Winemakers have always strived to use the best ?terroir? or soil to grow the best wine producing vines. A number of wine farms are using earth closely connected to quarries to grow their grapes and it promises to be a winning combination. An example of the collaboration between quarries and vineyards can be found at the South African wine estate Glen Carlou in the Paarl Valley outside Cape Town.
The cellar produces award-winning wines derived from vines grown in the distinctive gravel soil of an old quarry. The Glen Carlou Stone Chardonnay derives its name from a vineyard planted in soils containing a generous percentage of quartz stone shards. The Gravel Quarry Cabernet Sauvignon is named after the characteristic quarry soil in which the vines are planted.
Another example can be found at the JA Clift quarries where the Mason?s Range of red wine is produced on the grounds of an existing quarry. Situated in the Western Cape, South Africa, the granite quarry has been in existence for over 90 years, mainly producing marble and granite products. Winemaker Derek Clift believes Mason’s wines are of award winning quality because of the rich soil available in the area, particularly the quarry.
The Australian Quarry Hill vineyard just outside Canberra is named after a section of the property that provided rock for the construction of the Barton Highway. Granite, quartz, limestone and shale are all featured on the property. According to the resident winemaker, the distinct advantage in Quarry Hill wines include the steep stepped terraces and the good drainage from the rocky soil.
These industries are perhaps different in the final product that they create. Perhaps not as compatible as love and marriage, but it seems that some of them have found a way to enjoy the best of both worlds.
Source: Glen Carlou, JA Clift, Quarry Hill