At left, Brian Pidduck ’97 and Pogue are accom- panied by an armed escort in a tribal area near the Indus river gorge in Paki- stan. At right, Liesl olson ’11 (left) and Erica Pitcavage ’11 (right) help set up temperature moni- tors in vineyards in the summer of 2010. Photos courtesy of Kevin Pogue information on our local bedrock type, soils and climate, and the My most recent research, with studentserica Pitcavage ’11 word “terroir” kept coming up in the resulting discussions. I soon andLiesl Olson ’11, has focused on variations in soil chemistry learned that terroir is a French word that refers to the character- between the Columbia Basin’s federally recognized American Vi- istics of a vineyard site that impart a unique sense of place to ticultural Areas and the geomorphic controls on temperature wine. A search for more information on the topic quickly led me variations in Washington’s premier vineyards. over the past sev- to a book simply titled “Terroir,” authored by retired petroleum eral years, I have also provided lectures and led field trips for the geologist James Wilson, that emphasizes the influence of geology Washington State Wine Commission, the Washington Associa- in the major wine-growing regions of France. tion of Wine Grape Growers, and the Enology and Viticulture In France and the rest of Europe, many hundreds of years of programs at Washington State university and Walla Walla Com- trial and error have allowed wine grapes to be matched with ter- munity College. Next spring, I’ll be teaching my Terroir class at roirs that encourage the best expressions of their varietal Whitman, which examines the concept from many different characteristics, like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundy and viewpoints, for the fourth time. Riesling in the Mosel Valley. However, I realized that in our own My relationship with wine critic David Schildknecht was ini- viticultural region, the Columbia Basin, the search for the best tiated by a phone call in December of 2011. He had just accepted terroirs was in its infancy and that scientific research could dra- the assignment to be the regular reviewer of the wines oforegon matically shortcut the trial-and-error approach. Existing Earth and Washington for The Wine Advocate, the publication of über- science databases on geology, soils and climate could be utilized critic Robert Parker. David called to tell me that he wanted to get to drastically restrict the areas under consideration for vineyards, a sense of the terroir of the different wine growing regions of the and there were unlimited opportunities for new research that Columbia Basin before he began conducting formal reviews of could generate information that would be a valuable resource to the wines. He said that his contacts in the wine industry had sug- guide the expansion of Columbia Basin vineyards. gested that a field trip in my company would be the best way to Recognizing that an ideal terroir laboratory was just a short get quickly up to speed on the local terroir. I enthusiastically distance from the Whitman campus, I made the decision to pur- agreed to David’s proposal for a two-day field trip, because I was sue research in terroir beginning in the summer of 2006. For my aware that David’s opinions would have a substantial influence first project, studentGreg Dering ’07 and I examined the inter- on the Washington Wine industry. action between landscape and air temperatures in the Walla The first day of our trip, in mid-March of this year, was spent Walla Valley. The following summer I teamed up with Bryn touring the top vineyards of the Wahluke Slope and yakima Val- Mawr professor and Whitman geology alumnusChris Oze ’97 ley. David was the perfect field trip student, constantly taking to direct six students in a Keck Geology Consortium summer re- notes while asking me to elaborate on the geologic history or the search project that focused on Walla Walla Valley terroir. My soil types that were unique to each vineyard. We spent most of terroir-related research was in full swing by the 2009 Annual the second day in the Walla Walla Valley, and ended the day at Meeting of the Geological Society of America in Portland. The my home, tasting through a selection of wines that were chosen theme of the meeting that year was “From Volcanoes to Vine- to highlight individual terroirs. It was interesting to watch David yards,” and it provided perfect opportunities for me to co-chair a at work, as he logged his impressions of each wine using a small terroir-themed session of talks and lead a field trip through the tape recorder. As he worked, I could only hope that in addition viticultural regions of the Columbia Basin. Since 2009, my re- to the nuances imparted by French oak barrels or extended mac- search has expanded into viticultural regions throughout the eration, he could also now recognize the influence of the basalt Northwest, and I presently maintain a network of more than 100 lava flows, cataclysmic ice-age floods and blinding dust storms temperature monitors. that are the foundation of Columbia Basin terroir. July 2012 13
Whitman Magazine July 2012
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