Wine and Water, a special link

The association between wine and water is crucial and undeniable. Water has played a critical role in wine history and geography. It has modeled wine regions across the Old World and influenced the style of wine we consume today.

Water remains a fundamental element in viticulture from ancient times to the current challenges posed by climate change. But there are two unknown subjects about water, commercial roads and thermal regulations.

Wine is intrinsically linked to communication roads. The success and reputation of a wine region depends on its ability to export wine to other regions or other countries. You can think that this mercantile consideration is very modern, you would be mistaken.

From the very beginning of wine history, the only way to move large quantities of wine was by sea and by river. Exporting wine incentivized the production of higher quality wine, as it brought wealth, reputation, and power. Regions without access to waterways—whether rivers, lakes, or seas—faced significant challenges in establishing the reputation of their wines. Consequently, some of their vineyards eventually disappeared.

Waterways have played a crucial role in the history of wine from its very early stages. Archaeologists discovered an almost 4,000-year-old clay tablet in Syria, near the Euphrates River, which complained about the poor quality of wine from actual Armenia. This ancient find highlights that international wine trade by boat existed as far back as 4,000 years ago, facilitated by these vital waterways.

The ancient world is rich with mythology about the spread of wine. One of the most famous figures is the Greek god Dionysus, who is credited with teaching the art of vine cultivation across the world. And The Greeks applied this principle. They played a crucial role in introducing viticulture to France, particularly in present-day Marseille, as well as to Spain.

From Marseille, the practice of vine cultivation spread further across the Rhône River and then the Saône River. Rivers and seas played a key role in the spread of viticulture in the Old World. When considering Europe’s major wine regions, most are intrinsically linked to waterways or ports: the Rioja and the Ebro Valley, the Douro Valley, the Loire Valley, Bordeaux with the Garonne, Gironde, and Dordogne rivers, as well as its port, and the Mosel Valley traversing France, Luxembourg, and Germany.

These vineyards are renowned not only for their exceptional terroirs and the quality of their wines but also for their proximity to waterways, whether ports on the sea or navigable rivers. Ability to export wine, sometimes over great distances, made viticulture more beneficial than other crops, supplying a strong stimulus for producing higher-quality wines. Throughout history, rivers and seas have been instrumental in shaping the major wine regions of the Old World.

Vineyards lacking access to a waterway, river, or seaport have mostly not survived. They were often replaced by other crops due to economic reasons. Those that did endure typically only distributed their wine locally, remaining largely confidential outside their direct area.

During the Middle Ages, much of Europe was covered by vineyards. The Church played a significant role in wine production to meet liturgical needs. However, after the 15th century, the vineyard landscape of Europe began to resemble what we have today. Vineyards in regions without economic roads started to diminish, and with the crises of the 18th century, including climate challenges and the phylloxera crisis, only a few survived.

But waterways play another role in viticulture. Rivers, lakes, and seas do not only play an economic role but are crucial in viticulture geography.

Vineyards located near water benefit from the thermal regulation they provide. During hot summer weather, water bodies help to cool temperatures, particularly at night. This large daily temperature variation is vital for grape ripeness. Consider regions like Bordeaux or Catalonia in Spain, they to the Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean Sea, water helps to moderate summer temperatures, enhancing the quality of the grapes.

Thermal regulation also extends to freezing temperatures. In the spring, as vines awaken from their winter dormancy and buds begin to appear, bodies of water such as lakes, seas, and, to a lesser extent, rivers, can prevent frost from damaging the vegetation by maintaining warmer temperatures.

The best example is the Valais in Switzerland, where most vineyards are located near Lake Neuchâtel or Lake Geneva. These lakes offer a small but real protection against frost, creating a favorable microclimate. This allows three southern grape varieties—Gamay, Merlot, and Syrah—to thrive in Switzerland, benefiting from the unique climatic conditions provided by the lakes.

Communication routes and thermal regulation are two significant effects that water has on the world of wine. I could have also discussed how water shapes ideal landscapes for vineyards or the role of hydric stress in concentrating grape flavors. However, these two factors provide key insights into how European vineyards, from Bordeaux to Armenia, were installed.

While water is no longer a primary means of transporting wine, except for transatlantic trade, its historical influence remains undeniable. In the Old World, rivers and seas shaped many of the wine appellations we know today.

Water also plays a crucial role in creating the microclimates that define many vineyards. Together, these factors are essential for comprehending the geography of wine.