🪨 Gravel

Gravel is a spread of small stones left by a river or glacier. In a vineyard it is coarse sand with pebbles, often with shingle. Such soil is light, warm and lets water through well.

Gravel stores heat by day and gives it back at night. This helps berries ripen, especially in cool years. Rainwater drains deep quickly, the vine does not stand in water, and roots must go deep for moisture. The vine grows on poor soil and gives few berries, but good ones.

Gravel drains the soil well. It often lies next to alluvium, river deposits. Gravel sites are famous in Bordeaux: on the left bank of the Gironde, in Médoc and Graves, the best Cabernet Sauvignon sites are on gravel. In Châteauneuf-du-Pape rounded stones play the same role.

Gravel is among the soils growers love. Wine from gravel is usually structured and elegant.