View source for Terroir

{{Short description|Factors affecting crops}}
{{Distinguish|Terror (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Italics title}}
[[Image:080110 zell mosel.JPG|right|thumb|The steep slope, [[soil quality]], and influence of the nearby [[Moselle|Mosel river]] distinguish the ''terroir'' of this German wine region.]]
{{lang|fr|'''Terroir'''}} ({{IPAc-en|t|ɛ|r|ˈ|w|ɑːr}}; {{IPA|fr|tɛʁwaʁ|lang|LL-Q150 (fra)-Pamputt-terroir.wav}}; from ''terre'', {{literally|lands}}) is a [[French language|French]] term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop's [[phenotype]], including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop's specific growth habitat. Collectively, these contextual characteristics are said to have a character; ''terroir'' also refers to this character.<ref>{{Cite web |url = http://www.winophilia.com/2010/03/27/what-is-terroir/ |title = What is terroir? |last = Tanzer |first = Stephen |website = Stephen Tanzer's Winophilia |access-date = 23 July 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150724071621/http://www.winophilia.com/2010/03/27/what-is-terroir/ |archive-date = 24 July 2015 }}</ref>

Some artisanal crops and foods for which ''terroir'' may apply include [[wine]], [[cheese]], [[Single-origin coffee|coffee]], [[single malt whisky]], [[onion]]s, and [[tea]].<ref name="Ducarme">{{cite journal |last1=Ducarme |first1=Frédéric |date=2025 |title=The Ecology of the "''Terroir''" What Can an Old French Concept Bring to Modern Relationships to the Land? |url=https://www.pdcnet.org/enviroethics/content/enviroethics_2025_0999_2_3_95 |journal=[[Environmental Ethics]] |volume=47 |issue=1 |pages= |doi=10.5840/enviroethics20252395 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

''Terroir'' is the basis of the French wine ''[[appellation d'origine contrôlée]]'' (AOC) system, which is a model for wine [[appellation]] and regulation in [[France]] and around the world. The AOC system presumes that the land from which the grapes are grown imparts a unique quality that is specific to that growing site (the plants' habitat). The extent of terroir's significance is debated in the wine industry.<ref name="Oxford pg 693-695">{{cite book |editor-first = J. |editor-last = Robinson |title = The Oxford Companion to Wine |edition = 3rd |pages = 693–695 |publisher = Oxford University Press |year = 2006 |isbn = 0-19-860990-6 }}</ref>

==Origins==
Over the centuries, French winemakers developed the concept of terroir by observing the differences in wines from different regions, vineyards, or even different sections of the same vineyard. The French began{{when|date=June 2016}} to crystallize the concept of terroir as a way of describing the unique aspects of a place that influence and shape the wine made from it.<ref name="Dummies pg 22">{{cite book |first1 = Ed |last1 = McCarthy |first2 = Mary |last2 = Ewing-Mulligan |name-list-style = amp |title = French Wine for Dummies |page = 22 |location = New York |publisher = Wiley Publishing |year = 2001 |isbn = 0-7645-5354-2 }}</ref> Long before the French, the wine-making regions of the [[ancient world]] had already developed a concept of different regions having the potential to produce very different and distinct wines, even from the same grapes. The [[Ancient Greeks (wine)|Ancient Greeks]] would stamp [[amphora]]e with the seal of the region they came from, and different regions established reputations based on the quality of their wines. For centuries, literate and disciplined members of the [[Benedictine]] and [[Cistercian]] orders cultivated grapes in much of [[Burgundian Circle|Burgundy]]. With vast landholdings, the monks could conduct large-scale observation of the influences that various parcels of land had on the wine it produced.<ref>{{cite book |last1 = MacNeil |first1 = Karen |author-link1 = Karen MacNeil |chapter = Burgundy |title = The Wine Bible |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=pWHVBgAAQBAJ |edition = 2nd, revised |location = New York |publisher = Workman Publishing Company |year = 2015 |page = 199 |isbn = 978-0-7611-8715-8 |access-date = 29 June 2016 |quote = [...] the period most crucial in the region's history was the thousand-year period from the eighth century to the French Revolution, when much of the land and most of its wines were under the powerful command of Benedictine and Cistercian monks. [...] Contemplative by nature, patient in temperament, systematic in approach, committed to grueling physical labor, well bestowed with land, and, most important, literate, the monks were uniquely prepared for their mission: to delineate and codify Burgundy's vineyards. Plot by plot, they cleared and cultivated the most difficult limestone slopes of the Côte d'Or, studiously comparing vineyards and the wines made from them, recording their impressions over centuries. Tantamount to a millennium-long research project, the work of these monks [...] in fact, for the first time, established terroir as the critical core of [[viticulture]]. }}</ref> Some legends have the monks establishing the boundaries of different ''terroirs'' – many of which still exist today as the [[List of Burgundy Grand Crus|Grand Cru vineyards]] of Burgundy.<ref name="MacNeil pg 190">{{cite book |first = Karen |last = MacNeil |title = The Wine Bible |page = 190 |publisher = Workman Publishing |year = 2001 |isbn = 1-56305-434-5 }}</ref>

