Alongside climate and grape variety, this is one of the most important factors influencing wine quality. The different types of soil have formed over millions of years through the physical and chemical weathering of rocks and the humification of organic matter. During physical weathering over extremely long periods of time, natural forces such as wind, water, heat, cold and frost initially cause the mechanical crushing of the rock formations into boulders and gravel. Strong temperature contrasts, frictional and shear forces as well as frost blasting by frozen water play a decisive role here.
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