Grapevines grow in many different soils and topography. And each growing area has its own unique characteristics which have a significant impact on the character of the grapes and the wine that is made from them. But few grape-growing environments are as dynamic, complex, and varied as volcanic areas.

Volcanic soils begin as super-heated magna churning deep within the earth that rises, bursts through the surface, and explodes into the atmosphere, forming cones of lava that eventually cool.

Over hundreds, thousands, and millions of years, the lava dries, cracks, and gradually breaks down to rocks, gravel, and eventually sand-like particles. Due to this coarse gravelly consistency, phylloxera aphids are not able to tunnel down to the roots, so it is not unusual to find extremely old un-grafted vines in volcanic soils.

But not all volcanic areas are created equal: Some volcanic cones are extremely high, having spewed layers of lava for millennia while others are mostly under water. Some volcanoes are active, periodically erupting, and spewing lava flows. Some are dormant — sleeping but could wake up at any moment — while others are extinct. Some ancient extinct volcanoes resemble docile hills, having been gradually eroded over time. But the volcanic material remains very much present in the earth. 

Best of all, each of these unique volcanic environments has a huge impact on the intrepid grapes that grow there, which are then transformed into wines that express their dynamic home.

In this class, we will explore a variety of compelling examples of volcanic viniculture; we’ll discuss the stories and people behind them, and the heroic grape varieties that call these areas home. Most importantly, we’ll have a rare opportunity to taste and compare these superb volcanic wines side by side.

May the Volcano be with you!