone gravel beds. The
Graves and
Sauternes regions of Bordeaux consist predominantly of gravel-based soil.[2]
Hardpan – A dense layer of clay or other material that is impermeable to water. In some areas of
Bordeaux, a
sandy iron-rich layer is located deep enough below the surface to act as a
water table for the vine.
Kimmeridgian soil – A gray-colored limestone-based soil originally identified in
Kimmeridge, England. Kimmeridgian clay is calcareous clay containing Kimmeridgian limestone. This is the principal soil type of the
Loire Valley,
Champagne and
Burgundy regions.[2]
Lignite – Soil type used as fertilizer in
Germany and
Champagne. It is a brown-colored carbonaceous soil that is intermediate between
peat and
coal.
Limestone – Sediment-based soil consisting of
carbonates. The most common colored limestone found in wine-producing area is buff-gray in color (with the exception of white
chalk). The water-retention abilities vary by composition, but limestone is consistently
alkaline and is generally planted with grapes of high acidity levels. This is the main soil type in the
Zinnkoepflé region of Alsace.[2]
Llicorella – A soil type found in the
Priorat appellation of Spain. The soil is a mix of slate and quartz that dates to the
Paleozoic era. The soil is very porous and drains well.
Syrah,
Grenache and
Carignan have done well in this soil type.[2]
Loam – Warm, soft, fertile soil composed of roughly equal amounts of
silt,
sand and
clay. It is typically too fertile for high-quality wines that need to limit yields in order to concentrate flavors.
Loess – A very fine, predominantly silty soil composed of
wind-borne sediment that is typically angular and decalcified. Commonly known as
brickearth in the UK, the soil is very fertile and has good water retention and warming properties, but drains poorly.[3]
Marl – Calcareous-clay-based soil that adds acidity to the wine. Vines planted in this type of soil normally ripen later than in other soil types. Marl soil is typically deep and lacking in stone fragments; it is the main soil type in the
Piedmont wine region of Italy. Marlstone is the indurated (well cemented) metamorphic form of Marl.
Mica –
Silicate-based soil composed of fine, decomposed rock formations.
Quartz – Common material found in most vineyard soils—especially sand and silt-based soils. The high
soil pH of quartz can reduce the acidity of the resulting wines, but its heat-retaining property (it stores and reflects heat) can increase ripening of the grape, which can result in wine of higher alcohol content.
S–Z
Sand – Warm, airy soil that is composed of tiny particles of weathered rocks. One of the few soils that the
phylloxera louse does not thrive in, the soil drains well but does not have good water retention. Sandstone is a
sedimentary soil composed of sand particles that has been pressured bound by various
iron-based minerals. This is the main soil type of
Kitterlé in Alsace.[2]
Shale – Fine-grain sediment-based soil that can turn into
slate when under pressure. The soil is moderately fertile and retains heat well.
Siliceous soil – Soil composed of
acid rock that is crystalline in nature. The soil has good heat retention but needs the added composition of
silt,
clay and other sedimentary soils to have any kind of water retention. The range of this soil can include organic materials like
Kieselguhr and
flint, or inorganic materials like
quartz. This soil type covers half of the
wine regions of
Bordeaux.
Silt – Soil type consisting of fine grain deposits that offer good water retention but poor drainage. It is more fertile than sand.
Silex – A flint- and sand-based soil type found primarily in the
Loire Valley that is a formed from a mixture of clay, limestone and
silica.[2]
Slate – Soil type that is the most common found in the
Mosel region. Slate is a metamorphic, plate-like rock formed when shale, clay, or
siltstone is subjected to pressure deep within the earth. The soil retains heat well and warms up relatively quickly.
Terra Rossa – A sedimentary soil known as "Red Earth" that is formed after
carbonates have been leached out of limestone. The breakdown leaves behind iron deposits which
oxidize and turn the soil a rustic red color. This soil type is found in some areas along the
Mediterranean and in
Coonawarra. The soil drains well and is relatively high in nutrients. Australian winemakers have found some success with
Cabernet Sauvignon plantings.[2]
Tufa – A highly friable calcareous bedrock that breaks down into a fine crumb structure.
Ultisol – A highly weathered, largely infertile, clay-based soil—usually brilliant red in colo—rfound in the
American South.
Volcanic soil – Soil that is derived from one of two volcanic activities. 1.) Vent-based soil is formed from rock material (including
pumice and
tuff) that has been ejected into the air and cooled before settling to the earth. 2.) Lava-based soil is the product of
lava flows from the volcano. Ninety percent of lava-based soil is composed of
basalt with the other ten percent composed of
andesite,
pitchstone,
rhyolite, and
trachyte.
^Bell, F. G. & Culshaw, M. G. (2001). 'Problem soils - a review from a British perspective', in Jefferson, I., Murray, E. J., Faragher, E. and Fleming, P. R. (eds). Problematic soils, 11–17, Thomas Telford.
ISBN0-7277-3043-6