terroir
/tɛrˈwɑː
/ /tɛrwar/noun
1The complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced, including factors such as the soil, topography, and climate.Literal-minded fundamentalists love to call terroir the soil and climate of a specific vineyard, but in truth it's about husbandry, about sensitivity to place and its careful management so that the best of things can be delivered of it....
- It is grown in every wine region, bending as much to the wills of the viticulturists and wine-makers as to the influence of climate and terroir.
- The differences in flavors and aromas come from fermentation times and methods, additives, terroir, climate, handling and quality of pick.
1.1 (also goût de terroir /ˌɡuː də/ /ɡu də/) The characteristic taste and flavour imparted to a wine by the environment in which it is produced.Sometimes terroir and varietal character win over technique....
- Try rounding up a few friends for a blind test, and see if you, too, can taste the terroir.
- If taken to its extreme, these statistics explode the notion of terroir, as the characteristics of the wine depend not on the unique conditions in which it is grown but on a ubiquitous mixture of artificial additives.
Origin
French, 'land', from medieval Latin terratorium.
- heavy-breasted
- heavy breathing
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- heavy cream
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- heavy goods vehicle
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