I recall a few years ago while reviewing The Ritz-Carlton Central Park South in New York City discussing wine with their head sommelier. She indicated some weariness with assessing vintage years and wine classifications. Her focus was simple and that was knowing what customers appreciated and building on that if the customer willingness was there. Her goal was to describe the general characteristics of the wine avoiding too much winespeak.
Best to tone down winespeak for those who become lost with such terms as “minerality”, “tannins”, “acid”, “balance”, “length” and “terroir”. At some point do the terms important to a wine buff and sommelier became a terrorist recital to an innocent customer. When do those guys and gals dressed in black and white with skinny little ties become somewhat comical or ridiculous if not theatrical as they serenade a wine to a customer? Too much winespeak as insulting and threatening to a wine drinker?
Terroir is a buzzword these days in the wine world. Quite simply in my mind it describes the place where grapes are gown and wine is made. That includes those involved with the production of wine, soil and climate.
Here are the thoughts of Britt and Per Karlsson on terroir in their BK Wine Brief (Edition 246).
“One word that stands out in all wine communication today is “terroir”. Wine drinkers claim to find it in the wine, and winemakers strive to express it in their work. All wine enthusiasts know roughly what that means. A regular wine drinker probably does not, or possibly just an inkling. You can appreciate a good wine without having a clue about the importance of terroir.
In any case, terroir is a vague concept. Not that it is not important. The soil, the climate, the grape, the local environment, as well as traditions and methods (everything usually included in “terroir”) create and shape the wine together with the winemaker in the cellar.”
Britt and Per offer in depth wine tours you may want to be aware of and of course their timely, not overly complicated and free BK Wine Brief. Why not contact Britt and Per and check out their tours and ask to be on the mailing list for the BK Wine Brief. Contact is bkarlsonn@bkwine.com
Soils photo is of lava pebbles on Pico Island in Portuguese Azores: Photo Robert K. Stephen
Set the Bar 