Volcanic Wines

The wine world is extremely susceptible to trends, some of them superficial and transitory, others more radical and long-lived. Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between a temporary buzz or a well-grounded tendency. Volcanic wines – that is, wines made of grapes growing in soils composed of volcanic material – have been a hot topic for some years now. There is something alluring to the idea of dangerous lava and ash-spitting mountains giving birth to excellent wines.  But what are volcanic wines and will the growing interest in them continue to erupt or slowly burn out?

Volcanic soils are found in many places around the globe: Nahe in Germany, Santorini in Greece, Tenerife in Spain, Somlo in Hungary, Veneto in Italy and Oregon in the U.S. are just a few examples. In many of these areas, winemaking has been practised since far back in history, but the fame of the wines has been fluctuating. Today, in many volcanic areas, winemaking is seeing a revival and the international interest is growing. So what are volcanic wines like? Talking about the character of volcanic wines from such different climatic zones would be a big generalization, however, there seem to be some common traits to wines from lava and magma soils. According to Master in Wine John Szabo, author of the book Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit and Power published in 2016, there are some hallmarks for volcanic soils: they all tend to bring a strong sapidity to wines, and they contain a broader range of minerals compared to, for instance, calcareous or clayish soils. In volcanic soils, we find a great amount of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. The particular soil characteristics give the wines minerality and flintiness, earthy and smoky flavours and a sharp acidity which enables longevity.  Szabo also talks about a tension coming from the magnetic energy fields surrounding the volcanoes, a vibration that is almost perceptible in the wine. Whether this presence of energy is a geological fact or rather a product of our imagination, it for sure adds to the already romantic image of volcanic wines.

“The soil surrounding volcanoes is very rich in nutrients and perfect for growing many sorts of vegetables. The Romans used to call the Southern Italian area nearby the volcano Vesuvius Campania Felix, literally meaning happy countryside, referring to its rich and fertile soil.”

Volcanoes have been a part of folklore in most cultures since ancient times. Many legends thought eruptions to be provoked by gods or other supernatural causes. Although science has since altered this view, volcanoes continue to intrigue people. The danger and power surrounding volcanoes is most probably a contributing factor for their attraction. But Szabo says that although ”humankind since the dawn of time has been attracted to volcanoes, it’s not for the thrill of putting one’s life in peril, but rather the magical things that happen around them”. So, what is happening around them? Well, the soil surrounding volcanoes is very rich in nutrients and perfect for growing many sorts of vegetables. The Romans used to call the Southern Italian area nearby the volcano Vesuvius Campania Felix, literally meaning happy countryside, referring to its rich and fertile soil. Volcanoes are, therefore, symbols not only for danger and unstoppable natural forces but also for rebirth and fertility. Szabo writes: “Volcanism’s almighty dark side hides an essentially constructive purpose: the constant renewal of the earth and a rebalancing of the internal forces that make our planet a liveable habitat.”

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Suggestive and different, volcanic wines tick many of the boxes for what is considered attractive in a wine today:

• Uniqueness. Uniqueness and authenticity have been some of the main qualities driving consumers during the last years. It’s not easy to stand out in the wine world of today. This is probably one reason why indigenous and rare grape varieties are seeing a comeback – and volcanic soil hosts many of them. Not everything can grow in the volcanic soils composed by lava, pumice, ash, and basalt, for instance, the Phylloxera-disease that destroyed most of Europe´s vineyards during the late 19th century, cannot.  Therefore, many indigenous and non-grafted grape varieties have been preserved and continuously grown in volcanic areas. These rare and native grapes stand out on an increasingly homogenized wine market. As Szabo claims “…I’d like to share my belief that volcanic wines represent a worthy collection of highly distinctive, individual expressions – stubborn holdouts in a world of merging flavours”.

• Terroir. It has been the buzzword in the wine world for many years. More and more people look for wines that distinguish themselves, that express origin and taste of place as opposed to mass-produced flavour profiles. This is, of course, connected to the quest for uniqueness mentioned above.  Wine lovers want wines that are deeply rooted in the soil and that express the typicity of that soil. Volcanic wines have it. Although the styles vary, wines from volcanic areas tend to have that tanginess, zestiness, energy and minerality that reveal their special birthplace and its conditions.

• Freshness. Consumer trends in the wine world are moving towards less alcohol and sugar. People want refreshing and easy-to-drink-wines that still have complexity.  Many of the vineyards in volcanic areas are placed on high altitudes (such as on the Canary Islands or Mount Etna) which give fresh breezes and good variations in day-night temperatures. This leads to both higher acidity and complexity in the grapes. The porosity of volcanic soils stores water which gives freshness and volcanic soils are often low in potassium, which helps to increase acidity in grapes. These conditions create wines with less fruit-forwardness, more savouriness and brightness, minerality, spiciness and sometimes a touch of umami – fresh, food-friendly and versatile wines that fit today’s drinking preferences.

• History and mysticism. Storytelling is everything in this day and age. We buy just as much into a good story as a good product. There needs to be something about the place, the context or the history that draws our attention. Volcanic wines have it: the ancient soil created by former volcanic eruptions, the old and ungrafted vines and indigenous grape varieties and the often long history of grape growing traditions. Add to that the attraction of folklore, old myths and legends combined with the impressive natural forces of volcanoes.

• Appeal to different groups. A general tendency is to drink less but better – people want niche wines with high quality. Although perhaps not in the range of everyone’s taste, wines from volcanic areas may appeal to the person searching for something different and funky as well as the collector hunting for prestigious wines to store in the cellar. On Mount Etna winemakers are racing to buy a piece of land, and top producers such as Gaja initiating winemaking are pushing the prices up. The concept of contradas, a sort of cru-system, on Sicily expresses a will to compete with top-wines of Piedmont or Burgundy. And why shouldn’t they?

“To sum up, volcanic wines have it all. Personality, complexity, beauty and elegance, an air of mystique and fierce strength. Bright acidity and lightness to satisfy current wine trends while at the same time being sexy, intriguing and age-worthy.”

To sum up, volcanic wines have it all. Personality, complexity, beauty and elegance, an air of mystique and fierce strength. Bright acidity and lightness to satisfy current wine trends while at the same time being sexy, intriguing and age-worthy. They often derive from beautiful places, where wine has been made for ages, and where rare grapes still grow. They bring us the charm of folklore and myth combined with impressive geological conditions. Their beauty is not of a fading or shallow kind, but of that kind that is a result of uniqueness and history. They are beautiful on the inside as well as the outside, and other wines should envy them. Volcanic wines have a lot to say: they tell a story about the past, but they also write the story of the future.

Read more about volcanic areas on the Volcanic Wines International Website.

References:

Euromonitor (2018)

Angus, A. (2018). Top 10 global consumer trends for 2018. Retrieved at: http://go.euromonitor.com/white-paper-economies-consumers-2018-global-consumer-trends- EN.html

Szabo, J.  (2016).  Volcanic wines – salt, grit and power. Jacqui Small Llp.

About the author

Sara Emilia Nässén

She’s worked as a university librarian in Sweden and Italy. Recently, she decided to turn her passion for wine into a profession, and in 2018, she earned a Master’s degree in Wine Culture, Communication and Management at the University of Gastronomic Sciences. Writing, art, music, culture and nature are close to her heart and she loves to find areas where they meet and interact. To her, the world of wine is a place for this.