🪨 Marl

Marl is a soil made of a mix of clay and lime (calcium carbonate). It is dense, fairly cool and holds moisture. The name comes from geology: marl formed from the sediments of ancient seas. Such soil is interesting for vineyards. Lime gives wines fresh acidity and a "mineral" character, while clay holds water and nutrients in a dry summer. On marl the vine grows calmly, the berries ripen slowly, and the wine is often full and structured. In rainy years, however, the soil gets very soggy, so good drainage is needed. A special kind of marl is Kimmeridgian marl. It is named after the village of Kimmeridge in England and is known in France in the Chablis area. It is on this soil that Chardonnay grows for the famous white wines of Chablis with notes of lemon and stone. Marl is found in Burgundy, in the Loire valley, in Champagne and in other places. It is one of the soil types, alongside limestone, clay and schist.