==Elements==
{{stack|[[Image:Harvest in Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume 1.jpg|thumb|While the concept of ''terroir'' is not specific to Burgundy, the examples of Burgundy wine from places like the [[Chablis (wine)|Chablis]] ''premier cru'' Fourchaume are ''terroir''-driven.]]}}
While wine experts disagree about the exact definition, particular consideration is given to the natural elements that are beyond the control of humans.

Components often described as aspects of terroir include:<ref name="Oxford pg 693-695"/>
* [[Climate]]
* [[Soil type]]
* [[Geomorphology]]
* Other organisms growing in, on, and around the vine plots

The interaction of climate and terroir is generally broken down from the [[macroclimate]] of a larger area (For example, the [[Côte de Nuits]] region of [[Burgundy (region)|Burgundy]]), down to the [[mesoclimate]] of a smaller subsection of that region (such as the village of [[Vosne-Romanée]]) and even to the individual [[microclimate (wine)|microclimate]] of a particular vineyard or row of [[grapevines]] (like the [[List of Burgundy Grand Crus|Grand Cru]] vineyard of [[La Grande Rue]]). The element of soil relates both to the composition and the intrinsic nature of the [[List of vineyard soil types|vineyard soils]], such as fertility, drainage and ability to retain heat.<ref name=pmid25251495>{{cite journal |doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0108078 |pmid = 25251495 |pmc = 4176712 |title = Integrated Analysis of Climate, Soil, Topography and Vegetative Growth in Iberian Viticultural Regions |journal = PLOS ONE |volume = 9 |issue = 9 |article-number = e108078 |year = 2014 |last1 = Fraga |first1 = Helder |last2 = Malheiro |first2 = Aureliano C. |last3 = Moutinho-Pereira |first3 = José |last4 = Cardoso |first4 = Rita M. |last5 = Soares |first5 = Pedro M. M. |last6 = Cancela |first6 = Javier J. |last7 = Pinto |first7 = Joaquim G. |last8 = Santos |first8 = João A. |name-list-style = amp |bibcode = 2014PLoSO...9j8078F |doi-access = free }}</ref> Geomorphology refers to natural landscape features like [[mountains]], [[valley]]s and [[bodies of water]], which affect how the climate interacts with the region, and includes the elements of [[aspect (geography)|aspect]] and [[elevation]] of the vineyard location.<ref name="Oxford pg 693-695"/> Other organisms growing in, on, and around the vine plots refers to the region specific [[fauna]], [[flora]], and [[Microbiota|microflora]] present in the vineyards. The microbial populations in vineyards have been described as being a quantifiable aspect of the overall ''terroir''.<ref name=pmid24277822>{{cite journal |doi = 10.1073/pnas.1317377110 |pmid = 24277822 |pmc = 3890796 |title = PNAS Plus: Microbial biogeography of wine grapes is conditioned by cultivar, vintage, and climate |journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume = 111 |issue = 1 |pages = E139–48 |year = 2013 |last1 = Bokulich |first1 = Nicholas A. |last2 = Thorngate |first2 = John H. |last3 = Richardson |first3 = Paul M. |last4 = Mills |first4 = David A. |name-list-style = amp |bibcode = 2014PNAS..111E.139B |doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name=pmid25062126>{{cite journal |doi = 10.1038/ismej.2014.132 |pmid = 25062126 |pmc = 4303630 |title = Quantifying separation and similarity in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae metapopulation |journal = The ISME Journal |volume = 9 |issue = 2 |pages = 361–70 |year = 2014 |last1 = Knight |first1 = Sarah |last2 = Goddard |first2 = Matthew R. |name-list-style = amp }}</ref>

