Terroir refers to the physical characteristics of the vineyard. It is a key concept in the world of wine. In particular, terroir lies at the root of wine appellation systems. We invite you to discover what terroir is and how this concept has evolved through the history of wine.
Definition of terroir
The Larousse dictionary gives a definition of terroir. It refers to the characteristic of the land farmed by a grower, and in particular by a winegrower. For its part, the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine) has also defined the concept of vitivinicultural terroir in a 2010 resolution. It states: “Vitivinicultural ‘terroir’ includes specific soil, topography, climate, landscape characteristics and biodiversity features”. Finally, while the link between the soil and the quality (or style) of the wine has never been proven, it is true that the composition of the soil can have major impacts on the wine. For example, the soil’s ability to retain water has consequences for the development of the vine and the grape. Terroir is a good indicator when it comes to choosing your wine. It will indeed give you a good idea of the type of wine you will be tasting.
Vitivinicultural terroir
The mapping out of the different terroirs comes from a rich history that was built over many centuries. Now every plot used in the production of wine belongs to one of these terroirs. Vitivinicultural terroir appears very early in human history. We find, indeed, the mention of regions inscribed on amphorae found in pharaohs’ tombs. In France, this concept first developed in the Côte d’Or, in Burgundy. In this region, the cultivation of the vines by monks allowed them to determine the level of influence of the soil on the wine. Even then, a hierarchy was drawn up between these different plots. The best of them produced a wine that was already described as grand cru: a name still used today! While this system was abandoned during the French Revolution, it resurfaced a little later. Terroir is thus the basis of our wine classification system, with the Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC), called Appellations d’Origine Protégées (AOP) at the European level. To obtain these, it is necessary to comply with a very precise set of specifications taking into account the specific features of the region. These specifications are established and monitored by the INAO: the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine.
Terroir put to the test by climate change
Defined by climate and soil, the concept of terroir must today face climate change and the global rise in temperatures. For now, it is difficult to assess the impact of climate change on European vineyards. However, through a more precise study of the climatic conditions and the state of the soils, it is possible to reveal high potential, such as California. Other regions could also emerge, as in Spain or even certain regions of France. So the concept of terroir is at the heart of major debates at a time when forgotten areas are being reclaimed by the cultivation of the vine and the production of wine.
A few famous quotations about terroir
French culture carries within it a love of regional products and local know-how. So terroirs have been the subject of quotations, of which we have made a selection. Paul Bocuse, the great chef, said: “True cooking will always be that of the terroir. In France, butter, cream and wine will always be the foundations of it”. For his part, Gaston Blanchard, a 20th-century philosopher, tried to define wine, notably with the help of this concept. He writes: “What is wine? It is a living body in which the most diverse “spirits” hold each other in balance, the volatile spirits and the weighty spirits, the conjunction of a sky and a terroir”. You now know everything about the concept of vitivinicultural terroir. It will be the subject of a podcast to explain it to you in more detail and in another format.
