Why the best vineyards are located on a (side of a) hill

We briefly touched on it in my previous blog post about terroir, but today we're going a little deeper, or rather, a little higher. Have you ever wondered why winegrowers in regions like Piedmont or Alsace are willing to break their backs on steep slopes, when they could easily harvest on the flats?

The answer is actually quite simple: the location of a vineyard determines whether a wine is "okay" or potentially world-class. I'll explain it as simply as possible. So, let's take a look at factors like exposure, slope, and where the best sunlight hits.

1. Slope: No wet feet, maximum sun

A hill has two advantages for a wine grower:

• Drainage: This may sound counterintuitive, but grapevines thrive under stress. On a slope, rainwater drains downhill quite quickly. The vine must therefore root deeply to find water, which increases the mineral content and concentration of the grapes.

• Sun angle: In cooler regions (such as Alsace or Germany ), the sun is often low in the sky. If a vineyard is situated on a slope, the grapes absorb more of the sun's rays. Just like with a solar panel: a tilted panel on your roof captures much more energy than one lying flat on the ground.

2. Exhibition

This also answers the question about Barbera in Alba and Asti. "Exposure" is simply a difficult word for: "Which direction does the hill face?" In the Northern Hemisphere, a southerly exposure is the holy grail. That's where the sun shines longest and brightest. This is precisely why you want a house with a south-facing garden, even though you can achieve a lot with a north-facing garden with a few mirrors and white walls. Anyway, my garden aside.

A good example of this is the battle between the two Barbera areas:

• Barbera d'Asti : In Asti, the Barbera grape is the absolute king of the region. It's given the very best spots on the southern slopes. The result? A ripe, full-bodied, and powerful wine that has received all the love from the sun.

• Barbera d'Alba : In Alba, Barbera must acknowledge its superiority to Nebbiolo (before Barolo and Barbaresco). Nebbiolo therefore gets prime real estate in the south. Barbera must make do with the cooler northern or eastern slopes. As a result, Barbera d'Alba is often somewhat fresher, tighter, and has a bit more acidity than its brother from Asti.

The same grape, but a completely different profile due to a few degrees of rotation relative to the sun! And this despite the locations being less than 20 kilometers apart.

3. Rivers: Mirrors of Nature (Alsace & Palatinate)

Why do you see so many top vineyards in regions like Alsace (France) and the Palatinate (Germany) around rivers like the Rhine? It's no coincidence. Rivers act as natural climate control:

1. Light reflection: The water reflects sun rays back into the vineyard. Extra free sunlight!

2. Heat buffer: Water retains heat longer than land. In autumn, the river radiates heat, giving the grapes that extra boost they need to ripen perfectly before winter sets in.

3. Frost protection: Running water provides air circulation, which helps keep night frost away from the young buds in spring.

How do you choose the right location on Perfectewijn.nl?

From now on, when you look at a wine, pay attention to its provenance. A wine from a cool climate region that still has 14% alcohol? Chances are it's been baking on a perfect south-facing slope.

Want to taste the difference for yourself? Try ordering a Barbera d'Asti and a Barbera d'Alba side by side. By tasting the differences, you'll also more easily identify your flavor preferences based on regions and subregions.