Mark A. Matthews, a professor of viticulture and plant physiology at [[University of California, Davis]], has described the common conception of terroir as a myth. While Matthews agrees local characteristics can have an effect on plant growth and the wines made from particular grapes, he points out that the term is imprecisely defined, and also proposes the concept of terroir is accepted primarily based on [[appeal to tradition|traditional belief]], and is not backed by rigorous data or research.<ref>{{cite book |first=Mark A. |last=Matthews |year=2016 |title=Terroir and Other Myths of Winegrowing |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-27695-6 }}</ref>

===Human controlled elements===
The definition of terroir can be expanded to include elements that are controlled or influenced by humans. This can include the decision of which grape variety to plant, though whether or not that grape variety will produce quality wine is an innate element of terroir that may be beyond human influence. Some [[List of grape varieties|grape varieties]] thrive better in certain areas than in others. The winemaking decision of using [[yeast in winemaking|wild or ambient yeast]] in [[fermentation (wine)|fermentation]] instead of cultured or laboratory produced yeast can be a reflection of terroir. The use of [[oak (wine)|oak]] is a controversial element since some will advocate that its use is beneficial in bringing out the natural terroir characteristics while others will argue that its use can mask the influences of the terroir.<ref name="Oxford pg 693-695"/> Vineyard management (e.g., growing grapes [[Organic farming|organically]] or [[Biodynamic agriculture|biodynamically]] over a more conventional method of farming) can also be seen as a human controlled aspect of terroir.<ref>{{Cite book |doi = 10.1533/9781845699284.3.273 |chapter = Terroir: The effect of the physical environment on vine growth, grape ripening and wine sensory attributes |title = Managing Wine Quality |pages = 273–315 |year = 2010 |last1 = van Leeuwen |first1 = Cornelius |isbn = 978-1-84569-484-5 }}</ref>

==Influences of viticulture and winemaking==
Many decisions during the [[viticulture|growing]] and [[winemaking]] process can either lessen or increase the expression of terroir in the wine. These include decisions about [[pruning]], [[irrigation (wine)|irrigation]] and selecting time of [[harvest (wine)|harvest]]. At the winery, the use of [[oak (wine)|oak]], cultured or ambient yeast, length of [[maceration (wine)|maceration]] and time in contact with [[lees (fermentation)|lees]], temperature during [[fermentation (wine)|fermentation]], and processes like [[micro-oxygenation]], [[chaptalization]], [[clarification (wine)|clarification]] with [[fining agents (wine)|fining agents]], and [[reverse osmosis]] all have the potential to either reduce or emphasize some aspect derived from the terroir. Winemakers can work between the extremes of producing wine that is terroir-driven and focused on purely expressing the unique aspects of a region's terroir, or winemaking that is done without any consideration given to terroir. Furthermore, aspects of terroir such as climate and soil type may be considered when deciding such things as which grape variety to plant if the goal is to make good wine rather than terroir-driven wine.<ref name="Oxford pg 693-695"/>

The importance of these influences depends on the culture of a particular wine region. In France, particularly Burgundy, there is the belief that the role of a winemaker is to bring out the expression of a wine's terroir. The French word for "winemaker," ''[[vigneron]]'', is more aptly translated as "wine-grower" rather than "winemaker". The belief that the terroir is the dominant influence in the wine is the basis behind French wine labels emphasizing the region, vineyard, or AOC more prominently than the [[varietal]] of grape, and often more prominently than the producer.<ref name="Dummies pg 12-13">{{harvp|McCarthy|Ewing-Mulligan|2001|pages = 12–13|ps=.}}</ref>

