I have recently read a number of articles about volcanic wines, wines made from grapes grown on the very diverse volcanic soil. And naturally since California has the most vineyards planted in volcanic soil in the U.S., volcanic wines are of interest. While Europe’s volcano activity dates back eight million years with some activity as recent as 17,000 years ago, California’s volcanic activity started two million years ago with the most recent being 10,000 years ago. Nevertheless, volcanic soil, resulting from the pyroclastic lava, ash and igneous rock contains volcanic glass, minerals such as basalt and feldspar, and high amounts of iron, magnesium, calcium and potassium making it a highly fertile soil. However, the harsh climates and terrain often associated with volcanic soil locations coupled with the soil’s fertility provide ideal terroir of certain grapes. Here’s a little quiz to learn more.
—CL Keedy, Co-Chair Wine Education Committee