But, what exactly is Terroir?
One of the many beauties of cultivating wine is that no two winemaking regions are the same. In fact, the differences between two vineyards in the closest of proximity to one another can be staggering. And why is this the case? Well it’s simple, it’s called terroir, darling. It’s terroir that makes every wine unique.
Come along as we share a brief introduction to a very popular term in the wine world.
A brief definition of terroir
Terroir (pronounced teuh- waa) is a French term derived from the French word terre which means earth. And as the widely used wine term we’ve come to know today, terroir broadly represents “a sense of place”.
A visit to Wikipedia and the definition expands to describe the “environmental factors that affect a crop's phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop's specific growth habitat.”
Simple definitions of terroir as it pertains to winemaking, embrace the idea of a vineyard’s soil and climate contribute greatly to the characteristics of a wine, such as its acidity, colour, etc. And it's widely accepted among wine aficionados that certain elements contribute most: Soil composition, climate and topography.
What are the elements that make up terroir?
Soil composition
Responsible for supporting, providing the necessary nutrients and maintaining adequate access to water to the vines, the type of soil used can have a profound effect on the flavour of a wine. Perhaps unexpectedly, soils used in grape cultivation are not suitable for most all other types of agriculture.
Sun shines brightly on soil and vines in autumn
Vines can be grown in a wide variety of soils, including sand (Barolo in Italy, Medoc region of Bordeaux), chalk (Burgundy whites), clay (Pomerol in Bordeaux), pebbles and even rocks (Châteauneuf-du-Pape in southern France) – with dozens of combinations in between. In addition to the nutrients within, the soil’s job is to provide vital drainage, to accommodate some vines that enjoy extra moisture and others who dislike having “wet feet”. The colour of the soil also plays a role, as it affects the soil type’s ability to absorb or reflect the sun’s heat.
Combine all of these factors and create a distinctive foundation from which the vines can grow, contributing further to a wine’s unique terroir.
Fun fact: sandy soil vineyards tend to produce drier, more elegant wines, while clay-based soils usually produce more bold and more structured wines.
Climate
While soil and its composition are key factors in terroir, there’s no denying that the role climate plays, which includes considerations for factors like rainfall, humidity, wind, frost, hail and sun exposure, in the development of a wine.
Vineyard scene complete with views of stormy clouds, the ocean and mountains
Sun exposure, a significant climate factor is measured by temperature. Climates are commonly classified as cool, moderate, warm or hot. In warmer regions, due to their grapes’ sun exposure, grapes produced here have higher levels of sugar and wines of subsequently higher alcohol content. Whereas in cooler, more moderate regions, produce grapes lower in sugar levels while retaining their acidity, resulting in dry and refreshing wines.
Rain is also essential to vine growth – however too much can cause disease and other issues. For instance, if a considerable rainfall happens just before harvest, this will likely cause the grapes to swell and dilute flavours. Another example of winemakers working with rain is some will hire helicopters to fly low over their vineyard after a rainfall to push the water off the grapes. A common school of thought amongst wine experts is that grapes make better wine if they struggle, suggesting that less water means more concentrated flavour.
While a region with strong winds can slow the maturation of a grape, which is not always a bad thing, but a factor that will affect the outcome of the wine. Another benefit of wind is it gives higher acidity to wines and can reduce the presence of disease. For example, wines of Southern France are shaped by something called the mistral, a wind that blows from northern and northwestern France to the southeast, traversing the Rhône valley on its way to the Mediterranean. It is said that due to its dehumidifying effects, the mistral can reduce or prevent the development of fungus, mildew and the like, reducing the number of chemical spraying required and making it easier to grow organically.
The climate of a region is generally determined by geographical location, although smaller sub-regions and even individual vineyards can experience their own microclimates, which result in particularly unique wines. For example, Napa has half of every soil type in the world, and is known to have fog in some regions like Russian River Valley, famous for their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The presence of fog affects the wine by blocking morning sun helps grapes to retain acidity. Acid balances sugar and gives age-ability, beneficial in super hot regions like California which would otherwise produce high sugar wines. In the Old World, the chalky soils of Champagne and Chablis are pretty famous, while in the left bank of Bordeaux, a former sea marshland until the Dutch built it up with gravel and sand in the 1600s, produces world famous Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, wines who love gravel and sand respectively.
All of these factors that make up climate, a key element of terroir, should be considered over a long period of time, not just specific conditions affecting a particular vintage. In doing so, the observer will be granted a more accurate picture of a particular wine's terroir.
Topography
Since there’s more to the location of a vineyard than its position on a map, topography is more encompassing as it takes into account other key metrics like slope, altitude and nearby physical features, which all have a notable impact on terroir.
For instance, steeper slopes offer vines better drainage and may get stronger sunlight, while its aspect will affect just how much sunlight vines receive. At higher altitudes, chillier nights can be expected which may result in more elegant, age-worthy wines.
And nearby physical features such as lakes and mountains can also play a part in the final characteristics of the wine produced by these vines. Lakes and other large bodies of water keep the area warmer in winter and cooler in summer, while mountain ranges can offer protection against elements such as wind, all of which providing a moderating influence on the final product.
Examples of the terroir out in the world
Appellation d'origine controlee (AOC) is a set of regulations created to ensure specific goods with a strong sense of terroir were protected in the marketplace for producers and consumers alike. We have the AOC to thank for why Comté cheese can only be made in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France (to very specific standards), and perhaps more famously, why champagne can only be made in the Champagne region of France, with all other bubbly consider “sparkling wine”.
Traditionally, the labels of old world wines (France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Portugal), displayed regions or vineyards versus the grape varietal, with the assumption the consumer will already know the characteristics of that grape varietal grown in that region.
Single-origin chocolates also boast their region’s terroir, as a product of its soil, air, aromas and flavours of its land of origin. Take the chocolate from the Dominican Republic, known for its hints of traditional chocolate flavour, cinnamon, cloves and tropical red fruit.
Top left: Comté Cheese, Top Right: Old World wine label
Bottom left: glasses of Champagne, Bottom right: single origin Dominican chocolate tablet
We hope in our introduction to terroir we’ve helped convey that it’s because of its nuanced nature and the great number of the variables that affect it, that terroir’s influence on winemaking and the final flavour profile of wine is so undeniable.