Terroir
If you’ve heard wine sommeliers or aficionados speak of how a wine reflects the terroir of the land, you may have wondered exactly what this meant , or how you ended up in the one group of guests at the party discussing the Terroir of the wine? 

Terroir is a traditional French term describing the climate, landscape and culture of a region – and it does play an important role in the character of many of the world’s most popular wines.

Why, you may wonder, does a Chardonnay from the Northern France region of Chablis smell like the seaside or a bottle of red wine from Tuscany have aromas of violets and cherries?  The answer can often be found in the “terroir”.  Wine is after all an agricultural product and the greatest wines tell a story of the place the grapes were grown and the people who made them. 

A Southern Australian Shiraz, for example, can be fun and deliciously drinkable with rich peppery aromas and bold blackberry fruit flavours.  It will often pair well with grilled red meats.  The aromas and flavours of this wine reflect the typical flavours of the Shiraz grape and the warmth of the South Australian sun.  The fun, easy to drink style speaks to the laid back nature of Australians, who are quick to smile, throw an impromptu party and toss another steak on the barbie.

While this Australian example is a loose, modern interpretation of terroir, traditionalists will argue that terroir is more appropriately associated with France, Italy and other European wine growing regions that have centuries of grape growing and winemaking experience.  Take France’s Burgundy region for example. There, not only do they believe that each village in the area possesses their own unique terroir, but they even distinguish the quality and character of their wines by single vineyards; many of which are as small as a couple of acres in size.

And why does that Northern French Chardonnay from Chablis smell like the seaside? And pair perfectly with oysters? Millions of years ago, that part of France was under water.  The soil of Chablis is made of up fossilized oyster beds. That would do it.

So the next time you’re enjoying your favourite wine, think a little about where it was made, where the grape comes from and the culture of the region.  And make sure you stay out of the argument between those traditionalists and the new-aged thinkers who linked the Shiraz grape to the Aussies’ laid back attitudes! Head to the kitchen -- that’s where the best parts of the party always take place.