Volcano Wines and Terroir: The Vineyards of Fire
Among the many gifts of volcanoes is one that may be unexpected: wine. Across the world, vineyards cling to volcanic slopes and grow in lava fields and ash, producing wines of remarkable character. From the flanks of Etna in Sicily to the black lava pits of Lanzarote and the basalt hills of Hungary, volcanic terroir gives these wines a distinctive quality that has made them prized by connoisseurs. Fire, it turns out, can be an excellent winemaker.
Why volcanic soils make great vineyards
Volcanic soils are often exceptionally well suited to growing vines. Rich in minerals and typically well-draining, they can stress the vines in just the right way to concentrate flavour in the grapes. Different volcanic soils, from weathered ash to crumbled lava and pumice, impart different characteristics, and many winemakers and drinkers believe these soils give volcanic wines a distinctive minerality.
Etna: vineyards on an active volcano
Mount Etna in Sicily is one of the most celebrated volcanic wine regions in the world. Vineyards climb the volcano's flanks, growing in soils built from centuries of lava and ash, some of them on terraces among old lava flows. The wines of Etna, made from local grape varieties, have earned international acclaim, and the vineyards thrive in the shadow of an active, frequently erupting volcano.
Lanzarote: vines in the lava
In the Canary Islands, the island of Lanzarote presents one of the most extraordinary viticultural landscapes anywhere. After eruptions buried much of the island in ash and lava, ingenious farmers planted vines in pits dug into the black volcanic ground, each sheltered by a low semicircular wall against the wind. The result is a surreal landscape of black craters dotted with green vines, producing distinctive wines from volcanic soil.
Santorini: ancient vines in volcanic ash
The Greek island of Santorini, the remnant of a great volcanic eruption, grows vines in its volcanic ash and pumice soils. To protect the vines from fierce winds, growers train them into low, basket-like coils close to the ground. These ancient methods, combined with the volcanic soil, produce crisp, mineral white wines that are among the most distinctive of the Mediterranean.
Volcanic wines around the world
Volcanic terroir is found in wine regions worldwide. The basalt hills of Hungary's Balaton region, the volcanic soils of Vesuvius and Campania in Italy, the slopes of volcanoes in the Canary Islands and the Azores, and volcanic areas in the Americas and beyond all produce wines shaped by their fiery foundations. Each reflects the unique character of its volcanic soil.
The character of volcanic wines
Wines grown in volcanic soils are often described as having a distinctive minerality, a freshness, and a sense of place that connoisseurs prize. While the science of how soil affects wine is complex and debated, the reputation of volcanic wines for character and quality has grown, and they have become a celebrated category among wine enthusiasts.
Living with the vine and the volcano
For the people who farm these volcanic vineyards, life is intertwined with the volcano. On Etna, eruptions can threaten the vines even as they renew the fertile soil, a reminder of the dual nature of living with an active volcano. The wines they produce are a testament to human ingenuity in turning the products of volcanism into something of great value and beauty.
Explore on the map
From the slopes of Etna to the lava pits of Lanzarote and the ash terraces of Santorini, volcanic wine regions are found wherever vines grow in the products of fire. Explore these volcanoes on the interactive map — filter by region to see the volcanoes whose soils give the world some of its most distinctive wines.