THE FORCES
ASPECT
The Force
What is Aspect?
Aspect is the direction a vineyard faces. A vineyard may face north, south, east or west, and each direction receives a different amount of sunlight throughout the day.
Think of standing on a hillside. The direction you are looking is the vineyard's aspect.
Its parts
The four directions
Read here from the Southern Hemisphere. North and south reverse north of the equator; east and west do not.
North-facing
The sunniest aspect in the Southern Hemisphere. Warmth arrives early in the season and stays late, favouring full ripeness.
South-facing
The coolest and most shaded. Ripening runs slower, protecting acidity and delicacy in a warm region.
East-facing
Catches the gentle morning sun and dries the dew early, then falls into shade before the fiercest heat of the day.
West-facing
Takes the full weight of the afternoon sun at the hottest hour, building ripeness quickly and demanding careful timing.
Its consequence
Why does it matter?
Sunlight is one of the vine's greatest sources of energy. A vineyard that receives more sunlight will usually ripen its grapes more quickly, while one that receives less sunlight may ripen more slowly.
In the Southern Hemisphere, north-facing slopes receive the most sunlight. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is south-facing slopes that receive the most.
Winemakers often choose an aspect to suit the grape variety and the style of wine they want to produce.
The range
What does it do to the wine?
Aspect influences ripeness, freshness and flavour.
Cooler aspects
Fresher wines with brighter acidity and more delicate aromas.
Balanced aspects
Wines that combine richness with elegance.
Sunny aspects
Richer, riper wines with fuller fruit flavours.
Even two vineyards on the same hill can produce noticeably different wines simply because they face different directions.
A Force, not a choice
In the world of Aurenloch
Aspect is one of the Forces. It determines how the vineyard greets the sun each day, shaping the rhythm of ripening from the first light of morning to the last rays of evening.
Did you know?
A vineyard can be planted on the same soil, at the same altitude and with the same grape variety, yet produce a completely different wine simply because it faces a different direction. Sometimes, a turn of just a few degrees is enough to change the story in the glass.