Waiter, there is dirt in my wine!

How much dirt is in your wine?

They observed during the course of the growing season that, in almost all vineyards, there will inevitably be various human impacts to the soil — from tractors and other mechanical equipment making trips hither and yon, to vineyard workers who kick up dust as they walk through the vine rows tending to various tasks. Dirt flies everywhere.

The dirt and dust splayed into the air settles on grapes and stays there. “This doesn’t happen as much in France,” said Cordesse, “because there is usually an August rain that washes most of the dirt off the fruit.”