===Appellation systems===
The influence of terroir means that wines from a particular region are unique, incapable of being reproduced outside that area, even if the grape variety and winemaking techniques are painstakingly duplicated. Winemakers in Burgundy do not believe that they are producing [[Pinot noir]] that happens to be grown in Burgundy, but that they are producing unique [[Burgundy wine|Burgundian wines]] that happen to be made from Pinot noir. Appellation systems, such as the French AOC systems, have developed around the concepts of "unique wines from a unique area". These systems have also developed into [[protected designation of origin]] across the [[European Union]] so that, for example, winemakers from outside a region like [[Tuscan wine|Tuscany]] can not produce a [[Sangiovese]] wine and call it a [[Chianti]]. While the wine may be made from the same [[clone (plant)|clonal variety]] of Sangiovese, in the same soil composition as found in the Chianti region with winemakers using the Tuscan method of production, there is an assumption that the two wines will be different due to terroir.

The names of these European wine regions are protected so that wines from different regions and different terroir are not confused with wines from that those regions – i.e. a [[Spanish wine|Spanish]] or [[Australian wine|Australian]] "chianti". In the [[American wine|United States]] there is some confusion over the use of [[semi-generic]] names like [[Champagne (wine)|Champagne]] and [[Port wine|Port]] but there has been more effort by the American wine industry to recognize the unique association of place names with the wines produced in those places, such as the 2005 [[Napa Declaration on Place]] agreement. While appellation systems and the protected designations of origin can be a way of protecting "unique terroir", the commercial importance of terroir has been a much debated topic in the wine industry.<ref name="Oxford pg 693-695"/>

==Impact of climate change== 
As [[climate change]] disrupts long-established patterns of temperature and precipitation in wine-growing regions and causes more extreme weather events, there are potential serious impacts on terroir and the wine industry. Hotter temperatures and an earlier growing season can push berries towards a higher sugar content, less acids and differences in secondary compounds that are important for aromas. Growers are attempting to [[Climate change adaptation|adapt]] in a variety of ways in response. In 2021, in a controversial move, the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment formally authorized wine producers in the Bordeaux region to experiment on a trial basis with four red and two white vine types selected from other areas of France. The new types can make up no more than 10% of the final wine blend. The rest must be from the six red and eight white grape varieties traditionally cultivated in the region during its 2,000 year history.<ref name="Chrobak">{{cite journal |last1=Chrobak |first1=Ula |last2=Zimmer |first2=Katarina |title=Climate change is altering the chemistry of wine |journal=Knowable Magazine |date=22 June 2022 |doi=10.1146/knowable-062222-1 |doi-access=free |url=https://knowablemagazine.org/article/food-environment/2022/climate-change-altering-chemistry-wine |access-date=11 July 2022|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Voss |first1=Roger |last2=Buckley |first2=Kathleen |title=Bordeaux Aims to Protect its Future with New Grape Varieties |url=https://www.winemag.com/2021/02/08/bordeaux-grape-varieties-news/ |access-date=11 July 2022 |work=Wine Enthusiast |date=8 February 2021}}</ref> Another approach to protecting plants against the effects of climate change involves experimenting with rootstocks to develop plants that are resilient, vigorous and use water more efficiently under stressful conditions. Differences in planting, irrigation and harvesting practices are also being studied. Practices developed in warmer climates like Australia, Israel, South America, and Spain are being adapted for use in countries that used to be cooler, as temperatures rise.<ref name="Chrobak"/>

==In other drinks==
The concept of terroir exists in other drinks, notably in tea ([[Wuyi rock-essence tea]] being a notable example) and [[Cognac (drink)|Cognac]] where the chalky soil, climate and distance from the ocean are all factors influencing the product. Producers of [[single malt whisky]], [[Bourbon whiskey|bourbon]], [[rum]], and [[vodka]] use terroir elements in their production process, including wood flavors derived from [[barrel aging]].<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/dining/drinks/liquor-terroir-whiskey-vodka.html |title = Can Liquor Have a Local Taste? They're Banking on It |newspaper = [[The New York Times]] |first = Clay |last = Risen |date = 21 August 2018 |access-date = 23 February 2019 }}</ref>

