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Soil type

Besides climate and grape variety, one of the most important factors influencing wine quality. The different soil types have developed over millions of years through physical and chemical weathering of rocks and through humification of organic matter. In physical weathering, natural forces such as wind, water, heat, cold and frost initially cause the mechanical disintegration of the rock formations into clods and gravel. Strong temperature opposites, friction and shear forces as well as frost blasting by frozen water play an important role in this process. Chemical weathering processes such as oxidation, dissolution processes and acid attacks attack the mineral lattice structure of the rocks. In the process, easily water-soluble minerals such as carbonates (inorganic salts and organic esters of carbonic acid) and sulphates are dissolved first, and the rock slowly decomposes into grit, sand, silt or clay. Every rock, even the hardest granite or quartz will eventually decompose to dust, even if it takes many millions of years.

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Roman Horvath MW

wein.plus is a handy, efficient guide to a quick overview of the colourful world of wines, winegrowers and grape varieties. In Wine lexicon, the most comprehensive of its kind in the world, you will find around 26,000 keywords on the subject of grape varieties, wineries, wine-growing regions and much more.

Roman Horvath MW
Domäne Wachau (Wachau)

The world's largest Lexicon of wine terms.

26,079 Keywords · 46,829 Synonyms · 5,323 Translations · 31,413 Pronunciations · 186,885 Cross-references
made with by our author Norbert F. J. Tischelmayer. About the Lexicon

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