What is the Meaning of Terroir?

What Exactly is Terroir?

Terroir is a French expression meaning “a sense of place”. There has never been an official definition so it’s very much open to interpretation, however most winemakers and experts agree there are several factors that contribute to terroir which can all affect the taste of the end wine. These include:

• Climate
• Topography (or terrain)
• Soil
• Winemaking traditions

Climate

The climate of a wine region is integral to it’s terroir. Climate includes temperature, rainfall, wind, and amount of daylight. Winemaking regions are broadly categorised as having either a warm or cool climate. Warm climate regions include South America and Australia, cool regions would include the UK and Germany.

Very generally speaking, warmer climate wines tend to have more alcohol, more body and higher tannins. Cool climate wines have less alcohol, less tannins but higher acidity.

Think about how a French Shiraz is different to an Australian Shiraz for example. The Aussie Shiraz is more likely to have higher tannins, be higher in alcohol and fuller in body because higher temperatures and more sun exposure produce grapes with a higher sugar content.   

Topography / Terrain

This refers to the specific geological features of the region, for example, vineyards that are sheltered by mountains or those near the sea.

A good illustration of this is the Mosel region in Germany. Vines are planted on the steep slopes that surround the Mosel river, exposing them to a lot more sunlight than they would normally get. This means that grapes grown in the Mosel have high levels of sugar for a cool climate, and they still have high acidity which creates some fantastic and unique wines.

Soil

Different types of soil can produce certain flavours in the wine. Like all plants, the soil that grapes are grown in affects the nutrients imparted on the vines. It also affects how much or how little water drainage there is depending on the consistency and texture. 

Soil types can include clay, sand, rocks and stones. A great example of how soil affects vines are the large galet pebbles found in some vineyards in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. These pebbles trap the heat of the sun and slowly release that heat overnight. They also help to keep the soil moist during hot weather. 

Winemaking Traditions

This part of terroir is a hotly debated topic! It mostly concerns the older winemaking regions in France where winemaker traditions dictate decisions such as which grapes to plant where or what yeast to use, and how this can influence the unique characteristics of the resulting wine.

Is this actually a distinct part of terroir or is the winemaker encouraging natural terroir? You could easily argue this either way!

Importance of Terroir to the Appellation System

Terroir forms the basis of the appellation system. The theory is that wines that are made in a certain places cannot be replicated anywhere else because of the unique terroir of the region. 

Appellations have been around for hundreds of years but it wasn’t until the 1930s that a system was established to protect appellations by law. It was of course the French that led the way in this with Côtes du Rhône being one of the first.

Is Climate Change Affecting Terroir?

In a nutshell, yes! With climate being a central part of terroir, climate change will indeed have an affect.

Cooler climate regions like here in the UK are getting more sun and higher temperatures which is often contributing to better harvests. For other winemaking regions the increase in rainfall could be ruinous.  

Winemakers may have to make adjustments to traditional ways in order to preserve the terroir of a region. Indeed this has already begun in some places. For example in Bordeaux winemakers have been given permission to experiment with using different grape types from other parts of France which may make up to 10% of the final wine.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully this has dispelled the myth of terroir and explained a little about the different factors that contribute to it. Next time you hear someone at a wine tasting say that a wine has great terroir, you’ll know exactly what they’re talking about.