What the heck does terroir mean?

Terroir: the most widely, and misunderstood term in the wine trade.



What is terroir? There's an incredibly high likelihood you've heard the term if you've ever visited a winery; it's a word that's often thrown around listlessly. So, if it's a word that's so important, integral and key to the winemaking trade, why is it so misunderstood?

A simple, and quick answer - there is no direct translation for it in the English vernacular. Catchy, and kitschy marketing ploys, have made basic, and elemental attempts, relegating it to being just about the dirt of a wine region. Yet, it's so much more than just the soil the vines grow in. A memorable quote from the movie Sideways, expands and alludes upon just how much more terroir is about:

"…I like to think about the life of wine…How it’s a living thing. I like to think about what was going on the year the grapes were growing; how the sun was shining; if it rained. I like to think about all the people who tended and picked the grapes. And if it’s an old wine, how many of them must be dead by now."



Despite there being no direct translation for the term in English, various incarnations of the term exist in other wine producing regions. Jamie Goode touches on this in his most recent edition of "The Science of Wine":

"In Spanish, it's referred to as 'terruño,' with additional nuances: the land a man belongs to, not the land that belongs to a man. It describes a man's bond with the land where he was born."

Terroir then, can be defined as a culmination of a multitude of factors - the soil, the climate, the geography, the topography, the winemaking practices, the viticultural approaches, and the humans behind it all. Terroir is an expression of place. It gives us a brief glimpse back in time - a snapshot as to what was happening in a particular vintage.



All these elements combined, significantly impact the finished product - the wine. This makes each region, no matter the size, incredibly unique in its own right. It gives us a greater appreciation, and humbles us, when we think about all the different components that can and do have influence, whether good or bad.

What was happening in the year of your 2008 Merlot? Did it rain? Was it sunny? Was it windy? Was there smoke? Why does wine taste so different year over year from the same place? Terroir interprets the subtle annual variations, helping us to see that wine is so much more than just grapes fermented into alcohol. It reminds us that wine should be esteemed as alive and evolving, instead of an end product of homogeneity.



Next time you purchase a bottle of wine, do a little research on where the wine came from - what does the vineyard look like? Who tends to the vines? What is the climate of that region? This subtle shift in perspective, will give you so much more appreciation, and respect, for what is in the bottle you're about to enjoy.

Cheers!

Wine Print

Laura Milnes is a Kelowna native and local wine professional, operating her own wine and hospitality consulting company. Laura is WSET certified, and continually expands her wine knowledge through education, research and travel. You can find Laura hosting wine related pop up events, and consulting with wineries throughout the Okanagan with a focus on wine education and training. The rare time Laura is not reading about, or tasting wine, you can find her travelling with her partner, cooking or doing DIY projects for her home. To learn more about wine check out her Instagram page @silkandcoupe.