Terroir

Sandy Soils: Sand, Phylloxera, and Ungrafted Vines (Colares & Sable de Camargue)

Wines of Portugal notes that phylloxera cannot survive in sand, which is why Colares vines are still planted ungrafted on their own roots.

Most observations of how soil affects phylloxera, an aphid that feeds on plant roots and devastated vineyards at the end of the 19th century, focus on the ratio of sand to clay. Oregon State University Extension reports that phylloxera does not cause economic damage in soils with a medium to fine sand content of more than 65 percent. In Colares, which the IVV places near Lisbon between the Serra de Sintra and the Atlantic, Wines of Portugal notes that vines are planted ungrafted on their own roots deep into the sand, and the EU single document for the Sable de Camargue AOP on the Rhône delta states that its vineyard soils are made up of at least 80% sand.

What It Is: Sandy Soil Composition and Characteristics

Observations of soil and phylloxera, a risk review by Agriculture Victoria Research hosted by Wine Australia notes, focus mostly on texture, particularly the ratio of sand to clay. The Sable de Camargue appellation text describes its vineyard soils as very homogeneous, practically free of clay and loam, and made up of at least 80% sand. The same text notes a high mineralisation rate and a high degree of leaching in these sandy soils, and their susceptibility to wind erosion. In Colares, GuildSomm describes golden beach sand with poor water-holding capacity, devoid of humus, worms, and other living organisms, lying over clay and limestone soils where the vines root and absorb nutrients.

Sable de Camargue: soils practically free of clay and loam and made up of at least 80% sand (EU single document, 2023)
Sable de Camargue: the appellation text cites a high mineralisation rate and high leaching in its sandy soils, and requires organic fertilisation at least by digging in the residues of cover vegetation
Colares: GuildSomm describes the sand as having poor water-holding capacity and being devoid of humus, worms, and other living organisms
Colares: the DOC specification permits vineyards on sandy 'chão de areia' soils and/or on brown calcareous 'chão rijo' soils of marls or similar materials

Key Facts

Oregon State University Extension: phylloxera does not cause economic damage in soils with a medium to fine sand content of more than 65 percent, while fine-texture soils such as clay are generally more favorable to it
Washington State University's phylloxera risk map rates sand content above 80% as low risk, 65 to 80% as moderate risk, and below 65% as high risk
The Colares DOC specification (IVV) credits deep clay soils covered by sand for sparing Colares vineyards from the phylloxera that devastated vineyards at the end of the 19th century
Colares vines on sand are planted by the traditional practice of setting an own-rooted cane into the layer beneath the sand; GuildSomm reports growers dig away 1 to 4 meters of sand to reach clay-limestone soil
The Colares DOC specification allows vineyards on sandy 'chão de areia' soils and/or on 'chão rijo', brown calcareous soils of marls or similar materials
Sable de Camargue was first an IGP and has been an AOP for still gris and gris de gris wines since October 2023, according to the INAO
Sable de Camargue vines grow only on sandy and limestone soils of the Rhône delta that are practically free of clay and loam and made up of at least 80% sand, at an average of 1 m above sea level

How Sandy Terroirs Form: Geology and Maritime Influence

The Colares DOC lies near Lisbon, between the Serra de Sintra and the Atlantic Ocean, and its specification describes a climate of marked Atlantic maritime influence. Its delimited area covers the parishes of Colares, São Martinho, and São João das Lampas in the municipality of Sintra. The IVV attributes the particular character of its vineyards to the nearness of the sea, the influence of maritime winds, and deep clay soils covered by sand. The Sable de Camargue soils were formed from sediments carried by the river, the sea, and the wind, on the Rhône delta and its associated coastal belt. Its vineyards sit at an average of 1 m above sea level among coastal lagoons and salt marshes, supplied with fresh water by a groundwater layer a few centimetres thick that is kept in hydrostatic balance with the sea, the lagoons, and a network of channels called roubines.

