Terroir

You hear about it in all fine wine presentations, wine chats amongst connoisseurs, your local wine merchant, but what is terroir?  Terroir is the backbone, structure and body to fine wine philosophy.  It's the foundation which holds that each site has a unique flavor due to the uniqueness of its geography, climate, and biological influences.  For example the unique characteristics of a Pinot Noir from Carneros, Russian River, Santa Barbara, Willamette Valley, and the mother of all terroir conversations Burgundy, shows different attributes relative to its place. 

Now, how as wine consumers do we experience terroir in our wines.  For the average Joe, this takes years and years of extensive research......tasting as many wines as possible!!  My advice would be to taste a handful of a particular varietal from one region i.e. Carneros.  Take notes.  Odds are if you don't you will not remember(I think the alcohol has something to say about that).  Once you feel comfortable move on to another region/same varietal and so on.  Being able to pick up on all the little nuances of Terroir is not something that you will learn over night.  Tasting and evaluating wine really does take years and years.  Good thing there isn't a shortage of wine! 

I had a winemaker tell me once that no two wines taste alike.  And for the most part that is true.  Think outside the box.  Try new things.  Just because you had a big butter ball chardonnay from California and you hated it doesn't mean all chardonnay tastes like that.  Terroir doesn't allow it.

Happy Tasting