CLAM UP

27 May 2014 By David Fuhrmann-Lim

Oysters: more than just pearls and wine. The author writes about how oyster shells (yes, essentially garbage) works wonders for a vineyard’s soil.

Oysters, Wine, and an Ancient Tradition

By Aaron Pott

There are rituals that we do in the vineyard out of superstition, techniques that play to the spirit of the soil. These anachronistic techniques keep us rooted to the history of the vineyard and remind us that the true flavors of wine come from the earth.

When I worked in St. Emilion, France, I would take epic walks around the great vineyards trying to get a handle on what I thought were the factors that lead to their greatness. I gained a keen interest in soils and would spend whole days plodding around staring at the ground, until the locals thought that I was mad.

Read it at The Atlantic