🪨 Clay

Clay is a dense, sticky soil that holds water and cold for a long time. Clay particles are very small and lie tightly against each other, so water moves down slowly. In spring clay soil warms up later, and in summer it may not dry out.

For a vineyard this has mixed effects. In heat and drought clay helps: the roots find moisture. But in a rainy year water stands on it, and the vine may grow too vigorous. Clay soils are considered a good fit for Merlot, which likes moist ground. Wines from such sites can be dense, soft and full.

Clay is needed in winemaking itself too. Amphorae and Georgian qvevri, large vessels buried in the ground, are made from it. Wine has fermented and aged in them for thousands of years, and the method is still used. Clay is one soil type alongside limestone, sand and gravel, and it strongly affects the character of wine.