Colares specification: the unique characteristics of Colares wine are attributed to its grape varieties, its soils, and a temperate climate that is humid in summer
GuildSomm describes Colares as having an extreme maritime climate, with average humidity never below 78% and an average of 86% in August
Sable de Camargue: the roubines let growers manage both the level and the salinity of the groundwater layer
Sable de Camargue rules prohibit substantial changes to the water circulation system, because protecting the vineyard from the surrounding salinity is essential for its survival

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Effect on Wine: Aromatics, Acidity, and Mineral Character

The appellation texts link specific wine traits to sand and sea. For Sable de Camargue, the EU single document states that the sandy and limestone soils give grapes a slightly pink, bluish-grey colour and low anthocyanin potential, and that maritime conditions during ripening produce high levels of malic and lactic acid in the grapes. The wines show a pale salmon colour, softness, roundness, freshness, and notes of iodine attributed to the maritime influence, with mineral notes emerging in the finish. For Colares, the DOC specification describes Ramisco reds as ruby and astringent, softening with age as they take on a brownish tone, and Malvasia whites as citrine and quite fruity. Wines of Portugal describes Ramisco wines as having hard tannins and high acidity and, if well made, being capable of long ageing in bottle. GuildSomm reports that Colares wines often hover around 12% ABV and that salt (NaCl) in Colares white wines surpasses 100 milligrams per liter.

Sable de Camargue gris de gris wines are made solely from Grenache Gris and are paler, with subtler, more delicate aromas
Sable de Camargue: after fermentation, the relatively high level of lactic acid gives the wines freshness and roundness, per the EU single document
Ramisco (Colares): GuildSomm compares its structure to Barolo, with high acidity and high tannin but lower alcohol
Malvasia de Colares: GuildSomm notes high acidity, low alcohol, citrus flavors, and briny, saline notes

Where You'll Find It: Colares and Sable de Camargue

Colares is one of nine denominations of origin in Portugal's Lisboa wine region, and Wines of Portugal describes it as planted with Ramisco by the sea on very loose sandy soils. GuildSomm (2024) reports that Colares covered 1,800 planted hectares at its 1930s peak, fell to 12 hectares by 1999, and has since expanded to 18 hectares; the Adega Regional de Colares cooperative was established in 1931. Wines of Portugal attributes the shrinking vineyard land to the fact that far more money is to be made near Lisbon from building villas than from growing vines. Sable de Camargue is a French AOP whose area covers 14 coastal municipalities in the Hérault, Gard, and Bouches-du-Rhône departments. The INAO notes that Benedictine monks of the Abbaye de Psalmody, near Aigues-Mortes, were already producing wine from vines grown on the region's sand in the 7th century.

Colares DOC area: the parishes of Colares, São Martinho, and São João das Lampas, in the municipality of Sintra
Colares maximum yields: 55 hl/ha for reds and 70 hl/ha for whites
Sable de Camargue AOP: 14 coastal municipalities across Hérault, Gard, and Bouches-du-Rhône; maximum yield 90 hl/ha
Sable de Camargue: the INAO states that herbicides are banned across the whole soil surface and that 95% of the vineyard is organic, in organic conversion, or certified High Environmental Value (HVE)

The Science Behind Phylloxera Resistance in Sandy Soils

The Agriculture Victoria Research review of phylloxera risk hosted by Wine Australia cites vineyard surveys in South Africa in which phylloxera predominated in soils with less than 65% sand content, and reports from Canadian and Californian vineyards that the insect is more common on clay soils than on loam and sandy-loam soils. Oregon State University Extension adds a mechanism: heavier soils contract and crack when drying, and these openings allow the insect to crawl to and infest root systems. Washington State University's risk map treats sand content as the most important risk factor for phylloxera survival, moderated by soil temperature. Other soil properties also play a part: the same review notes that in Austrian vineyards soil pH, carbonate content, organic carbon, and texture act in combination on phylloxera abundance, and the Washington map still rates sand contents between 65 and 80% as moderate risk.

South Africa: phylloxera predominated in soils with less than 65% sand content (De Klerk, 1972, cited in the Agriculture Victoria Research review)
Oregon State University Extension: in California, France, and South Africa, susceptibility to damage decreases as the proportion of fine and medium sand in the soil increases
Agriculture Victoria Research review: one study (Ermolaev, 1990) suggests the amount of silicon in sandy soil may be an important factor in reducing phylloxera abundance
Washington State University: average soil temperatures below 65 or above 84 degrees F rate as low risk, and 65 to 84 degrees F as high risk

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Production Rules: Colares and Sable de Camargue

In Colares, the DOC specification requires vineyards on chão de areia to follow the traditional practice of setting the own-rooted cane into the layer beneath the sand, and requires low training, with the lowest wire no higher than 30 cm where wires are used. GuildSomm describes the work: growers dig away 1 to 4 meters of sand to reach the clay-limestone soil, plant own-rooted vines there, and gradually put the sand back as the vines grow. Colares reds may be sold only after at least 18 months in vessel followed by 6 months in bottle, and whites after 6 months in vessel followed by 3 months in bottle. In the Camargue, the rules require managed plant cover between at least every other row, at least during vine dormancy, to combat wind erosion, and the vines are trained in Gobelet or Cordon de Royat at a minimum density of 4,000 vines per hectare.

