The French term “Terroir” seems to be one of the most hotly debated terms amongst wine writers and wine makers that I have seen in recent memory. For example, I conducted a wine tasting event featuring an iconic wine maker from Washington State. The term terroir came up and basically he declared it a lot of nonsense, saying that where the grapes are planted have no bearing on the wine itself. One might agree with him based on his credentials alone. However, I disagreed bringing up the whites of Chablis and their obvious minerality due to the fossilized seashells in the soil from which the vines grow. I stumped him for a minute, but he recovered and held his ground. This illustrates the differing opinions on a very simple word.
In a nutshell, terroir is French for soil or as we would say, dirt. We have a word that is very close to this, territory. We call the dirt we own or land our territory. Basically what that simple French word is telling us is that the dirt the vines grow in shapes the flavor of the grapes that eventually make up the wine that is bottled and sold. In a blind tasting of chardonnay, it is not hard to pick out a wine from Chablis with it’s intense, chalky, seashell minerality that comes from the dirt that the vines are planted in. The vines suck the nutrients from the dirt, and feed those nutrients to the grapes and the grapes in turn pass on the flavors to the consumer. It is really that simple. However, as with any subject there are debaters. Heaven forbid we keep it simple, why not complicate it, mystify it and make it something that only the wine experts can understand and explain.
The first layer of complexity began when “Terroir” came to include not just the dirt, but everything that influences the dirt such as exposure, climate, amount of precipitation, subsoil, slope, drainage, elevation and temperature. Great! Now you have to be a chemist or geologist to understand the word terroir. To make it even more complicated, some have even added the human element to the word, suggesting that the style of the wine maker influences the understanding of terroir. Another words, if a wine maker uses heavy amounts of oak, or limits yields on the vines etcetera, etcetera, this will shape the interpretation of the terroir for that wine. So the once simple term dirt, has taken on a new meaning that has inspired article after article on the subject.
One article that prompted me to make this a matter of discussion on my blog was written by a respected wine critic for the magazine Wine Spectator, James Laube. I have the highest regard for Mr. Laube, finding his articles well written and thoughtful. I also enjoy his wine reviews and agree for the most part with his wine assessments. However, his recent article on terroir bordered on ridiculous when it comes to complicating this very simple term. The only statement that had clarity was about a third of the way through the article where he, speaking of the Burgundians writes…”They too have terroir in so far as certain vineyards or appellations where grapes are grown impart a unique quality that is specific to that site or region.” Really James? He writes an entire article on terroir convoluting the term so badly I even begin to doubt my knowledge on the subject only to capsulize the real meaning of the word in the quote above. Yes, it’s the dirt that matters.
The k.i.s.s. method (This stands for, keep it simple stupid) is one of the hardest things for wine writers to do. We want to mystify and complicate some of the most basic concepts. Perhaps it is a way to lift ourselves up above the rest, or maybe it is the only way we can fill a three-thousand word assignment. Who knows. That is not to say there are not some complex subjects on wine. I think it would be safe to say that one could write volumes on what makes certain dirt the way it is. As a wine geek I find it fascinating to examine the elements that affect the conditions of the soil where a vineyard is. That does not however change the fact that it is simply the dirt from which the vines grow that gives the wine the unique characteristics that we may like or disdain. Let’s illustrate it this way. You are working out at the fitness center with a friend when a muscled individual walks in the door. You both observe him and one says to the other, “That guy lifts a lot of weights”! You both agree on this assessment and get back to your work-out. You do not get into a big discussion on genetics and work-out methods because the simple fact is to get a body like that, one must lift weights.
Graves (Haut-Brion), Pomerol (Petrus), Haut-Medoc (Lafite-Rothschild), Cote-d’Or (DRC), Chablis (Favre), Red Mountain (Cadence), Walla Walla (PepperBridge), Napa Valley (Harlan), and the list goes on and on of wines that reflect the soil from which they came. We might find ourselves saying that we like Red Mountain reds from Washington State, or we prefer Willamette Valley pinot noir over pinot from Burgundy. It could be that we prefer chardonnay out of Napa Valley over the mineral driven bracing chardonnay of Chablis. Why? Because we like the territory the wine is grown in, the terroir, the dirt! A wine maker from Napa may attempt to make a chardonnay in the style of Chablis, but without the soil to grow the grapes in their attempt will fall short. One of the most telling examples is sauvignon blanc. New Zealand pumps out some terrific sauvignon blanc there is no doubt about it. The Loire Valley in France is responsible for some of the greatest sauvignon blanc ever produced. Can California or Washington produce the same type of sauvignon blanc? I have only tasted one that came even close. Why is that? Terroir, plain and simple…. It’s the dirt.
I am one hundred percent sure that some will read this article and think me an idiot for simplifying such a complex issue. Don’t let them fool you. The French have long understood the word for dirt and they live by it, to the extent of even regulating which grapes can be grown in certain dirt. They realize that certain varieties respond to certain nutrients in the earth in a classic way and as a result we get outstanding wines. You may not like French wines and that is just fine. But if you want to understand terroir better, consume a Bordeaux, Chablis, Sancerrre or a pinot noir from Burgundy and you will begin to understand how dirt can effect the juice in the bottle.
Yes, I understand that many elements over time have a lot to do with the type of dirt in certain areas of the world. I also know that a wine maker can mask the elements of the dirt that the grapes can reflect through certain methods in the wine making process. This is well and good, but it does not change the meaning of the word terroir. Let’s break it down one more time… The French word terroir means soil, the soil (dirt) affects the grape, which in turn affects the flavor of the wine. Simply put, it’s about the dirt. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man