🐝 Earthworms

Earthworms are long soil worms that loosen the ground and turn plant remains into humus. Earthworms live in the soil, including under vineyards. They pull fallen leaves and plant remains down, mix them with earth and turn them into humus. Humus is rich in substances the vine needs.

The worms’ tunnels loosen the ground. Water and air move through it better, and roots go deeper more easily. After rain the water soaks in instead of standing in puddles. This also helps in dry years, because loose soil holds moisture longer.

To keep more worms, a grower avoids ploughing too often, leaves grass or cover crops between the rows and uses few chemicals. Many worms are taken as a sign of living, healthy soil.

Worms are part of the soil, and so part of terroir: the soil affects how the vine grows and what the wine is like. You cannot taste worms in wine, but their work shows in the vineyard.