Wine snobs love to talk about a wine’s terroir, a French word that has no direct translation. To French wine snobs, it is meant to suggest not only the ground where the wine is grown (from the Latin terra), but also the more holistic notion of its total growing environment. In other words, the soil characteristics, topography and weather can affect a wine’s distinct flavor.
American wine snobs just like to say the word because it sounds really snobby.
The idea of terroir, however, helps to explain why the French typically use the region where the wine is produced in its labeling and marketing. So, for example, they have Bordeaux and Burgundy wines in France, but in the U.S. we speak more about the wine’s varietal (e.g., it’s a pinot noir, not a Willamette).
It is undeniably true that the soil and climate where the grapes are grown affect the wine that comes from those grapes. There is much debate in the wine world about the effect on wines of different climates, and why, for example, there are good wines produced in such disparate places as Texas and New York (and not so good in, say, Oklahoma).
In cooler climates, grapes typically contain less sugar and more acidity. In warmer climates, grapes have higher sugar levels – which can result in higher levels of alcohol and fruitier wines.
And there is no doubt that weather plays a crucial role in determining the best time to harvest the grapes. The goal is for the grapes to have the proper balance of sugar and acids at the time of harvesting. Heavy rain can fill otherwise good grapes with water and ruin that balance, and prolonged heat can cause the grapes to ripen too quickly, leaving the winemaker at the mercy of the elements when it comes to scheduling their harvest.
So yes, the terroir matters. Just make sure you pronounce it correctly (tehr-WAAR) in polite company.
Cheers!
-Submitted by Bill Good
(Image credit: Pixabay.com and Vinepair.com)