...

“Terroir is the voice of experience in agriculture”
HUGH JOHNSON – THE WORLD ATLAS OF WINE

Since I was raised in Belgium and brought up in the French culture, I was exposed to the concept of Terroir from a very early age.  For us, the word immediately evoked the pleasant scents and aromas of the countryside and a picnic in the forest with a basket full of goodies!  It came thus to me as a surprise to realize how misinterpreted this term had become in the Anglo-Saxon translation. 

There is in fact quite a controversy about the true meaning of Terroir and even a debate about its reality and existence.  It is sometimes suggested that it is a self-serving phony supposition on the part of the French to promote their wines… 

To me this is a complete misunderstanding.  First of all, in France the notion of Terroir is not confined to wine. It has a much wider meaning than it has in the English tongue. The word Terroir comes from the root-word “terre”, which means earth and also The Earth.  Far from being restricted to wine soil, it refers to all forms of agriculture.  It is described as a combination of specific geography, human talent and a long cultural tradition.   

You will find the “Produits du Terroir” in every local food and gourmet shop, including the boutiques in the rest areas along the highways, and you will find there products reflecting some re-known produces of a specific area, as diverse as fruits, nuts, cheese, pâté, ham, foie-gras and of course wines.  In this sense, Terroir really is an intrinsic part of the French agricultural heritage and linked with Culture, History and folklore.

Tara at the Prieuré d'Orsan

Country Gardens

French Market

In a secondary meaning, more commonly adopted by the Anglo-Saxons, the term is used to describe the soil that produces a specific wine and an element which could represent a key factor to the inherent quality of the wine. And this is where the debate intensifies and can easily turn into an Old World versus New World wine-growing argument… 

An Old World or a New World of Wine? 

“In the slowly evolving world of traditional agriculture, the value of every individual plot of land was learned by trial and error, generation after generation, by the farmers whose very subsistence depended on their ability to evaluate what crops to plant and how to tend them. Vines were given the stony slopes where other crops struggled or failed.  Vines struggled too, at first; but it didn’t take long to discover that once established in stony ground their grapes grew riper and their wine stronger than the produce of more fertile fields. Vineyards took their shape and their value from their soils, their slopes, shelter from bad weather, these are all the factors that contribute to make up their individual Terroir.”

HUGH JOHNSON – Opus cit.

Jars of samples of soil in Pomerol 

Vegetable cultivation in the Loire Valley 

Model Vegetable and Fruit Garden in Orsan

In recent years, this Old World Terroir based view has been repeatedly challenged by New World wine specialists. (It was Hugh Johnson who coined the terms Old World vs. New World thirty years ago)*. The most significant shift in wine philosophy was the emphasis on grape variety as the traceable origin of the style of most wines.  Terroir was held by modernists to be no more than French hocus-pocus essentially meaning old French vineyards.  

Although some still hold that view, the majority today has realized that the land has peculiarities, beyond how much water you give it, that will determine the character of the wine.  In other words, the soil is alive and gives a specific individuality to the vines.  And after all, Terroir is not limited to France or the Old World! 

*As an example of the radical difference that existed between the two schools, the University of California at Davis in its advice to wine-growers on what vines to plant used only one yardstick: local temperature. Not one single reference was made to the soil or the roots of the plants.  

Chalky hills of Champagne

Vineyards of Barolo

Stellenbosch Vineyards in South Africa

 It is remarkable however to observe how the two philosophies of wine making in the Old and New Worlds do match the overall way of life, general attitude and values of the two cultures.  

In the Old World, nature is considered as a force you should not try to coerce or bend.  You cannot tamper too much with the fruits of the soil. The finest wine-maker can only do his/her best to prevent interference from the elements and help nature to put its best nectar in the glass.  Nature is the wine-maker. In fact, the French language has no word for “wine-maker”; instead they use the word: “vigneron” which means literally “vine-grower”! French Oenologist Alain Moueix has turned the viticultural techniques of his estates to full biodynamic organic cultivation methods, in a further effort to respect the integrity of nature. 

The New World producer, in comparison, is more “Dyonisiac” in his/her approach and will not hesitate to impart bolder flavors and plenty of oak scents to the wine. The final difference between the two can be summed up succinctly:  

The Old World growing style emphasizes more subtle flavors, and favors elegance and tradition over power and strength. The result is an integrated, harmonious wine.

The New World growing style imparts bolder flavors, bigger tastes for unabashed pleasure and higher fruit and alcohol contents.  The result is a lavish, bold wine. Both styles have a good appeal and attract many fans. 

A Word from Science: Geology’s Viewpoint! 

“Only the Vine reveals to us the real taste of the Earth”
COLETTE

ISBN 0-520-21936-8             

Geological map of France     

 Now, as far as the reality of the Terroir factor is concerned, a surprising boost to the theory has recently come from the scientific world. 

James E. Wilson, a highly respected geologist from Texas A&M University and former Vice president for Exploration and Production at Shell Oil, firmly believes that Terroir is the key to understanding why fine wines are produced where they are.  And according to Wilson, central to the Terroir concept is geology.  It can’t be mere coincidence that France, the world’s greatest and most diverse wine country, has within its boundaries an underlying geology so unique as to include every period of rock formation on earth! 

In a fascinating in depth-study which is the result of years of meticulous research, the geologist reveals the essential relationship between rocks and grapes. Natural history and social history are woven into a compelling tale of how geology influences the quality of wine.  James E. Wilson’s almost unparalleled research has resulted in a book that we warmly recommend to wine enthusiasts and professionals alike. 

A couple of years later, another masterpiece of geologic research culminated in a remarkable study and book from Jacques Fanet, geologist from the University of Paris Sorbonne, Oenologist and Assistant Director of the INAO.  His book has been jointly published by the Regents of the Universities of California, and Hachette in Paris.  The studies here also encompass some Terroirs of Argentina, South Africa, Australia, California, Spain and Italy. The conclusions are exactly the same: the soil is a primary key factor in influencing the quality and character of wines.   And nowhere do we have a richer and more diversified expression of the soil’s richness than in the Terroirs of France. 

Conclusion: The Soul of the Vine 

So, let’s conclude by saying that Terroir is a unique term for the subtle interactions of natural factors and human skills that define the characteristics of each wine region. And as such, there are small and great Terroirs!  But this is quite another story… 

Harvesting in Saint Emilion in 2005          

Barrel Sampling at Clos Junet

          ISBN 1-84000-332-4

To end our article with a touch of poetry, let’s define the Soil as the Soul of the Land and Terroir as the Soul of the Vine.  May these merge with the Soul and Heart of Man, who ultimately sanctifies by his labor the love of the land and the bearing of its fruits. 

Let’s hope all these studies help to bring a higher level of understanding to Wine, this mysterious and magic substance, which invites us to a global reconciliation and celebration.

Miramar Beach, Florida
August 2006