THE FORCES
RAINFALL
The Force
What is Rainfall?
Rainfall is the amount of rain that falls in a vineyard throughout the year. Some regions receive plenty of rain, while others rely on very little.
Just as important as how much rain falls is when it falls.
Its parts
What rainfall is made of
Volume
The total water a vineyard receives across the year. It sets the baseline the vine must work with, before anything else is decided.
Timing
When the rain arrives matters as much as how much of it there is. The same total, delivered in a different month, makes a different wine.
Winter rain
Rain in the dormant season replenishes the soil and fills the reserves the vine will draw on through summer. Quiet work, done long before harvest.
Harvest rain
Rain just before picking can swell the berries, dilute flavour and invite rot. The most anxious water of the year.
Its consequence
Why does it matter?
Water is essential for vines to grow, but too much or too little can change the quality of the grapes. A vine with the right amount of water grows healthy leaves and produces balanced fruit.
Too much rain can dilute flavours and increase the risk of disease, while too little rain can stress the vine and reduce the size of the grapes.
The range
What does it do to the wine?
Rainfall influences the concentration, freshness and balance of a wine.
Low
Smaller grapes with more concentrated flavours and deeper colour.
Moderate
Balanced wines with good freshness and complexity.
High
Lighter wines with softer flavours, where the vines receive more water than they need.
The timing of rainfall matters as much as the amount.
When it falls
The same rain, different seasons
Winter rain
- Replenishes the soil for the season ahead
- Fills the reserves the vine draws on in summer
- Arrives while the vine is dormant, and costs nothing
Rain before harvest
- Affects the ripeness and quality of the grapes
- Can swell berries and thin the flavour
- Raises the risk of rot in the final days
A force, not a choice
In the world of Aurenloch
Rainfall is one of the Forces. It cannot be controlled, only respected.
Every season brings a different amount of rain, making every vintage a unique expression of nature.
Did you know?
Many of the world's finest wine regions have naturally dry summers. This encourages the vines to work harder, producing fewer grapes with more concentrated flavours.