🪨 Soil drainage

Soil drainage is the ability of the ground to let extra water move down instead of standing in puddles. For a vineyard it is an important property of the soil. If water stays, the vine roots lack air and may rot.

Gravel, granite, sandy and stony soils drain well. Water leaves fast, and the vine grows under tougher conditions. Roots reach deep for moisture, and the berries become smaller and more concentrated. Heavy clay soils hold water longer: vines there can be more vigorous, with more leaves and fruit.

Drainage is not simply good or bad. In rainy areas it keeps vines from sitting wet, while in hot dry areas it can be too strong. So growers consider drainage when they choose a site and a variety. It remains one part of the idea of soil and terroir. A vine needs moisture but not standing water, so drainage is a question of balance.