Where in the wine world are we? Red earth edition

mystery0228.jpg

This was sent in from a reader (identity to be revealed later, with gratitude). Where in the wine world was he with that red earth?

Hit the comments with your thoughts. And send in a photo from your travels if you think you can stump us!

UPDATE: Here’s the commentary from Beijing Boyce: “China has something like 500 wineries spread throughout the country, from the far north to the deep south. The winery pictured is in a province famed for its red soil, its consistent climate, and for its long history of growing grapes from vines originated in France…In December, I visited Yunnan Wine Company in southwest China (considered the site of “Shangri La” by some).”

Check out Jim “Beijing” Boyce’s group blog, Grape Wall of China–for the latest news and humor from this fast-growing wine market. Thanks for the photo, Jim!

21 Responses to “Where in the wine world are we? Red earth edition”


  1. Hmmm, the color reminds me of my time in Kenya but not really a big wine producing region. On the other hand, I have seen earth in Virginia that has the same color. This is a tough one. The water tower in the background looks like one near my sister’s place in West Yorkshire but it’s definitely not there! So, let’s go for Chile.


  2. Given the data-time stamp of the photo, the green of grass and the fact that Argentina is known for red soil, I have to guess Argentina.


  3. Red Soil – Coonawarra


  4. Australia, Heathcote perhaps?


  5. wild and improbably guess: Dundee Hills, Oregon?


  6. I wanna say india. Considering the western coast of India has the red earth and also is growing wine region.


  7. There’s some good deductive logic going on here!

    As a hint, check out the date stamp for the season, the RED earth, and the dreadful tower…


  8. plenty of clay and water towers in North Carolina


  9. Israel?


  10. Given the date, I wonder if the vines would look as bare in the Southern hemisphere. Something tells me “no,” as the Northern hemisphere growing season is roughly 7 months long (March thru September), so the Southern growing season is probably similar, overlapping a bit in September and March. So that limits us to half the world; not Australia, South Africa, or South America.

    Now, noting the lack of snow on the ground, we can eliminate the northernmost parts of the Northern hemisphere’s growing region; we’re likely not in Champagne, Washington state, New York, or even as far south as Virginia. The water tower is shaped kind of like the ones I’ve seen in Georgia and North Carolina, so I kind of wonder if we’re there. What’s someplace a wine enthusiast would visit in those states? All I can think of is the Biltmore estate, in North Carolina.

    So there’s my guess.


  11. Pomerol


  12. As a grower, those funky wooden crossarms were the first head scratcher for me. Those things make me thing 3rd world. Also who the heck would till the soil that much in the middle of winter? I’ll have to say somewhere in the southeast US?


  13. South Africa! I can taste that red soil in their wines!


  14. I agree that the barrenness of the vines means northern hemisphere, and while I know that there wasn’t really snow in VA then, the trees are all wrong for it to be in VA (or NC if I had to guess). I’ll guess Georgia or perhaps even west Texas.


  15. Wow, this has turned out to be a really tough one!! So far I’ve learned that North Carolina has red soil and that I’d be interested in checking out a vineyard shot from there.

    But so far nobody is even close on this one! Good deduction on the northern hemisphere but so far the right country has not come up yet.

    RED is a hint since it has to do with more than the just the soil…


  16. Okay, you gave it away now.

    Guangxi Province, China


  17. The red soil region of Southern China?
    Kathleen Lisson


  18. Missourri and adjacent states have soil of this color.


  19. …And we’re live with the answer! Congrats to Richard and Kathleen who were able to get the country after an emphasis on the political coloring…


  20. Darn, I was convinced it was Greenbay, WI


  21. Gotto be Northern Hemesphire or id swear it was South Australia. Can I be crazy and suggest India?


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