Terroir is an elusive concept. Put simply, it is a French word referring to the exact conditions in which the grapes which constitute a wine have been grown, but has often been romanticised as the ‘spirit’ or ‘place’ of a wine. The term has been one of the many causes of friction between New World and Old World wine producers, whom New World producers have accused of stoking the terroir ‘myth’ to inflate the prices of their most exclusive wines, which can fetch hundreds of pounds more per bottle than a wine produced from the same grape varieties on the same estate, but from a different terroir.
Can terroir have an effect on a wine? To borrow from JK’s tasting notes: terroir includes climate (temperature and rainfall), insolation (sunlight), relief (altitude, slope, aspect), geology (soil characteristics) and hydrology (soil-water relations). Such factors differ markedly between wine regions, and are the principal reason that wines from some DOC regions are more sought-after than others. Taken together, it is obvious that the combined effect of all of these factors will have a substantial effect on the character and quality of the grapes produced. But the rub here is that producers who talk about terroir are often talking about grapes taken from different parts of the same wine estate, which narrows the range of variation on all of the factors above. The real question is not ‘Can terroir affect a wine’s characteristics?’, but ‘In practice, is terroir really distinguishable from variations in vinification methods?’.
It is notoriously difficult to pick apart the effects of terroir in a tasting. I have been told by an enthusiastic wine producer that the wine we were tasting had flinty characteristics because the vines were growing in a flinty soil. But I subsequently found myself wondering whether the vines were also being watered with peach juice, and whether someone had been diligently hammering pencils into the ground around the roots. I didn’t ask.
There is no way to be completely sure that you are comparing terroir when you are tasting two different wines, short of actually growing the grapes and making the wine yourself. However, this Monday evening JK put together for us the next best thing: eight wines, four from the same New World producer and four from the same Old World producer, each set produced from the same single grape variety from the same estate.
The first producer was Laurenz V., an Austrian producer with vines in Niederösterreich, Kamptal and Kremstal, in the North of the country. Laurenz V. focuses on the Grüner Veltliner grape variety, which is used to produce white wines with a characteristic peppery zing and a dry mineral character that have recently become very popular imports in the US.
Our first wine of the night was the 2008 Laurenz V. Friendly Grüner Veltliner (approx. £10, Slurp.co.uk) (with ‘Friendly’ signalling that this is the producer’s entry-level offering, with a relatively low price tag). This very pale, slightly green-tinged wine was delightfully refreshing, with a nose reminiscent of a Riesling: tart, with green apples and honeysuckle. It smelled fresh and green, but not unripe. In the mouth, a slight prickle on the tip of the tongue signalled the presence of dissolved carbon dioxide remaining from fermentation, a typical characteristic of Grüner Veltliner which emphasises the peppery characteristics of the wine.
A slight bitterness was present, along with the expected sharpness and continuing appley notes. By general agreement, this was a nice, refreshing, but unexciting wine. A good table wine for sitting around in a café with.
We then moved on to the 2008 Laurenz V. Charming Grüner Veltliner (£19.50, Slurp.co.uk), which was the favourite GV of the night. In keeping with all the GVs, the colour was very pale and slightly green, perhaps marginally darker than the ‘Friendly’. The aroma was tighter and less fruity than the previous wine, with bready notes and a mineral impression, like wet stone. On tasting, the same light fizz produced a much more definite impression of white pepper than in the previous wine, true to style, and a definite mineral character. One or two of us detected a hint of a ricotta-like cheesiness but without any impression of milk or lactate that you might find in a red wine; this was more apparent when returning to the wine after others.
Next up was the 2007 Laurenz V. Singing Grüner Veltliner (approx. £10, various). The colour of this wine was marginally greener than the last two. Aromas of bitter marmalade (zesty, rather than fruity), along with definite rubber notes (these diminished with time, and I noted it had disappeared entirely by the next day). In the mouth, a lower level of residual CO2 was evident, as well as pears, cherries and more orange. A nice long sourdough-like aftertaste followed. On returning, spiciness and sherbert were evident in the aroma. This was my personal favourite GV.
