Santa Margherita

"Good wine is made in the vineyard" is an old adage. And, in effect, no person, machine or additive can produce a wine that is better than the quality of the grapes that have been harvested. Wine, then, is produced out in the countryside, even before it reaches the cellar. A fundamental role is played by the “terroir”, as the French call it, a term that they have exported worldwide. The terroir is a combination of factors - geographical, climatic, geological and biological (the grape variety) - which is unique and unrepeatable. So, before getting to know a wine, it is important to know its roots.

The lower the latitude the higher you have to climb
You have to know, for example, that all the main vine-growing regions in the world are in countries which lie between latitudes 30° and 50°; the temperate zones. The next point to consider is the ideal height above sea-level for growing vines and this is closely related to the latitude. As a general rule, the lower the latitude the higher the altitude. The great vineyards of Burgundy, for example, lie no more than 50-60 meters above sea level, whereas in Chile, in an area much nearer the equator, the best results are obtained at 600 meters above sea level.

Sun and rain, in the right proportions
In order to bring the grapes to the right degree of ripeness, the vine needs a temperate climate, with a spread of temperatures during the year between 10° C and 30° C (this is ideal for photosynthesis). It also needs sunshine (1,300-1,500 hours a year on average) and water (650-700 millimeters of rain during the course of the year). It is obviously preferable that climatic factors are evenly distributed throughout the year, in order to give constant ripening, without sudden hot spells. Likewise with rain: ideally it should come in winter and spring, or at least not during flowering or during the grape harvest.

Terrain or terroir
In fact, the two terms are not at all synonymous, as terroir is a much broader and complex concept than just the terrain, or soil.
By terroir one means the combination of soil and meso-climatic conditions which, interacting with a specific grape variety, give a particular and distinctive character to the wine obtained therefrom.
This definition, which forms the basis for the Italian system of denominations of origin – and even more so for the French AOCs – originates from the conviction of the particular influence that the place of origin exerts on the wines produced there, provided that viticultural and enological operations have been carried out with a view to extracting the maximum potential from the grapes. Genius loci or sense of place may be considered to be synonyms of terroir: both terms that underline n intimate link with the area of origin.
Various elements are encompassed by this definition, such as:
- the composition and structure of the soil, particularly with regard to drainage;
- the position of the vineyard in terms of altitude, exposure and incline, and the influence of specific elements such as lakes, rivers, the sea, mountains, etc.;
- the climatic conditions (those of the area) and the meso-climatic ones (specific to that particular vineyard), such as hours of sunlight, average day- and nighttime temperatures, distribution and quantity of rainfall and ventilation;
- the variety or varieties cultivated, also in terms of clonesand rootstocks;
- vineyard practices, such as the training and pruning systems, use of fertlilizers, etc..