At Welgegund we are blessed with a unique fingerprint of terroir, ideally suited to creating wines which are complex, intense and a true reflection of their birthplace. Less fertile soil and relatively harsher environmental conditions stress vines. Counterintuitively, stressed vines of certain varietals become stronger and producer fewer berries.

Our soils are ancient, decomposed granite, largely composed of quartz and feldspar, with minor components of mica and other minerals. Over time, as granite is exposed, the micas weather first and then the feldspars, both changing chemically into finer clay minerals which settle lower down the soil profile. The quartz crystals are left in loose aggregation and remain visible at the top of the soil profile. This weathering process creates exceptionally desirable soil characteristics, with well-draining loose upper soil particles that stress vines and force the root structures to grow deep into the subsoil of clay minerals to access water during the growing season. The gravel texture of our topsoil absorbs heat and reflects it onto the vines at night when temperatures are cooler and the deep clay subsoil retains water which hard-working vines can access in dry times.