==In artisan cheese==
[[File:Alps of Switzerland Cow above Sertig Dörfli (23024185119).jpg|thumb|Pasture in the [[Alps]]. Alp cheeses are characterised by the variety of herbs and flowers found at higher elevations.]]
The tenet of terroir has also been applied to the production of [[artisan cheese]],<ref>{{cite news |last = Erlanger |first = Steven |title = Vive le Terroir |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/sunday-review/vive-le-terroir.html?_r=0 |access-date = 18 October 2013 |newspaper = The New York Times |date = 31 August 2013 }}</ref> and French authorities have fought to balance traditional cheesemakers terroir cheeses concerns with those of major industrialists.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20180618-the-end-to-a-french-cheese-tradition |title = The end to a French cheese tradition? |first = Emily |last = Monaco |date = 18 June 2018 |publisher = BBC }}</ref>

The flavor of cheeses (and other dairy products) is impacted by the production location.<ref>{{cite journal |url = https://citarea.cita-aragon.es/citarea/bitstream/10532/3319/1/2016_148.pdf |title = The contribution of mountain pastures to the link to terroir in dairy and meat products |journal = Mountain Pastures and Livestock Farming Facing Uncertainty: Environmental,technical and Socio Economic Challenges |year = 2016 | quote = The secondary metabolites of the dicotyledonous plants found in mountain pastures like terpenoids or phenolic compounds are directly transferred to animal products }}</ref> For instance, Alpine pastures are composed of a larger variety of grasses, herbs, and flowers, than those in the lowlands. At higher elevations, the flora also changes significantly throughout the [[grazing]] period (from spring to autumn), thus also impacting the taste of cheeses produced in different batches. In Switzerland, Alp cheese is typically indicated with a special logo, in addition to the [[Appellation d'origine protégée (Switzerland)|Appellation d'origine protégée (AOP)]].<ref>{{cite book |last= |first= |date=2016 |title=The Oxford Companion to Cheese |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pRrGDQAAQBAJ |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |page=17 |isbn=978-0-19-933090-4}}</ref>

A scientifically validated example of terroir can be found in the alpine cheeses of the [[Aosta Valley]] ([[Italy]]), such as [[Fontina]]. The diet of the [[Aosta Red Pied|Valdostana cows]] includes [[Trifolium alpinum|Alpine clover (''Trifolium alpinum'')]], a plant that emits a strong, spicy fragrance. Research has confirmed that volatile organic compounds from this clover are transferred to the milk and can be detected in the final cheese, imparting a unique aroma and flavour.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Buchin |first1=S. |last2=Martin |first2=B. |last3=Dupont |first3=D. |last4=Bornard |first4=A. |last5=Achilleos |first5=C. |date=November 1999 |title=Influence of the composition of Alpine highland pasture on the chemical, rheological and sensory properties of cheese |journal=The Journal of Dairy Research |volume=66 |issue=4 |pages=579–588 |doi=10.1017/s0022029999003842 |issn=0022-0299 |pmid=10612056}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Danna |first1=Cristina |last2=Poggio |first2=Laura |last3=Smeriglio |first3=Antonella |last4=Mariotti |first4=Mauro |last5=Cornara |first5=Laura |date=2022-01-09 |title=Ethnomedicinal and Ethnobotanical Survey in the Aosta Valley Side of the Gran Paradiso National Park (Western Alps, Italy) |journal=Plants (Basel, Switzerland) |volume=11 |issue=2 |page=170 |doi=10.3390/plants11020170 |doi-access=free |issn=2223-7747 |pmc=8778718 |pmid=35050058 |bibcode=2022Plnts..11..170D }}</ref> Furthermore, specific [[Fatty acid|fatty acids]] and [[Hydrocarbon|hydrocarbons]] from the clover serve as reliable chemical biomarkers, providing an indelible chemical fingerprint that traces the cheese back to the specific clover-rich meadows where the cows grazed.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Povolo |first1=Milena |last2=Pelizzola |first2=Valeria |last3=Lombardi |first3=Giampiero |last4=Tava |first4=Aldo |last5=Contarini |first5=Giovanna |date=2012-01-11 |title=Hydrocarbon and fatty acid composition of cheese as affected by the pasture vegetation type |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |volume=60 |issue=1 |pages=299–308 |doi=10.1021/jf203802y |issn=1520-5118 |pmid=22148888 |bibcode=2012JAFC...60..299P |url=http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf203802y }}</ref>

