Often times when you are wine tasting, especially some of the beautifully crafted single-vineyard wines out of Napa Valley, you may hear the tasting room staff or the winemaker refer to the term, terroir. But what does the term terroir mean?
What Terroir Means and Its Effect on the Winemaking Process
Essentially, it is a French term for the characteristics in wine, coffee, and tea that come from their particular geography. Wineries might refer to the terroir when discussing the various appellations where their grapes are grown, and the specific characteristics those soils impart in their wines.
There is still some question as to what officially constitutes terroir, as varying definitions exist; but, some general components include: climate, soil type, and topography. Additional elements can have human involvement, including what types grapes to plant where, what strains of yeast to use, and whether or not to use oak when aging the wine. The concept of terroir is deep rooted in French winemaking and the base of the Appellation Control (AOC) System that has been a guide for wine laws and appellations throughout the world.
The Rutherford Dust Society
One of the most common terroirs you might hear about in Napa Valley is what is called, "The Rutherford Dust". Normally, the thought of dust might make you cringe, but in this case, it should bring a smile to your face. The characteristics of the geography in Rutherford can result in some of the finest wines, especially Cabernet Sauvignons, to come from the Napa Valley.
While debate continues in the wine world surrounding the elements that make up terroir and how influential they really are in determining the best wine regions, certain vintners in Napa Valley strongly believe in the concept. Founded by some local growers and vintners in 1994, The Rutherford Dust Society was created to continue the efforts of this institutional wine growing region. The Rutherford Dust Society’s mission is, "to encourage and promote the highest quality standards in grape growing and winemaking in the Rutherford Viticultural Area, and to help wine lovers and the wine trade discover Rutherford\’s unique expression. Please join us in enjoying the fruits of our labor and in preserving the heritage and vineyards of Rutherford, in the Napa Valley."
Although terroir is certainly more involved, it is an interesting element of wine to learn more about. The next time you are wine tasting, pay close attention to each type of wine you taste, especially if the winery produces the same type of wine (i.e., Chardonnay) from different regions (Carneros, Napa Valley, etc). Do a side by side tasting and remember to ask lots of questions! You might be surprised at how much you can learn from that exercise alone!