The next wine, the 2008 Laurenz V. Silver Bullet Grüner Veltliner (£11, various), came in a smaller, 50cl bottle. JK informed us that this was because it is marketed to restaurants as an ideal aperitif, which we agreed was a good use for this wine. Slightly darker and greener than the rest (though still pale by normal standards), the darker mood and thicker mouthfeel of this wine almost made it seem like it had been reduced and concentrated. The aroma was described by KMI as ‘serious and depressing’. Though there were certainly aromatic citrus notes, the darker aromas of mushrooms and new leather distinguished this wine from the rest. The flavour revealed tart fruits – pineapples – giving a juicy
impression. ‘Flabby’ was agreed with (perhaps uncharitably, given that this wine was generally well- liked).
For our next set we moved on to the New World, where we were treated to four wines from St. Hallett in the Barossa Valley of South Australia. The different vinification methods used for these four wines certainly came through in the experience of each wine – perhaps the low importance of terroir for this New World producer is a self-fulfilling prophecy. I must now admit that I lied a little in the introduction to this blog post: our first wine, the 2009 St Hallett Gamekeeper’s Reserve (£8.54, Waitrose) was in fact a blend of 56% Shiraz, 35% Grenache and 9% Touriga Nacional, not a 100% Shiraz, as the other three were. As such, it was not directly comparable. Which, as it turned out, was a very good thing, as this was a pretty ghastly wine. At £8.99 a bottle, this ‘entry-level’ wine compares unfavourably with other supermarket cheapies, like Jacob’s Creek, Oxford Landing and Lindeman’s. The colour was a deep, purple-tinged red. Classic meaty, spicy and hot aromas were over-done, overlaid with a pervasive sweetness; some rose hints from the Touriga Nacional might have made an appearance. The flavour was unsubtle, sweet and strong, with the impression of beef, and lactate/yoghurt. Be warned that the ‘Gamekeeper’s Reserve’ part of the title is often removed in restaurant versions, so people don’t realise that they are paying £20 for a pretty basic wine.
The next wine, the 2007 St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz (£18.60, Slurp.co.uk), was a relief. This inky-black wine (in common with all three shiraz wines) was opaque, even when held to a light; deep purple at the edge. The nose showed the benefits of its 20-month ageing in oak, with clearer and less confused aromas of black pepper, truffles and vanilla (as well as pencils. How dare anyone suggest I have a pencil fixation?!). In the mouth, the tannins were smooth, but much better developed and everything was classier. A classic shiraz smoky spiciness was evident, with a touch of yoghurt and the return of the pencils. This was a much nicer wine, but not a notably special one.
Our next shiraz was the 2007 St Hallett Faith Shiraz (£10.45, Slurp.co.uk), which was still extremely dark, but with more red and brown and less purple colour. Aromas of meaty mushrooms (shiitake, I though) competed with some fruitiness (though opinion was divided on whether this wine was fruitier than the last). In the mouth, the relative dryness of this wine was interesting. The strength (14.5%) was more apparent than in the last wine, leading to a spicier impression. The tannins were again better- developed, and a pleasing dusty effect was present, like old cupboards. Again, the 12-16 months in oak barrels probably had a much greater effect on this wine than any differences in terroir. On returning to this wine, I was reminded of the smell of a small motorboat engine (maybe engine oil?).
Our last wine, the 2006 St Hallett Old Block Shiraz (£28.30, Waitrose), was an interesting one, and was a good reminder that Shiraz grapes are not always destined for big, spicy, blockbuster Australian wines. This wine was probably best suited to KMI’s accolade, ‘eclipse wine’ – inky black, with faint tinges of purple. The aromas of anchovies, truffle, fungus and leather marked this wine out as a special Shiraz. The flavours were perhaps a little disappointing after the introduction via the nose. The best way of describing this wine’s flavour is to compare it to a tawny port: relatively thin tannins, with notes of oxidation and a residual sweetness. Some vanilla notes were also present. This was an interesting wine, but it felt like it needed a bit more of a bold structure in the mouth. I was expecting a bigger wine from old vines, at 14.5% abv.
