Liquid Love Letter: Volcanic Wines

Cathy

There is something extreme, and extremely compelling, about volcanic wine.

Volcanic wines are exactly how they sound: Their grapes are grown in terroir that’s been shaped by - or in some cases, sits on the slopes of - the world’s volcanos, including Mt Etna in Sicily (arguably the most famous volcanic terroir), the island of Santorini in Greece, and Lanzarote Island in the volcanic archipelago of the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain.

Tasting through wines from these locations means you’re tasting through unique geologies, and very distinctive soils.

Yet there’s quite a lot more than “simply” the exotic that inspires me to pour a volcanic wine in my glass. Volcanic wines can also be grown on soils whose volcanoes went extinct millions of years ago. Did you know that you can taste “volcanic wines” from such far-closer-to-home locations like the Willamette Valley in Oregon, and the Napa Valley and Lake County in California? They “count,” too.

Matthew’s up next with a boots-on-the-ground report from his perch this week in Mt Etna and Italy’s Campania region, but here’s a key feature to keep in mind about volcanic wines: Their soils are porous (which makes sense when you imagine ash and cooled lava rock). Porous soils lead to good drainage in the vineyard, which lead to lovely flavor and texture compounds developing in the grapes.

From there, it’s a short step to an exceptional experience in your glass. Enjoy!

Matthew

I woke up to this mountain, aka volcano, but it's not erupting today.

Here on Sicily the north star of excitement is Mt. Etna. Americans are obsessed with this active volcano, as it's constantly lighting up the skies and moving lava down the mountain.

AND THE WINES.

A few days ago I visited Campania for the first time, seeing vineyards of Greco, Fiano, and Falanghina as well as Agliancio. I had been drinking and selling these incredible wines for my entire career so it was quite special to arrive in the region for the first time.

The weather was relatively warm, but it gets a lot of rain in the area and the humidity is quite high. You wouldn't expect whites of such elegance, sapidity, and high acidity but that's exactly what the terroir grants to the wines.

Here on Sicily, it's magical getting to visit the special contrades de Etna. These distinct areas, 133 in all, are on a horseshoe like concourse around the base of Mt. Etna and each gives distinct character to the wines. Carricante & Nerello Mascalese are the Queen and King, grown among the lava stones which are natural enigmas. The stones are used for architecture in the vineyards to build terrace walls, and also in local homes. The beauty cannot be overstated.

Many locales around the world grow wines in volcanic soils, often on islands, but also in areas where there was once much volcanic activity. I've always been one to seek these wines out, as they have an austerity and minerality that I find quite interesting.

Howell Mountain, Diamond Mountain & Stags Leap District in Napa Valley, Canary Islands, Soave, Beaujolais, Lazio, The Azores, Willamette Valley, Campania, Mt. Etna, Maderia, Somló, and many more.

Keep your eye out for wines from these regions, and consider purchasing a copy of Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit and Power by John Szabo.