What On Earth Is...TERROIR?

What On Earth Is...TERROIR?
The Schoonmaker Encyclopedia of Wine, 1955 Edition:
Terrior (tear-wahr) means earth or soil in French. Certain wines have a persistent earthy flavor, called goût de terroir [taste of terroir]. Superior wines rarely if ever have any of this.
1988 Edition:
In addition to meaning earth or soil, terroir is also now being used to describe not only the soil but rather the entire climatic conditions of a vineyard [usually associated with superior wines].


Terrior in Virginia
So TERROIR has two meanings, an ominous earthy flavor (a little can be an asset), or it can refer to the total natural physical environment of a winegrowing area, usually as an indication of superiority.

Now to the second meaning of TERROIR. The French created it, and here is how a French vintner describes it in The Vintner's Art by ]ohnson and Halliday:

"Terroir looks at all of the natural conditions which influence the biology of the vinestock and thus the composition of the grape itself. It is the coming together of the climate, the soil and the landscape. It is the combination of an infinite number of factors: hours of sunlight, slope and drainage, rainfall distribution, etc."
—Bruno Prats

The jury is still out on the importance of terroir in new world wine regions. However, as the previous section indicates, the French have bet the farm on playing-up terroir as a key element of their marketing strategies. A recent advertising campaign aimed at strengthening the brand that is “Bordeaux” demonstrates how important terroir is at creating differentiation and subsequently, perceived cachet, which in turn translates into consumer dollars.


Character, which is defined by Terrior.
Quality, which is defined by winemaking.
Personality, which is defined by weather (not climate).

So what does this all mean? The modern winemaker has proven that grapes can be grown just about anywhere and wine of respectable quality can usually be produced from those grapes. Witness the dramatic improvement in quality across the globe as a result of better viticulture and vinification techniques. Truly, winemaking has a strong hand in defining the quality of the wine we drink.

Why the distinction between weather and climate? Climate is the long-term averages of weather conditions in a particular region, whereas weather is the day-to-day fluctuations of those climatic averages. Weather can destroy a vintage or create the “vintage of the century,” but climate determines which grapes can be grown to maximum success in a particular region. The uniqueness of a wine’s personality from year-to-year is defined by weather, not climate.

How does character differ from personality? Character runs deep, which evokes the perfect image of the role of terroir in the making of fine wine. Personality connotes mood, which varies from moment to moment, like the effect of weather on a particular wine vintage. Character is the set of distinguishing attributes that mark the essential differences between wines made around the world. Character is like the value systems that we learn from our parents, unique lessons taught over a lifetime that create the individuals that we are. terroir is that set of elements that craft the character of wine, creating the truly distinguishing features that define the differences


Cheers from Veramar Vineyard
Jim Bogaty