All-in-all, a very interesting tasting. Did we prove incontrovertibly that terroir is more than a bare-faced marketing strategy? Probably not. But we did experience the great range of variation wine-makers can create between wines produced from the same variety of grapes in the same vineyard. When it comes down to it, terroir dictates what you start with when making a wine, and is just one of the tools wine-makers use to elevate some of their wines into great ones. Would I pay more for a producer’s favourite wine? Yes! Even if he’s convinced that it’s all down to the pencilly soil.
Many thanks to JK!
(Report by GH)
In this month’s tasting, Supermarket Sweep, we will taste a range of own‐label wines alongside their ‘branded’ counterparts. Inevitably every year just before Christmas, the Which? magazine blind tasting will be trotted out as an example of how supermarket own‐label wines are as good as leading brands, or even top champagne houses. From one point of view, it makes sense: it is easier for supermarkets to shop around for the best deal. But the suspect promotions policy muddies the water…so the only way will be to judge it for ourselves! 
Does Portugal have it all? From Madeira to Port via Wine Portugal produces diverse and unique wines, with a fascinating, rich history to match. Where to begin!? The British taste for Port, Madeira and Portuguese wines goes back for centuries and the Methuen Treaty between Portugal and England in 1703 simply secured the trading link to supply the demand. The Douro Valley was the first wine producing region in the world to be demarcated in 1758, recognising it for the excellent Port it produced. But it’s not just Port that Portugal is famous for. Madeira, a fortified wine made on the islands of Madeira, can be dry or sweet and has a rather strange method of production. Ships sailing to the East Indies and beyond during the 16th century, would often stop at the Madeira Islands to pick up the special wine there. This wine was better able withstand the excessive heat and movement on the ships, over port or straight wine, so popularising it. And then there are what one might call the ‘ordinary’ Portuguese wines but these are by no means ordinary. With hundreds of different indigenous grape varietals as well as the huge variation in soil and climate between the regions, there are plenty to choose from – so does Portugal really have it all?
The Loire Valley is perhaps one of the most underestimated wine regions of France. Its wines aspire towards fragrance, delicacy and finesse, which is not in vogue for today’s Parkerised wine tastes. LP led a wonderful tasting where we explored the surprising variety of wines available from this region.
Talking about Sauvignon Blanc, the final white was the 2008 Domaine Seguin, Pouilly Fumé (£14.95, Lea & Sandeman). Light gold with a greenish tinge, it had a very tropical nose of kiwi, melons, pineapple and grapefruit. Peach melba yoghurt was also suggested, and even a certain saltiness (think post-rain). On the palate, it was very tart and regresshing, with mineral, gooseberry and pepper.
Next was the 2006 Bernard Baudry Le Clos Guillot, Chinon (£15.00, Lea & Sandeman). Colour-wise between the two previous wines, it had a nose of menthol cigarettes, cheese, tobacco, meat, graphite, cigar-box, compost and green pepper. The palate was a lovely balance of white pepper, cranberry, salt, meatiness and medium tannins. This wine is a great example of Cabernet Franc, a variety often overshadowed by its offspring, Cabernet Sauvignon.
A Loire unto itself The mighty Loire is the longest river in France. Rising in the Ardèche, it flows over 1000km before finally discharging into the Bay of Biscay at St Nazaire. It drains an area comprising roughly a fifth of the area of France including the many vineyards stretching from the Atlantic coast to the borders of Burgundy. The land was first cultivated under vines by the Romans in the 1st Century, and throughout the centuries has produced exciting wines of all colours and varieties from the sharp coastal Muscadets to the rich Cabernet Francs of Chinon and the dry Sauvignon Blancs of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé.
