What is 'Terroir'? Wine 101 for Non Snobs

I had a guest say to me yesterday I like Chablis, but I don’t like Chardonnay. It got me to thinking how this French wine is called ‘Chablis’ and not ‘Chardonnay’. You see, all the grapes growing around Chablis are Chardonnay. So technically, a Chablis is a Chardonnay.

In most countries we would say ‘Californian Chardonnay’ or ‘Australian Chardonnay’. Before I lived in France, I never understood why French wines were called something different. I’ve discovered, it is all about Terroir (pronounced tare-whah).

But What is Terroir?

I had my first taste of this rather holistic concept when I did a house sit in the Cahors region of Southern France. I was talking to a neighbour and mentioned that I liked Malbec. Malbec is the type of wine from the Cahors region. Malbec is to Cahors as Chardonnay is to Chablis. Confusing? You betcha. But hang in there.

This neighbour told me that they never called their wine by its grape variety. Instead it was about where it came from, hence Chablis, or Sancerre, Bordeaux, Champagne, etc. These are all regions or even towns in France. Well that’s a tad tricky to understand if you are not very familiar with France and it’s regions.

He explained to me, “grapes grown in one place, in the type of soil of that place, with the weather of that place would not have the same ‘flavour’ as another place with different soil, weather, etc.” This is why a Chardonnay from Chablis tastes so amazingly different to a Chardonnay from Australia.

But is it all about Terroir?

Essentially, yes. Without the base ingredient of grapes, there is no wine. The wine maker has something to do with it of course. But the raw ingredients, eg the grapes, really differ in taste from place to place and this is what sets wines of a singular grape variety apart. It is this place, or rather, this combination of topography (south facing, elevation, steep slope…), soil type, weather, and wine maker that makes up the concept of ‘Terroir’.

So, when one mentions ‘Chablis’ there is an expectation of a certain type and style, or flavour if you prefer, of Chardonnay. This is because the soil around Chablis is from an ancient sea bed of limestone and fossilised sea shell s. If you have ever tasted Chablis you realise there is a freshness, not oak-y, but rather minerally aspect to the taste. When you think about the soil the vines are growing in, that taste starts to make sense.

Let’s not forget the Weather

Chablis is in the northern end of Burgundy. Burgundy, or Bourgogne in French, is a long north-south region or county between Paris and Switzerland. This area is a lot cooler than the south of France, with very changeable weather. Hail in June or even August is not unheard of and why these wines are so valued. They are up against it weather wise compared to their southern neighbours.

In fact last year the weather was terrible, rain, rain, rain and more rain. Many vineyards didn’t produce grapes or grapes of a quality that you would want to make wine out of. It is natural events such as these that explain why one years wine could taste better than another.

Go on, have a Taste

If you have never been to a wine tasting, I truly recommend it. My personal favourite is a comparison of one type of grape variety. Why not try it yourself? It’s a great theme for a dinner party with some friends. Gather 4 or 5 bottles of Chardonnay, each from a different country. (Hint, hint, make sure one is from Chablis.) Now blind taste them. You will be amazed at the differences.

Better yet, if you really would like to understand ‘Terroir’ then take a trip to France. Go to any wine region and visit a winery. The best ‘degustations’ (wine tastings) for really tasting how terroir differs are a flight of the same grape variety. If you pick a specific AOC area (read more on that here) that focuses on one grape variety this will guarantee you the best understanding.

My favourite AOC area is Sancerre, which grows Sauvignon Blanc for its white wine. Not just because the wines taste amazingly different within such a small area, but because you can visually see the differences in the types of soil that affect these differences. Go to one wine tasting. I will recommend Vincent Grall in Sancerre as one of the smallest, but clearest in helping you understand terroir. (Their jeep tour is the absolute best way to discover this.)

Although all the wines are made by one winery and wine maker, you will find yourself tasting a wonderful variety. Each bottle will be from a different vineyard and location around the town. I can guarantee you that you will be amazed at the taste difference between each bottle. And yet they are all the same grape variety. A truly wonderful way to learn about Terroir. Santé.

Oh, and…

Oh, and by the way, Terroir doesn’t just apply to wine. It can also apply to cheese, meats, fruits and more. As it is that combination of soil, weather, etc. all of these things can affect what is grown or, in the case of animals, grazed there.

Wine Lovers

If you would like to learn more about wine, check out my Wine 101 posts. I cover a variety of topics and try to demystify and cut through a lot of the snobbery that is wine. Including in my guiding. Wine is a rabbit hole of fun learning. Dive into that wine glass and join me.

As someone involved in wine, I am always on the search for interesting and unique and particularly French wine items for my vintage and antiques shop. Here’s a taste of some of the things I have found: