famous soils from a rugged terrain

The Soil

The Mount Benson vineyards are planted on gently undulating terrain ranging from five to 50 metres above sea level and attracted the interest of viticulturalists due to prevalent loam-based terra rossa soils that sit atop free-draining limestone, which formed over millions of years while the region was underwater.  Shells and skeletal remains of marine animals deposited on the shallow sands of what is now the Limestone Coast, and under the ocean’s weight these remains fused together to eventually form a layer of soft limestone. 
Terra rossa soil, arguably the most famous vineyard soil in Australia, is produced as the limestone weathers and the clay contained in the rocks is left behind.  Where this clay sits above the water table oxidation occurs, forming rust and giving the soil is characteristic red colour.