Like That Wine? You Might Thank an Earth Scientist

Cayuse makes one of my Top 5 Favorite wines, I'm ecstatic to learn that they've used science to help create their fabulous wines! Anytime my two loves - science and wine - are married, I'm a happy camper.

Like That Wine? You Might Thank an Earth Scientist
by Eli Chen
Oct. 02, 2013

There are few things that geologist Kevin Pogue loves more than gazing into a pit in the ground. Especially in Washington, where he lives, there’s a lot of “weird stuff” to discover: sedimental remains from a glacial event known as the Missoula Floods, which passed through the area roughly 15,000 years ago; fist-sized gravel, encrusted with white, powdery calcium carbonate; iron-rich, fractured basalt, cooled from lava flows; granite chunks that once cleaved to icebergs; and silt deposits from massive dust storms.

A typical geologist might use such expertise to monitor natural disasters or assist energy companies in scouting for valuable natural resources. Not Pogue—he uses his rock knowledge to help vintners find prime sites for grape growing. “If you have a piece of land in mind, Kevin can put you on the right direction and tell you if it’s too cold or if the soil’s too rich for growing high-quality grapes,” says Christophe Baron, owner of Cayuse Vineyards, located in Walla Walla, Washington.

As scientists like Pogue continue uncovering the complexities of terroir, one thing seems clear: Wine will keep getting better. “For thousands of years, people figured out good vineyard sites through trial and error, and it’s only recently that people began to think, let’s use everything we know about soil, geology, [and] climate to find the best spot to grow grapes,” says Pogue. “It’s an exciting new application of earth science. We’re only beginning to understand it.”