In the modern era of wine marketing, much importance has been placed on the virtues of a
particular grape and the growing region where it best performs. However, it seems that soil is rarely mentioned in the same breadth, but has as much to do with the success in what the consumer and the wine trade deem as a quality wine. The concept of terroir weighs heavy on the geological premise that winemaking starts below the ground. Not to sound brash, but our darling varietals of the world are merely ‘transformers’ and that the wine industry might want to categorize wines not by varietals or regions, but by soil composition. Could you imagine if your local wine shop had signs pointing to the ‘limestone’, ‘tuffa’, ‘clay-loam’ or ‘schist’ sections of the store? I don’t think so, but it would be a great way to educate the public on the importance of
terroir (a sense of place).
Many people whose palate preferences lean towards a dry French white wine, like a Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre or a 100% Chardonnay
Méthode Champenoise from Avize in Champagne, reflect their preference for a limestone-chalk based soil rather than the primary fruit components of these classic, but completely different varietals. Certain enthusiasts and serious tasters have a grasp of the major soil types and what effect they have on the wine. The first ones that come to mind are calcareous, clay-loam, sand and gravel based. There’s a ton more, but it’s schist that gets me all worked up! Yes SCHIST, coarsely metamorphic rock that was born at great depths some 300 million years ago, and brought to the surface in the mid-Tertiary by uplift of the earth’s crust. The deep-seated molten masses were intruded into an overlying crust of ancient lavas and volcanic ash. The heat and pressure of the intrusions cooked and squeezed (metamorphosed) the lavas and ash into the foliated rock called schist. These formations have been referred to ‘old rocks’ in the same family of granite and slate, but schist has experienced the most stress and can be intermixed with deeply weather granite. Schist can come in different shades based on the metamorphosis activity. Schist is often finely interwoven with quartz and feldspar. It’s quite foliated, meaning a flaky texture that can easily fracture into flakes or jagged slabs. The word ‘schist’ in Greek means ‘to split.’
Schist based soils are ideal for grape growing due to its heat retentive nature and high levels of magnesium and potassium. Vigorous vines thrive in a medium of schist by slithering through the fractured rock in search of moisture. In my opinion it’s the ‘old-vine’ cultivar and its direct correlation to the schist based soils that make for some of the finest wines in the world. With much tasting under my belt, I can often pick out a schist influence on a wine’s nose and finish. A mouth watering reaction usually occurs, very similar to tasting a wine in which the grape was grown on limestone. The difference is the pronounced mineral quality throughout the mid-palate with a bone searing dryness that can linger for three to five minutes depending on the age of the vine.
Historical growing regions with high level of schist are the found throughout some of the classic growing regions of Western Europe including …
Spain- Priorat & Montsant (Catalonia), Valdeorras & Ribiero (Galicia)
France- Beaujolais, Alsace, Cote Rotie (Northern Rhone), Collioure, Banyul & Maury (Côtes du Roussillon)
Germany- Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Portugal (Northern)- Douro Valley & Vinho Verde
The most compelling wines
are made from extremely old-vines averaging anywhere from 50 to 100 years old in which the schist has made for an ideal medium for these vines to produce grapes of immense quality, thus a finished product that is completely unique and shines above any of it’s ‘New-World’ competition. Certain white varietals and red varietals, both dry and sweet, are associated with schist. More than likely it was the Romans who were the first to work these lands and plant the cultivars that still exist today. In Spain, Grenache (Garnacha) and Carignane (Cariñena) take center stage in the ‘licorella’ soils of the Priorat and Montsant. The best examples are blends dominated by these two truly Spanish varietals with a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo for added weight and polish. Heading to the northwest part of the country it’s the ancient white grape of Godello that is the ideal suitor for schist in the Valdeorras and Ribiero. Some experts argue that Godello is a mutation of Riesling. The largest schist mining operation in the world is based in Valdeorras. Moving onto France, the noted cru villages of Fleurie, Moulin-a-Vent and Morgon have schist sub-structure in which old-vine Gamay Noir thrives. The mighty Syrah owes its mineral laced nose and finish to the adulating slopes of the Cotie Rotie in the Northern Rhone. Down in the Roussillon, Grenache Noir reigns supreme in the villages of Collioure, Banyuls and Maury, making full-bodied dry and hedonistic sweet versions. Schist makes its way along the Vosges Mountains in Northern Alsace in which Riesling is the beneficiary growing in what locals call ‘Steige.’ Riesling’s connection with schist influenced soils is evident in the middle section of the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, where certain ancient plantings are supported by a unique red slate, similar in composition to some of the terraced vineyards found in Galicia, Spain. Historical data suggests that both of these region’s original plantings were established by the Romans. Finally, in the Douro Valley, Port producers plant new vines by setting off explosive charges to loosen up the schist formations. Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and several other traditional Port varietals can only exist in this extreme environment due to the schist formations.
I encourage wine lovers to plan their next theme tasting not as varietal based, but schist based and taste the underlying mineral theme and complex layered structure of these wines. For the collector, schist based viticulture offers tremendous returns. Old-vine material from the regions mentioned above can age gracefully for many years to come specifically with Grenache and Carignane based wines of the Priorat, Syrah from Cote Rotie, and Grand Cru Rieslings from Alsace and Germany’s Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. For the sweet nectar, look no further than a great Porto and France’s Vin Doux Naturel category of Banyuls and Maury made from 100% Grenache Noir. Chocolate anyone? It’s all about the schist baby! Who knew that a metamorphic occurrence could taste so amazing?!?
Below is a sampling of schist influenced wines that you may find on the
Vinfolio site. Select a mixed lot for you next theme party!
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2004 Vall Llach, Priorat, Catalonia, Spain $75, Wine Advocate 93
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2003 Lo Givot- Pont, Priorat, Catalonia, Spain $50, Vinfolio 92
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2005 Guy Breton Morgon V.V., Beaujolais, France $24, Tanzer (IWC) 91
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2005 Pierre Gaillard ‘Cote Rozier’, Cote Rotie, Rhone, France $80, Vinfolio 93
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2004 Rostaing ‘Cote Blonde’, Cote Rotie, Rhone, France $99, Tanzer (IWC) 94
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2002 Calvet-Thunevin ‘Hugo’,Cotes du Roussillon Villages, France $36, Vinfolio 92
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2004 Domaine Ostertag Riesling ‘Fronholz’, Alsance, France $29, Tanzer (IWC) 91
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2005 Selbach-Oster Riesling ‘Zeltinger Sonnenuhr’, Germany $22
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1997 Fonseca Vintage Port, Douro Valley, Portugal $65, Wine Advocate 93