‘Terroir’ is a commonly-used word in ‘wine-speak’ but what does it actually mean? It’s very difficult to define precisely and may mean slightly different things to different people but it covers all the local conditions that contribute to making a wine what it is. That includes the nature of the soil, the slope of the land and how sheltered or well-drained it is and whether there is any woodland, lakes or rivers close by to moderate the growing conditions. Then there’s the climate of the area and the weather in any particular year. You might also take account of the grape varieties being grown and some include local traditions and customs but I suggest that might be going a little too far. Being a French word, not surprisingly, it’s often used when talking about French wines but the different conditions that are covered by terroir are everywhere. If not, why would anyone plant vines in one location rather than another?
So I was interested to open a bottle of wine from Chile recently which is part of a series of wines sold under the name ‘Terroir Hunter’. The label of Undurraga’s Cabernet Franc (Wine Society, £14.50) is very precise. It tells me that a small proportion of Merlot was blended in with the Cabernet Franc and the wine came from a single 2.25 hectare (5.5 acre) vineyard called Catemito situated on a north-facing sandy-clay terrace overlooking the Maipo River. It’s one of just 4300 bottles made from the vineyard so, if you’re thinking of buying one, act fast because supplies are definitely limited!
And the wine itself? A delicious, fresh, juicy red full of succulent blackberry fruit with a hint of chocolate. Very smooth and silky on the palate and with pleasant soft tannins. We paired it with some roast duck legs but it should be fairly versatile, going well with lamb or, perhaps, a baked aubergine dish.
How much of the wine’s character is the due to the terroir and how much to skilled winemaking, it’s hard to say but it’s certainly a very classy wine and would likely have been quite a bit dearer if it had come from a more popular or well-known area.
Wine talks and tastings 