Colares: musts need a minimum natural potential alcohol of 9.5% vol, and the wines a minimum alcohol of 10% vol
Colares: GuildSomm states that Ramisco and Malvasia de Colares must represent 80% of the blend of DOC wines
Colares: GuildSomm reports that most producers release Ramisco reds after four to seven years
Sable de Camargue: gris wines come from Grenache Gris, Grenache, or a blend of listed varieties; gris de gris wines come solely from Grenache Gris

Sources and last verified

Primary sources: https://www.ivv.gov.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/DO_Colares.pdf, https://www.ivv.gov.pt/regioes-vitivinicolas/mapa-das-regioes/lisboa/, https://winesofportugal.com/en/portuguese-wines/grape-varieties/ramisco/, https://winesofportugal.com/en/discover/wine-regions/lisboa/, https://www.inao.gouv.fr/produit/sable-de-camargue-gris-de-gris-17935, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52023XC0525(02), https://wine.wsu.edu/extension/pest-management/phylloxera/, https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/extd8/files/documents/ec1463.pdf, https://www.wineaustralia.com/getmedia/d0278bb1-a3dc-415a-9bd4-53fbe9fc47ef/20180115-DEP1301-A-Scientific-Basis-for-Risk-Analysis-of-Grape-phylloxera. Last verified 2026-09-28

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Flavor Profile

Colares Ramisco reds are ruby and astringent in youth, with hard tannins and high acidity, softening with age as they take on a brownish tone. Colares Malvasia whites are citrine and fruity, with high acidity, citrus, and briny, saline notes. Sable de Camargue gris and gris de gris wines are pale salmon, soft, round, and fresh, with white fruit, citrus, exotic fruit, or red fruit, notes of iodine, and mineral notes in the finish.

Food Pairings

Colares Ramisco with grilled sardines, salt cod (bacalhau), and aged Serra da Estrela cheese, for terroir-authentic Atlantic coast pairingsColares Malvasia white with raw oysters, clams, and seafood rice, for salinity-to-salinity resonanceCamargue Gris or Gris de Gris with Camargue-style rice dishes, grilled sea bass, and Mediterranean seafood plattersCamargue Gris with tapenade, marinated anchovies, and fresh chèvre, where light acidity and salinity amplify briny, tangy flavorsAged Colares Ramisco with game birds, lamb chops with herbs, and aged hard cheeses to complement its earthy, tannic structure

How to Say It

Colareskoh-LAH-resh

Sable de CamargueSAH-bluh duh kah-MARG

chao de areiaSHOWN duh ah-RAY-ah

chao rijoSHOWN REE-zhoo

Serra de SintraSEH-rah duh SEEN-trah

Ramiscorah-MEES-koo

Malvasia de Colaresmal-vah-ZEE-ah duh koh-LAH-resh

Grenache Grisgreh-NASH GREE

Exam Study NotesWSET / CMS

Oregon State University Extension: phylloxera does not cause economic damage in soils with a medium to fine sand content of more than 65 percent; fine-texture soils such as clay are generally more favorable to it, and heavier soils crack when drying, letting the insect reach roots.
Colares DOC (Lisboa, Portugal) lies between the Serra de Sintra and the Atlantic; the IVV specification credits deep clay soils covered by sand for sparing its vineyards from late-19th-century phylloxera, and vines on sand are planted from own-rooted canes.
Colares ageing minimums: reds 18 months in vessel followed by 6 months in bottle; whites 6 months in vessel followed by 3 months in bottle.
Sable de Camargue AOP (since October 2023, previously IGP): still gris and gris de gris wines only; gris de gris is made solely from Grenache Gris; 14 coastal municipalities in Hérault, Gard, and Bouches-du-Rhône.
Sable de Camargue soils are at least 80% sand and practically free of clay and loam, at an average of 1 m above sea level; channels called roubines manage the level and salinity of a thin freshwater groundwater layer.

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