==Commercial interests==
The importance of terroir affects the price of the agricultural product as well as the products made from the product. Branding, variety, and farmer identification affects the price of a product. The [[Slow Food]] movement appreciates history of a variety of plant or animal, the story of the farmer who produced it, and ultimately the quality of the product. Chefs and bakers develop their own list of qualities they desire for their creations, and terroir affects these.

Wine critics question the value of a Pinot noir wine from a Burgundy Grand Cru vineyard relative to a wine produced from the "lesser terroir" of a ''[[Premier cru#Burgundy|Premier Cru]]'' vineyard, and whether it merits the higher price. These doubts also arise when the quality of winemaking and other human influences are taken into account, which may be of a higher standard with the "lesser" ''premier cru''.

These critics also question the difference between [[New World wine|New World]] and [[Old World]] wine and whether modern winemaking techniques – like significant oak influences, [[over-ripened fruit (wine)|over-ripened fruit]], cultured yeast, micro-oxygenation, and color pigment additives – obscure or even eliminate the influence of terroir in making different regions unique. Critics often point to the homogenizing effect on mass-produced wines made from popular [[varietal]]s like [[Chardonnay]], which may have their terroir characteristics hidden by invasive and intensive winemaking. A heavily oaked, over-ripe Chardonnay from [[California wine|California]] can taste very similar to the same style of wine from elsewhere. The marketability of wines from different regions and producers is affected by the importance accorded to terroir, both by the wine industry and consumer wine markets, with some producers downplaying terroir and its effect on their wines.<ref name="Oxford pg 693-695"/>

== Ecological interest ==
Local products are the fruit of long agricultural traditions rooted in the local environment, using mainly local varieties adapted to the climate and environment, and requiring few external inputs. Their production also sustains landscapes with associated agricultural biodiversity, which in turn provides ecological services to agriculture. Last but not least, the specifications of the appellations forbid many products and techniques that are harmful to the environment, which means that the ecological virtues of 'terroir' farming are now a strong argument for its preservation, and even its expansion.<ref name="Ducarme"/>

==Outside Europe==
In the United States, the principles of terroir have been applied in a few limited instances, such as [[Vidalia onion]]s, whose production area has been defined by the [[United States Department of Agriculture]]<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/7/part-955 |title = Vidalia Onions Grown in Georgia |id = 7 CFR Part 955 |via = LII / Legal Information Institute }}</ref> and [[Indian River County, Florida|Indian River fruit]], which can only carry that label if grown within an area defined by the [[United States Federal Trade Commission]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://ircitrusleague.org/history/ |title = History – Indian River Citrus League |website = ircitrusleague.org }}</ref>

In some [[East Asia]]n countries, terms like ''terroir'' or ''marriage'' have been popularised by Japanese [[manga]]. A 2008–09 [[Korean drama]], most of whose leading characters work with wine, is titled ''Terroir'' after the main setting, a wine restaurant in turn named for the concept.

==In popular culture==
The concept of terroir has been discussed in several films and television shows. [[Jonathan Nossiter]]'s 2004 documentary, ''[[Mondovino]]'', explores the globalization of the wine business, and features interviews with a number of small producers, mostly French, who talk about terroir. In the 2006 [[BBC]] series, ''[[Oz and James's Big Wine Adventure]]'', one episode is almost entirely devoted to [[Oz Clarke]] teaching [[James May]] about terroir. At the end of the episode, May identifies three wines successfully, placing them in the correct order on the basis of the quality of terroir they come from.

