Soils

California’s soils are as diverse as its microclimates.  Over the eons, seismic upheavals, volcanic eruptions, retreating oceans, massive floods, course-changing rivers and winds have created a vast mix of soil types and redistributed them over the state’s rocky foundation.

Sands, clays, loams, ashes, decomposed granites and river-run gravels are scattered throughout the state, in large expanses and tiny pockets.  One vineyard might be planted in calcareous sea-bed soils, and another in iron-rich volcanic matter; the wines made from these two sites - even wines from the same grape varieties - are likely to have very different aromas and flavors.

Most crops grow best in deep, fertile soils, but wine grapevines produce more intense, concentrated fruit when they’re planted in low-fertility, well-drained soils.  The vines like a bit of struggle, and poor soils encourage them to work harder on concentrating their energies to ripen grapes. Early Italian immigrants to California understood this. They planted vegetable gardens on the most fertile spots on their properties and wine grapes on the plots left over.  Today, winegrowers follow that same philosophy, shunning ground that might be great for lettuces, broccoli, corn and other vegetables for sites that offer a fruitful challenge to grapevines.

Discover more about the distinctive soils and climates in each of California’s winegrowing regions, as well as the people who work to maintain the land’s natural balance through sustainable winegrowing.