7. Rivers of Wine

Introduction. What a pleasant association of two of my favourite subjects. The two have been linked for millennia - famously by the Romans, who took grape vines with them as they sailed and conquered the great rivers of Europe. Dependence on rivers for wine making may seem as obvious as the growth of civilisation over the centuries, but there are many wine making areas not obviously reliant on a river flowing through them e.g. Coonawarra on the edge of a desert in South Australia. You may be able to make wine without a nearby river, but you can’t make wine without water (ask Jesus!). Soil and sunlight are the other essentials, with varying degrees of warmth, and relative stability of the climate. 

Without going into detail that I don’t fully understand,, the mystic properties of ‘terroir’ define the detailed and subtler aspects of viticulture - from the mass produced to great wines with their intricacies. The relationship between the ripening of the grapes and the prevailing terroir is more than simply the soil in which the vines stand. There are also agricultural, geological, climatic and human factors that shape the development of grapes. Rivers have a moderating effect on swings of temperature, helping to create the consistent conditions needed in wine making. In colder climes, rivers retain heat longer than soil: in hot climates they absorb and carry away heat. 

Like the River, Love the Wine. Selecting from many possibles, these are a few rivers contributing to some of my favourite wines.

1. Loire. “J’aime la Loire’. Running from the Massif Central to the Atlantic coast of Brittany, the Loire is France’s longest river. Generally, autumns and winters are mild; and summers hot and

   
   
   humid, but inevitably over the course of 600 miles there is a diversity of terroir contributing a huge range of wine types and quality. Towards the eastern course, south of Orléans, the sauvignon blanc wines of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé are world renowned. The mix of soil - clay and limestone - is called Kimmeridgian, and its formation goes back around 150 million years when France was covered by the sea. The lasting effect is a unique soil containing fossilised shells and sea creatures that contribute to the crisp and steely character of the wines. Pouilly Fumé is one of my favourite whites, but also I love the Muscadet that is produced nearer the sea, around Nantes.

2. Ebro. An earlier post (q.v.) was about the Tagus, Iberia’s longest river that flows west  to the sea at Lisbon. Further to the north, the Ebro is the peninsula’s second longest at nearly 600 miles, but flows from west to east, from high Portuguese border country to the sea at Barcelona. Describing a tortuous course through mountainous country south of Bilbao, the river soon reaches the large wine producing region of Rioja - some of the most fabulous wines in the world are produced here. Three sub-regions of Rioja - Alta, Alavesa and Baja - are at high but gradually decreasing altitudes, where the river and its tributaries moderate the challenges posed by low temperatures and heavy rainfall. In the west the cooling air of the Atlantic is influential, and the Mediterranean climate becomes more apparent in the eastern reaches of Rioja baja. 

3. Moselle (Mosel). The river is a west bank tributary of the mighty Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. It arises as the Moselle in the Vosges mountains of north eastern France, and serves as the border between Germany and Luxembourg, before heading east through the famous Mosel valley. The river meanders through the steep valley  - although about 80 miles as the crow flies, its course is around 150 miles.  Here, the spectacularly winding river does exert a major influence on the terroir, which in turn makes for some of the finest Riesling wines in the world. Despite its (relatively) northern location, the Mosel valley is one of the warmest areas of Germany. The looping expanses of the river reflect sunlight to the steeply terraced vineyards that grow on the slopes. This warming effect is vital for grape ripening at a steady pace. The best vineyards face south and capture more of the reflected sun.

4. Mendoza. Argentinian wines, particularly Malbec, have increased in popularity in the UK in recent years, and the country’s largest producing area is Mendoza province. In a period of rapid expansion at the turn of the 20th century, the region became the fifth largest wine growing region in the world, surpassing Chile as South America’s largest producer. The climate is continental with semi-arid desert and cool temperatures. The latter are consistent and allow for good growing conditions. Several rivers support wine growing in the Andes foothills and elevated plains but the eponymous Mendoza predominates, particularly after the confluence with its largest tributary the Tupungato.The Mendoza’s upper valley begins at 8,500 feet and is of glacial origin. It flows east and  then northwards. It does not reach the sea, but drains into a complex system as part of the river Desquadera in Bolivia and Peru. Such is the demand for water from the vineyards, the Mendoza and other rivers are supplemented by thousands of man made boreholes throughout the province.

Post script. Margaret River. A special mention for this short river at the western edge of Australia. Some of my favourite Australian wines come from the Margaret River area. Situated thousands of miles from the other 98% grown in eastern and south eastern states, they may produce only 2% of Australia’s total, but punch above their weight in comprising 20% of Oz premium wines. The river itself is only 40 miles long, arising at the desert edge inland from the hilly area of Whicher, and entering the Indian Ocean just a few miles west of the town Margaret River. I was lucky enough to go there - once. Cabernet Sauvignon reds and signature white blends Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc (SSB) are the best - IMHO....