[[Les Blank]] and Gina Leibrecht's 2007 documentary, ''[[All In This Tea]]'', explores the importance of terroir and organic growing methods for the quality and future sustainability of the [[Chinese tea]] market. Terroir is also a frequent topic of discussion in the Japanese wine comic ''[[Les Gouttes de Dieu]]''. The films ''[[French Kiss (1995 film)|French Kiss]]'' and ''[[A Good Year]]'' also make references to terroir. Terroir recognition is a plot turning point in the 1976 French comedy ''[[L'aile ou la cuisse]]'' (''The Wing or the Thigh'') with [[Louis de Funès]]. In 2014 [[Keith Carradine]] starred in [[John Jopson|John Charles Jopson]]'s [[Edgar Allan Poe]]-inspired film ''[[Terroir (film)|Terroir]]''. Terroir is frequently referenced in [[Jeff VanderMeer]]'s 2014 novel ''[[Southern Reach Trilogy|Authority]]''.

==See also==
* [[Ecoregion]]
* [[Habitat]]
* [[Plant genetics]]
* [[Old World wine]]
* [[Shade-grown coffee]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Sister project links}}
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Ducarme |first1=Frédéric |date=2025 |title=The Ecology of the "''Terroir''" What Can an Old French Concept Bring to Modern Relationships to the Land? |url=https://www.pdcnet.org/enviroethics/content/enviroethics_2025_0999_2_3_95 |journal=[[Environmental Ethics]] |volume=47 |issue=1 |pages= |doi=10.5840/enviroethics20252395 |url-access=subscription }}
* Kerri Lesh & Anne Elyse Lally (eds.), "Contesting Terroir: New Anthropological imaginations of the taste of place", special issue of ''Anthropology of food'', 2020 (DOI 10.4000/aof.10543).
* {{cite book|first = Thomas | last = Parker | title = Tasting French Terroir: The History of an Idea | location = Berkeley | publisher = University of California Press | year = 2015 | isbn = 978-0-520-27750-2 }}. 
* {{cite book |first = Jacques |last = Fanet |title = Great Wine Terroirs |location = Berkeley |publisher = University of California Press |year = 2004 |isbn = 0-520-23858-3 }}
* {{cite journal |first = Zachary |last = Nowak |title = Against Terroir |journal = Petites Propos Culinaires |volume = 96 |date = June 2012 |pages = 92–108 |doi = 10.1558/ppc.28604 }}
* {{cite book |first = Thomas |last = Parker |title = Tasting French Terroir: The History of an Idea |location = Berkeley |publisher = University of California Press |year = 2015 |isbn = 978-0-520-27751-9 }}
* {{cite book |first1 = Thomas J. |last1 = Rice |first2 = Tracy G. |last2 = Cervellone |name-list-style = amp |title = Paso Robles: An American Terroir |location = Paso Robles, California |publisher = Thomas J. Rice & Tracy G. Cervellone |year = 2007 |isbn = 978-0-9799406-1-3 }}
* {{cite book |first = Brian J. |last = Sommers |title = The Geography of Wine: How Landscapes, Cultures, Terroir, and the Weather Make a Good Drop |location = New York |publisher = Plume Publishing |year = 2008 |isbn = 978-0-452-28890-4 }}
* {{cite book |first = Olivier |last = Torres |title = The Wine Wars: The Mondavi Affair, Globalization and Terroir |location = New York |publisher = Palgrave Macmillan Publishing |year = 2006 |isbn = 0-230-00210-2 }}
* {{cite book |first = Amy B. |last = Trubek |title = The Taste of Place: A Cultural Journey Into Terroir |location = Berkeley |publisher = University of California Press |year = 2008 |isbn = 978-0-520-25281-3 }}
* {{cite book |first = James E. |last = Wilson |title = Terroir: The Role of Geology, Climate, and Culture in the Making of French Wines |location = Berkeley |publisher = University of California Press |year = 1999 |isbn = 0-520-21936-8 }}
{{refend}}

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