An Illustrated Guide to the Most Important Wine Soils You Should

Know (Infographic)
words: COURTNEY SCHIESSL

Wine nerds are often also soil nerds. Soil directly and indisputably
affects the wine that is produced in a given region. In addition to climate
and aspect, soil is part of what makes a region’s terroir and can separate
mediocre winemaking areas from superior ones.
The Dirty Guide to Wine, a newly published book by award-winning
journalist and author Alice Feiring with Pascaline Lepeltier, MS, explores
the complexities of soil and its impact on wine. It’s an important read for
anyone passionate or curious about wine and terroir. Having recently
read the book, I was inspired to learn more about soil and share that with
VinePair readers.

Breaking soil down into singular categories is quite difficult. Most

vineyard topsoils are not homogenous; rather, they are often a blend of
different soils, and both the rocks within and the texture of the topsoil
influence a region’s wines. The concept of minerality — that is, the
perceived aroma and flavor of a soil in the wine itself — is another factor.
But, in terms of the actual successful growth of a grapevine, some soils
work better than others.
While certain soil characteristics are suited to different regions, generally
vineyard soils should not be too fertile. This may seem counterintuitive,
but soils with fewer nutrients force vines to struggle and therefore
become stronger. Water is also essential to grapevines, so good wine
soils should retain water while still draining it away from the surface.
For those of us without a geology degree, VinePair created a helpful
illustrated guide for an overview of the many soil types worldwide.
IGNEOUS SOILS
Igneous soils can be either intrusive or extrusive, made from the cooling
and solidification of magma or lava from within or without the Earth’s
crust.

Volcanic

Volcanic soil, particularly basalt, is an extrusive soil formed from cooled,

hardened, and weathered lava. While the soil is a complicated one, it
tends to be finely grained, drains well, retains and reflects heat, and
holds water. Volcanic soil also contains high proportions of iron, resulting
in black- or red-colored earth, and is thought to sometimes impart an
ashy, rusty taste to wines.
Famous regions: Sicily, Canary Islands

Granite
Formed under the Earth’s crust by slowly cooling magma mixed with
quartz, granite is found in a range of soils and textures throughout the
world. Its elevated pH promotes high acidity, and the rock is porous
enough to create deep-rooted vines, producing layered, subtle,
blossoming aromas and flavors that can develop for years.
Famous regions: Cornas, Rías Baixas

METAMORPHIC SOILS
Metamorphic soils have been transformed from another type of rock
through heat and pressure over millions of years.

Slate
Closely related to but less compressed than schist, slate is an alluvial
deposit formed under heat and pressure. Dark and variable in color,
slate is easily broken but not as subject to weathering as other soils. It
both absorbs and reflects heat, helping to ripen grapes.
Famous region: Mosel

Schist
A hard, crystalline rock more dense than slate, schist is made of layers
of minerals that can flake off easily. It retains heat well, producing big,
powerful wines with rich minerality.
Famous regions: Douro Valley, Ribeira Sacra

Gneiss
Gneiss is a fairly infertile soil formed from either volcanic, granite, or
schist soil that looks similar to granite. Minerals are arranged in bands
that run through the rock, but it is a very hard, infertile soil, making it
good for grape-growing.
Famous regions: Wachau, Kamptal

SEDIMENTARY SOILS
Sedimentary soil is comprised of solidified mineral or organic deposits
from the Earth, often left by bodies of water.

Limestone
Some exalt limestone as the finest wine-producing soil in the world and,
indeed, it is found in many famous regions. It forms from the
decomposed bodies of mollusks, fish, and other organic material that
once lived in ancient seabeds and reefs. Limestone and chalk (a type of
limestone), drain well but also hold water for vines to absorb when
needed. Wines made in limestone soils are generally long-lived and
have bright, linear acidity.
Famous regions: Burgundy, Champagne, Jerez

Sandstone
Sandstone is comprised of sedimentary rock, sand-sized particles that
have been compacted together over time by pressure. Depending on
what rocks the sandstone is made of, it can come in various colors, but it
commonly contains quartz and feldspar.
Featured regions: Chianti Classico (locally called alberese)

Silex/Flint
The hard, metal-like silex, which contains a high proportion of flint, is
made from silicon dioxide. It stores and reflects heat well, providing
ripeness in regions that might otherwise be too cold for grape growing. It
is often credited with giving wines a rich, flinty minerality.
Famous regions: Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé

SOIL TEXTURES
Many wine soils are defined by their textures, which are comprised of
types of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

Sand
Sand is any rock that has been pulverized into small particles. Because
sand drains easily it works well in wet climates; but for drought-riddled
regions, sandy soil can be problematic. It is, however, often phylloxera-
free since the pest can’t survive its texture. Sandy soils can sometimes
result in thin, uninteresting wines, but in the best areas they produce
wines with delicacy and drinkability.
Famous regions: Barolo areas of Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte d’Alba,
and Castiglione Falletto

Clay
A topsoil of clay expands and contracts with water, but deep clay subsoil
retains precipitation and minerals, and can be a savior to grapevines in
dry times. Some say that clay imparts a profile to wines that is similar to
the texture of clay itself — thick, round, and generous.
Famous region: Pomerol

Gravel
The texture of gravel can range from the size of a pebble to the size of a
fist. It is most helpful in absorbing heat and reflecting it onto grape
varieties, particularly at night when temperatures tend to cool. This
allows a region to make wines that are bigger and more alcoholic than
they typically would be in that climate
Famous regions: Left Bank Bordeaux, Cháteauneuf-du-Pape

Silt/Loess
Silt is a soil more finely textured than sand. It retains more water, which
can sometimes result in overly compacted and waterlogged growing
conditions. While some silt soils can be too fertile for quality wine
production, one good variety is loess, a type of wind-blown silt
comprised mainly of silica.
Famous regions: Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), primarily for Grüner
Veltliner

Loam
A warm, soft, crumbly mix of sand, silt, and clay, loam can sometimes be
too fertile for quality winemaking. But when blended with other soils in
the right amounts, it can make powerful, voluptuous wines.
Famous regions: Barossa Valley

Alluvium
Alluvial soil is a blend of soils, comprised of a combination of clay, silt,
sand, and gravel. This combination, called alluvium, is deposited over
many years by running water. Alluvial soil typically contains a lot of
organic material, making it quite fertile, but is present in many of the
world’s wine regions.
Famous regions: Napa Valley floor regions (Rutherford, Yountville)